Andalusia’s Michael Smith has been fishing his entire life and is now winning tournaments on the professional level.

Smith participated and won the T-H Marine Fishing League Worldwide Bass Fishing League Bama Division event on Lay Lake this past Saturday. For his efforts, Smith earned $4,956.

For the tournament there was a five-bass limit and he weighed in with 17 pounds, 14 ounces.

Smith said he started fishing because his parents were big fishers. They drove him to the many different places he has gone to fish, and always supported him, he said.

“I’ve been fishing in bass tournaments ever since I was 15,” Smith said. “And have been fishing in big level tournaments since high school. My parents have always been there to support me.”

Smith grew up in Paxton, Fla., and graduated from Paxton High School. After graduating, he earned an electrical engineering degree from the University of West Florida. He’s lived in Andalusia for the past three years, working at PowerSouth.

A typical tournament day involves waking up before daylight, driving out on the water at daylight, and fishing all day until 3 p.m.

“It’s usually an all day thing,” Smith said. “You go out there and have a good time, search for all the right spots and then weigh your fish. If things go your way, then you go home with a check.”

Smith said he always fishes to win.

“I focus on what I think the bigger fish are going to bite and where they are,” Smith said. “I usually throw top water bait because it’s fun to throw, so I hunt out situations where I can use that bait.”

Smith has participated in hundreds of tournaments since he was 15, and he said that he has won at least 60-70 of them.