Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About

One of the NFL’s greatest receivers found something unexpected after football—and he’s been chasing it ever since.

Randy Moss gets excited about every bass he catches—part of a 25-year passion he says became his “therapy” after football. | Chasing10

Randy Moss has remained in the football spotlight since his retirement. But when he needs to get away from it, he goes bass fishing.

"Did I need a therapist after retiring from football? Maybe," Moss told me in a recent interview. "But I use bass fishing and mother nature as my therapist. My wife lets me get out two to three times a week."

That's not a celebrity endorsement talking. That’s a guy who genuinely loves the sport of bass fishing the same as you and I.

Randy Moss thinks of the time he spends on his bass boat as therapy. | Chasing 10

From the Kanawha River to a Lifelong Obsession

When I asked Moss about his fishing background, he told me he grew up a country boy on the banks of West Virginia's Kanawha River. He didn’t have a fishing rod of his own so he borrowed gear when he could—excited to catch anything that would bite.

But his bass obsession started during his second year with the Vikings when he met a retired pro angler who invited him fishing. Moss’ first time specifically targeting bass, he ended up boating 20 smallmouth and fell in love with the pursuit. He said he’s been, “hooked ever since.”

Chasing 10

Catch the Chasing 10 with Randy Moss YouTube series this summer. | Chasing 10

His YouTube show's title, Chasing 10, refers to his ongoing pursuit of a 10-pound largemouth bass, an unofficial, but widely accepted standard for a truly big bass, anywhere they swim.

Moss told me he has reeled in a double-digit fish in the past, but was quick to qualify it as “on live bait.” He knows exactly why that distinction matters in a sport built around artificial lures and is dedicated to catching his next 10-pounder on a lure.

His favorite technique is topwater fishing, and nothing would be more satisfying than for a true giant to eat a surface lure while filming his show. I’m sure every fishing fan watching will be rooting for that.

The show is real and unscripted. Celebrity guests will join him on the boat throughout the season. Look for former Vikings teammates Cris Carter, Jake Reed, and Daunte Culpepper, along with a lineup of athletes, musicians, and entertainers.

Since he had already described fishing as therapy, it wasn’t surprising to hear Moss’ vision for the show. “You get on a boat, have fun, and we're not thinking about any of the negativity. No controversy on my boat.”

Randy Moss Plus World Bass Enterprises

Randy Moss and WBE owner Brian Bird take a second out of their fishing day to pose with a nice bass. | WBE | Chasing 10

Now, he plans to take his overshadowed lifelong passion for bass fishing into a new spotlight.

In a partnership with World Bass Enterprises (WBE), Moss will serve as ambassador for one of the most ambitious ideas in pro bass fishing right now—The Champions, the first tournament ever to create a field of the top 25 finishers from both the Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour. The concept includes a massive, record-setting prize purse and a chance to see who is the greatest angler of all.

Why Moss Matters More Than the Hype

NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss is genuinely obsessed with bass fishing. | Chasing 10

With a guy like Randy Moss, it’s easy to see how one of the most physically gifted players in the history of the NFL—a Hall of Famer, a guy who caught 156 touchdown passes and redefined what a wide receiver could be—it’s easy to see how most people could be distracted enough to miss the fact that this guy is also a longtime, obsessive bass angler.

And don’t miss this point—Moss’ involvement with this project may be a great sign of things to come. For a sport that has never really managed to explain itself to the rest of the world, Moss may provide that something different we’ve been waiting for. He’s not just a celebrity recruited to draw an audience to a fishing event, but a real fisherman who happens to be a celebrity.

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For background on The Champions tournament format, prize structure, and what it means for pro bass fishing, read my original story from February.