Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jesse Tacoronte will take a medical hardship waiver for the 2021 season. Tacoronte dealt with severe neck pain throughout the 2020 season that became unbearable by the last event of the year at Lake Fork. By the end of the tournament, Tacoronte knew there was no way he could compete in the 2021 season if the pain continued.
“I immediately went back to my doctor when I got home from Fork and told him we have got to get this fixed,” said Tacoronte. “We got an MRI but the doctor decided that he would need to run a CT scan — and we just got those results back the week before St. Johns.”
Unfortunately, the results reveled that Tacoronte would have to undergo another surgery that will cost him the 2021 Elite Series season. In 2018, Tacoronte had a procedure done to replace four discs in his neck, and ultimately one of the screws placed in his neck is pinching a nerve which has caused the severe pain.
The Central Florida pro tried to convince his doctor to allow him to fish the first two Bassmaster Elite events of the season prior to his procedure, but the doctor wouldn’t allow it.
“My doctor fishes too, and he wasn’t having it. He said, ‘No way, Jesse.’”
Tacoronte still plans to be engaged with the Bassmaster Elite Series season as much as possible in 2021.
“I really appreciate all of the support from the fans — and I will still be doing everything I can for the fans, my sponsors and the organization,” he said. “Keep an eye on my social media, and I’ll be posting a pile of content since I won’t have much else to do”
You can follow Jesse on Instagram @jessetacorontefishing or on Facebook @Enigmadude.