Thank you for coming to my personal web page. This article will tell about my passion for bass fishing and give a brief explanation of how I became a professional bass angler. I WAS BORN WITH A POLE IN MY HAND. In October of 1973 I was born in Durham, North Carolina, the only son of Jim and Jerrie Charlesworth and the younger brother of Eve and Michelle. None of us became interested in fishing until my family moved to West Cornwallis Road just outside Durham, in 1974. Our interest into the world of fishing began here thanks to our mother and father. My father, Jim Charlesworth, a professor at Duke University decided along with my mother, that our property really needed something special, a pond. Little did they know that this decision would change my life. My parents simply imagined all the fun times we would have as children on, in, and around the water. The pond was stocked with bass and bream and to this day was probably the easiest place I've ever experienced catching large numbers of bass. It was common to hear the neighbors around West Cornwallis brag about how big the bass were in each of their ponds. I remember hearing stories of numerous lunker bass ranging from 9 to 14 lbs. Talk of these monsters fueled my desire to fish constantly and catch bigger bass. Each year I asked my parents how large they thought the biggest fish was in our pond and each year I got the same answer. They'd hold their hands about 14 inches apart and say, "the bass are about that big now." My fascination with catching these bass kept me casting beetlespins, jitterbugs, texas rigged Mann's Jelly Worms, and rebel minnows until dark every night. In 1984 my parents sold the property in North Carolina and moved the family to Princeton, New Jersey where my father continued to teach. My father taught me to always be a student in my field of specialty, and to continue to learn as much as possible about bass fishing. He urged me to become an expert and read every article I could find to constantly improve. I read every book and magazine available on bass fishing, and joined B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society) at age 16 as a lifetime member. In New Jersey I was able to focus even more on bass fishing, and took my game to the next level. I soon had a 12 foot Jon boat with a 17 lb thrust trolling motor that was just as special, to me then as my Skeeter ZX225 is to me today. With that jon boat I explored every waterway in NJ to learn and experience as much about bass and bass fishing as I possibly could. In 1989 at 15, I fished my first tournament on Mercer Lake where I placed 3rd with my football buddy John Meslin, in a buddy tournament. From that day my love of tournament fishing exploded. I soon convinced my father that we really needed a newer jon boat with a trailer and a "mind blowing" 8 horse powered motor (Quite a difference versus my current 225 HP Yamaha HPDI). My best friend Justin Martin and I turned this ordinary jon boat into the ultimate small bass fishing machine in woodshop class. We made flipping decks from marine plywood, put in carpet, seats, a trolling motor, and depth finder. During college I traveled all the way from Florida to Maine fishing every backwater I was able to find. Many times I dumped the boat in places that had no ramp. The more secluded the honey hole, the more desirable. I took the boat to college at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC so when not studying or at football practice I was always on the water learning about the tidal Potomac. I graduated from Catholic University and was immediately asked by my proud parents what I would do with my education. I replied by telling them that I wanted to chase my lifelong dream and fish as a professional bass angler. Dismayed, they looked at me with confusion and said "great! But you'll have to make enough money to get yourself started." I immediately went to work in sales, a perfect fit for a hopeful future bass pro. While working full time in pharmaceuticals I was promoted to a position in Northern Virginia where I continued to compete in bass fishing. I joined and soon became the vice president of NOVA BASS CLUB. For the next two years I began using my vacation time to compete in the ESPN Northern BASS Opens as a part time professional. My successes with pharmaceutical sales led to a position in medical device sales selling spinal implants. The position opened my eyes to how short and fragile life truly is. After extensive training I assisted and advised surgeons in spine surgeries. We operated on numerous soldiers returning from Iraq, children with severe deformities, scoliosis, and, of course, urgent 911 traumas (motorcycle wrecks, car crashes…). I am fortunate to be sponsored by some of the best names in the sports and fishing industry, such as Skeeter Boats, Team Yamaha, Sonny's Marine in Orlando, FL, Under Armour Performance Apparel, Shakespeare, Pflueger reels, and ALLSTAR rods. I want to thank my family "TEAM CHARLESWORTH" for the moral support. Fishing has allowed me to create incredible friendships as well. Friends…Thank you!