Randy Howell is living an angler's dream: He gets paid to fish.
"It's all I ever wanted to do," the 40-year-old pro angler from Alabama said this week with a classic southern drawl. "I've been real blessed to make a living at it."
Last month, it got even better.
Howell won the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, the Super Bowl of bass fishing. Already well-known nationally from 21 years on the pro fishing tour — that's right, he's been fishing professionally since he was 19 — Howell landed more fame and fortune, including a $300,000 first-place prize.
"It's the dream of every pro angler," he said. "Everything has to fall into place. It's a miracle how it all happened for me."
He was in 11th place after two days of the three-day tourney but had an astounding final day to win the classic for the first time in 12 tries.
"No one has ever come from that far back to win in the 44-year history of the classic," he said. "That's pretty cool."
Howell will tell the tale, and talk crankbaits and electronics, Wednesday at the Northwest Sportshow at the Minneapolis Convention Center. But time is short when you're a bass fishing superstar: He'll be at the show for only one day.