Not all reports are created equal but the terms are always the same.

Story and photography by Matt Williams

Some fishermen can be masterful storytellers. The smart ones are equally sharp when it comes to sifting through tackle shop trash talk and fairy tale fishing reports that sometimes circulate the Internet.  Tommy Martin is as salty as they come. He is a veteran Toledo Bend/Sam Rayburn bass fishing guide with more than two dozen tournament titles under his belt, including a 1974 Bassmaster Classic victory on Wheeler Lake in Alabama.

He’s been around the block a time or two. Years of experience have taught him when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Especially when it comes to fishing stories.

Martin turns 82 this fall. Amazingly, he still competes in national and local tournaments and guides for pay on his home lakes. I sometimes call him the Energizer Bunny of pro fishing.

Martin isn’t a Facebook junkie, but he does have a presence on social media. He uses the platform to promote sponsors as well as his guide business. Plus, he maintains a website aimed at helping anglers learn more about the sport and ultimately catch more fish.

Fittingly called tommymartinfishingintel.com, the subscription-only site is built around weekly fishing reports, instructional videos and other educational content. Martin regularly updates the site with fresh goodies that anglers love to gobble up, including useful bass and crappie fishing reports for Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn.

The intel is gathered from area fishing guides and other sources Martin trusts to shoot straight with him. His radar goes up when he sees reports floating around by anglers who claim to be slaying the fish when the bite is tough as nails for the biggest sticks on the lake.

“There are a lot of good reports out there, but there are also some that are very questionable,” Martin said. “Be careful what you believe.”

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