Jeff Gustafson has been swinging his flipping stick for a few years now on the FLW Tour. The amiable Lund Boats pro is known as a friendly fellow who’ll work hard for his sponsors and certainly share his knowledge with anybody who asks.

Still, “Gussy” never really made a big splash on the big-time bass scene. That changed in 2016. Gussy finished fifth in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) race and qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup, the FLW Tour championship.

So, what happened during 2016 to change Gustafson’s trajectory? Time on the water? Tour experience? Sharing with friends? Maybe all of the above?

Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson (Joel Shangle/BassFIRST)“I caught a limit every day in 2016,” said Gustafson. “Every day until the Forrest Wood Cup that is. The Cup was tough for me, but it was a blast and the way my season worked out was excellent. So much had changed, and I felt better about who I was as a professional angler.”