Sean Frado is an angler located in Fort Worth, Texas who loves “the idea of competition between man and fish.” He hopes to unite the fishing community and encourage outdoor recreation.
We asked Sean a few questions to get to know him better.
Switching the rod for boxing gloves
What got you into fishing?
We asked Sean what got him into fishing, and he told the story about how he grew up fishing with his father before moving to Texas. When they lived on the East Coast, Sean and his dad enjoyed saltwater fishing on the Atlantic Ocean for Striped Bass and Blues.
But as Sean grew older, he gradually lost touch with fishing. After graduating high school, he focused on martial arts, even participating competitively in Muay Thai Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts as a sponsored athlete. “Needless to say, I didn’t have much time left in the day once the sport became a full-time job,” he recounted. He eventually retired from the sports scene in 2017.
Getting hooked
Years later, as Sean retired from sports and was working a different job, he found himself with unexpected free time on his hands. With this newfound spare time, fishing came to mind once again, and he found it as enjoyable as he did when he was younger. He found an old spinning rod hidden away, put on some new fishing line, went to a pond nearby, and described the experience as “the best time” of his life.
After leaving the martial arts scene, Sean caught his first Texas Largemouth Bass, which rekindled his passion for fishing, and in fact, brought him back to the fishing lifestyle he now continues to enjoy. “It was so peaceful to be outdoors, able to relax on my own time and just fish,” he said.
Sean even has his own continuously growing collection of rods, reels, and baits.
Fishing favorites
Where are your go-to fishing spots and why do you usually fish there?
When it comes to his favorite fishing spots, Sean likes to divide his time between fishing at some medium-sized ponds as well as Fossil Creek. Sean explained, “I’ve spent the last few years studying the patterns of the Largemouth Bass in these areas. I at least have a strong idea of what time of year, day, and climate they're biting on, and what colors to use.” According to him, these differ depending on the location, but he enjoys the challenge anyway.
Live bait or artificial lure? Why?
Speaking of a challenge, this also plays a role when it comes to Sean’s preferences on bait; though he uses both live and artificial bait, he prefers to use artificial bait when it comes to the Largemouth Bass. “I enjoy the challenge and thought of tricking a Bass into biting something that’s fake,” Sean reasoned. This could be a useful tip for anyone who wants to get better at fishing, as it helps one understand how a Bass thinks.
Favorite piece of gear?
When it comes to gear, aside from quality Fishing Fanatics shirts, Sean loves his Lew’s Bait Casters collection, as it gives him “a smooth casting reel paired with a trustworthy rod.”
Memorable moments
Biggest or heaviest fish you’ve caught?
“My biggest catch would have to be on a chilly October night, fishing from a kayak on Eagle Mountain Lake,” Sean described the scene where he caught a flathead catfish weighing 46 pounds.