Like father, like son

As a father, I don’t think there’s anything more rewarding than watching your kid excel in their favorite sport — especially when that sport is your profession.

I know that’s the case for my friend and fellow Florida Bassmaster Elite Series pro Cliff Prince. His 12-year-old son, Syler, just won the FLW Junior World Cup Championship on Lake Wateree in South Carolina.

Competing against five other regional champs, Syler scored four weighable bass in the final round for a total of nearly 9 pounds — besting his next closest competitor by more than 5 pounds. But according to Syler, that wasn’t the hardest part; it was getting there that was the challenge.

From the beginning

Last spring, Sy began his trek to the championship by entering a series of local events, all sanctioned by a division of The Bass Federation (TBF) based in northeast Florida. They hosted numerous qualifiers, all of which were open to 11- to 15-year-old kids from around the state.

Although Sy learned of the series through a classmate, it was actually his mom, Kelley Prince, who started it all.

Serving as an assistant principle at a local middle school, Kelley was asked to help develop fishing programs for the kids in their area. Accepting the challenge, she worked aggressively with the Putnam County School Board to achieve that goal. And though a program was eventually established, it was restricted to students at the high school level. That left young Syler on the outside looking in.

It wasn’t until later that he learned of the TBF Juniors program, which targets younger participants. That’s when Syler got his chance. 

Tagged the Bass Capitol Junior Bassmasters, the Palatka, Florida-based club has deep roots to some very accomplished mentors. Among them are Manuel Spencer, Wayne Black and Bobby Ditto — all local heroes in competitive bass fishing. 

In fact, Syler’s dad, Cliff, was mentored by Manuel Spencer — a former B.A.S.S. Invitational champion and Bassmaster Classic qualifier. If he were still alive today, it’s certain Manuel would be proud of the legacy he left behind.

Hank Parker presenting Syler Prince with his Junior World Cup trophy.

Passing it down, Cliff now assists Syler by spending time with him during scouting trips and official practices — including frequent outings on their home waters of the St. Johns River. He also helps Sy with tackle prep, understanding electronics and boat control, and other aspects of competitive fishing. 

Fortunately for father and son, Syler is a quick study.

My observations

Watching him over the past few years, I’m not a bit surprised by his success. He’s a determined kid with a huge heart, and he’s passionate about the sport.

During our recent trip to New York for back-to-back Elite Series events, Sy tagged along. And when Cliff and I were on the water scouting and competing in the event, Sy was fishing from the shore … every day, all day.

When Day 1 of the Lake Champlain competition was postponed due to high winds, Cliff and I sat on the porch of our lakeside cabin and watched as Syler caught fish after fish throughout the day, barely taking a break for lunch. This went on until dark. Even then, Kelley practically had to drag him back to the cabin.

The kid is obsessed with fishing.

To the victor go the spoils

For winning the Junior World Cup, Syler received a $3,000 scholarship to the college of his choice. And though that’s still years away, he’s already plotting to add to that fund.

“I can’t wait until next year,” says Syler. “I want to defend my title and catch even bigger fish!”

Kelley Prince hugging her son, Syler, right after she got the news.

There’s no doubt this is a proud time for the Prince family. Not only has Syler won the TBF Junior title, but his sister, Gracie, has advanced through numerous 3D archery competitions to become the third ranked archer in the country for girls her age. She’s also a competitive swimmer. Both kids love to hunt with their dad and both excel in school.

Traveling with the Princes has been really rewarding for me. They’re a good and deserving family. And I’m rooting for Cliff to have even greater success in the Bassmaster Elite Series.

God knows, his kids have set the family bar extremely high.