Kyle Monti found at least one blessing in the pandemic forcing a break in the Bassmaster Elite Series season. The third-year pro was elated when client “Randy” he was to guide on Lake Okeechobee turned out to be NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss.
With the Lake Chickamauga event postponed, Monti agreed to help out another guide with a party of four in Lakeport, but he had no idea who it was. Only told Randy was usually a bit late, Monti was stunned when the record-setting wide receiver pulled up five minutes early in his Cadillac Escalade with a friend and their daughters.
“I immediately recognized him,” Monti said. “He rolled the window down and I said, ‘Holy crap. That’s Randy Moss!’ He stepped out of the driver’s side, right where I was parked. I was up in the boat. ‘So you fish with the Bassmasters. Yeah, that’s awesome.’”
After a morning of using shiners with the other father-daughter, Monti took out both men in the afternoon and tried to accommodate Moss on his quest to learn how to flip for bass on Lake Okeechobee.
“He said, ‘I want you to teach me everything you know. I’m all ears. You’re my coach today.’ I got to coach Randy Moss, essentially,” Monti said. “After the initial being starstruck, I realized he was actually listening to what I said and what I’m good at.”
Moss and his friend landed a lot of fish, Monti said, a mess of 3- to 4-pounders but nothing big. His buddy lost one about 6 pounds at the side of the boat, but they didn’t go 15 minutes without a bite, so Monti deemed it a successful trip.
There was some NFL talk, but Monti said he was rather coy and picked his spots during their afternoon session, which went from around 12:30 until dark.
“It was hard for me not to kind of fan out,” Monti said. “I’m a huge fan of Randy Moss anyway. I’ve always liked him. I could take a lot of guys who played in the NFL, it’d be cool but not as cool as that. He grew up in a small town like me, so I like everything about him.
“It was hard for me to try to maintain my cool. I tried to act like his friend instead of a fan, because I’m sure he gets that all the time. It was pretty interesting.”
About four hours in, Monti said Moss made it a point that his phone hadn’t rung. Moss said he has a fairly small circle he keeps in contact with, but he did give Monti the scoop that New England quarterback Tom Brady was “100% going to Tampa Bay” before that news broke in the media.
Moss, at 43 only a year older than Brady, said he thinks he could still compete in the league, and Monti backed that because he appeared to be in great shape. Besides his former quarterback, with whom he set the single season record with 23 touchdowns in 2007, Moss said he keeps in touch with Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
“We talked about coaching, the mentality of coaches,” Monti said. “I kind of picked his brain on Belichick, what makes him so successful. He said everybody, rookies to veterans, is expected to do the same thing. That was the most eye-opening thing about Belichick.”
Moss played 14 seasons in the NFL, retiring after 2012 with 156 touchdowns, second only to Jerry Rice. He played with Minnesota, Oakland, New England, Tennessee and San Francisco, making the Pro Bowl six times.
Monti was somewhat surprised when Moss told him his favorite quarterback might have been strong-armed journeyman Jeff George, who connected with Moss plenty in a stellar 1999 season with the Vikings.
“The reason was he was the only guy that when he threw the ball, Moss didn’t have to slow down,” Monti said. “That was his biggest pet peeve with a quarterback. I felt like this is the real true answer, not what you always see in the media.”
There was also some insight into how competitive Moss is. He competed in a charity bass tournament put on by now retired Viking defensive end Brian Robison in 2018. Teamed with Ott DeFoe, they won, but Moss nevertheless left somewhat disappointed, he told Monti.
“The others were all saying they just want to beat Randy Moss. Everybody was smack talking him, probably because he was the highest profile guy there,” Monti said. “It really upset him because he won this tournament and he never got the trophy, even after Brian said he’d get it to him.” (Robison said he had sent Moss the trophies.)
Monti said he also asked Moss about the mental aspects of excelling in sports. Moss was all-everything coming out of high school from Rand, W.Va., a town of around 1,600 with few resources. Monti, who’s cashed checks in 17 of his 24 Bassmaster events but has not qualified for a Classic, was interested in what it takes to climb the ladder.
“I spent the last two or three years studying sports psychology and the mindset,” Monti said. “I think that’s what separates the guys who are consistently winning from the guys who are really good fisherman but there’s just something missing. You can control your mindset, and that’s kind of what I was digging into without letting him know. He just kind of validated what I’ve already seen — you can’t let failure keep you from doing anything.”
Moss actually began the day by saying, “No autographs, I’m fishing, I’m not working.” That wasn’t an issue when the group stopped for lunch in small-town Lakeport, USA.
“Nobody recognized who he was,” Monti said. “We’re talking fishing, and the guy at the table next to us chimes in. He’s there having a conversation with me and Randy Moss, and he never even once realized who he was. It was hilarious.”
That’s a rarity for Moss, who felt good enough with his day that he did sign a hat for Monti. Monti realized Moss must be bombarded all the time, so he never pushed anything, like taking photos. He just wanted to help Moss’ bass fishing game.
“He’s pretty good. He needs some work,” Monti said. “For as much time as he’s gotten into it, he handled the rod and reel pretty good. What he was trying to learn is when, where and why, movements and patterns, everything that everybody reading Bassmaster Magazine wants to know.”
Moss asked Monti about Mark Zona, Bassmaster TV analyst and host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show. Those two have talked a few times about Moss appearing on Zona’s show but have yet to hook up.
“I said, ‘Dude, other than fishing with you today, he’s probably next on my bucket list.’ I think fishing with Zona would be an absolute blast,” Monti said. “Maybe this will bump up my street cred with Zona a little bit, and I’ll get on his show someday.”
Like most Elites, Monti was certainly disappointed to have the COVID-19 pandemic postpone several stops at places he believed he could excel.
“We had this beautiful schedule. Best schedule I’ve seen in B.A.S.S. for a long time, the perfect times at the perfect lakes. That kinds sucks. Now we’ll have to go places in the fall,” said Monti, changing his mindset after thinking of his best Bassmaster finishes (both fifths) were at the Smith Lake Open and last year’s Elite on Lake Tenkiller. “You know what, my best tournaments have been in the fall when it’s tough. I just seem to figure out how to catch five bass, so maybe it’s a blessing for me.”
The break could end up providing a double blessing for Monti.