GONE FISHIN'
Members of the Milwaukee men's basketball team found themselves getting more and more involved in a new hobby this past summer … fishing!

A group of players, led originally by Tate Mackenzie and Faizon Fields, found a way to come together and bond through rods and reels, eventually growing the group as the players got a chance to get to know each other this summer.
 
The staff of the "Roar Report" recently had a roundtable discussion with the fishermen, as Mackenzie and Fields were joined by John Lovelace Jr., Ned Renfree, Seth Hubbard, and Chandler Jackson for the fishing chat.
 
Roar Report: So how did this whole fishing thing get started?
 
Tate Mackenzie: "I came out here with intentions to fish. On the recruiting trip, actually, Coach Lundy was sending me videos of them catching salmon and stuff on the river before I committed. And then I got a little excited about it. So, I started fishing, and then Faizon hit me up and was like, 'I like to fish too, man'. And then we started fishing a lot, and then we got the whole gang out there."
 
Faizon Fields: "And then everybody was fishing. Yeah, that's pretty much how it went. The first time he (Mackenzie) invited me, I fell asleep. I missed it, though [group laughter]. But after that, we did end up going fishing, and then Ned (Renfree) came along. It was just us for a little minute. And after that, everyone else just started asking to come. It was like, 'come on'."
 
Roar Report: So, who has the most experience as a fisherman?
 
John Lovelace Jr.: "I've been fishing since I was a little kid."
 
Ned Renfree: "I've been fishing since I was a little kid, but I haven't been tying knots and finding the places. I've just been going with my dad, and he's been doing it for me, and I just throw it in."
 
John Lovelace Jr.: "Yeah, that's what I've been doing too. I didn't learn the rest until, like, COVID, at that time."
 
Roar Report: How did you guys get the other teammates involved? Was everyone looking for stuff to do it in the summer, and someone said, 'hey, we're going fishing'?
 
Faizon Fields: "It was like people, a couple would go, and then we'd send, like, videos and stuff to our little group chat, and they'd be like, 'oh, I wanna try and go fish'. And then they would just come out next time … the next time we'd go out."
 
Chandler Jackson: "I mean, yeah, for, like, the second half of summer, I was hanging out with Faizon a lot. And then one weekend, he was like, 'hey, what are you doing this weekend … you want to go fishing?' I was like, hey, whatever. I don't have anything else to do."
 
Ned Renfree: "Tate and Faizon got me into it, like, pretty quick. It was probably, like, the first week I was out here. That first weekend, I was looking for something to do.  Tate hit me, and he was like, 'we're going to go fishing. You want to come?' I'm like, 'yeah, sure, let's do it'. And then me and Faizon kind of wiped the floor with Tate … he didn't catch anything … and me and Faizon were feeling pretty good."
 
Faizon Fields: "We caught, what, like, six or seven?" [group laughter]
 
Seth Hubbard: "For me, it was really just wanting to spend time with the guys. So, I mean, I seen them fishing, so I was like, hey, you know, that's what we do in the South. I know, like, up here they have different types of species and fish. I just wanted to come out there and chill with them, be with them, you know, experience Milwaukee with them. So that's kind of my thing."
 
Roar Report: So, you did have plenty of experience fishing before?
 
Seth Hubbard: "Yeah, I got plenty of experience, but not, like … I feel like the 'South fishing' and the 'Midwest fishing' are two totally different things, so I felt like it was a new type of thing for me."
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "I mean, I've always wanted to fish and my first time I ever go fishing, I got the pole stuck in a tree and never went back. I've always experienced the outdoors, loved the outdoors, and just wanted to try something new. I saw Tate going and Johnny always went, so I was like, you know, I'll try it."
 
Faizon Fields: "Didn't you catch one?"
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "And, you know, I caught one for the first time."
 
Faizon Fields: "The rest is history. Fell in love with it."
Esyah Pippa-White: "Catch and cook, baby."
 
Roar Report: How quickly did the leaders of the group realize this was more than just a one-time thing and that it was pretty serious?
 
Faizon Fields: "I mean, pretty quick. When we started having fun catching fish, and then catching fish turned into, let's just cook and clean and, you know, eat them, catch, cook, clean. We started making little … Tate makes TikTok's about it."
 
Roar Report: So, this is the real deal then, not just catch-and-release?
 
Tate Mackenzie: "When we started out, I was thinking that Faizon was just trying to be, like, the older guy, trying to involve me in the situation. I didn't know Faye actually liked fishing for real. I thought he was just trying to be a homie and look out because he knew he was trying to involve something I like doing. And then Faye came out and started catching fish. I was like, 'oh, okay now, he knows what he's doing a little bit.' All right, he actually likes to do this. So then after that, that's kind of when I knew it was serious. And then Ned came along, and Chandler, and Johnny, and Pip, everybody, and Seth. It was a lot of fun."
 
Roar Report: What is it about fishing that everyone enjoys it so much, that makes it so much fun, makes it so entertaining?
 
Tate Mackenzie: "I just love being outside. Being outside is probably – I'm outside most of my day. I like being in nature, and it's kind of something to do, especially, like, it adds a little competition to it too. When you get other people out, I love competing too. It's like when you got your friends out, it's a friendly competition out there. Everybody likes to compete. Unfortunately, I've been taking a few L's the last couple weeks. But I'm going to come back better than ever soon here. It's going to be all right."
 
Seth Hubbard: "For me, it's just, I think, peace of mind. It's a disconnect from the world, no phones, just you and the guys. I feel like you really get to know a person on another level. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're just secluded, and you're just fishing. Like Tate said, competing is just a great experience to get to know somebody."
 
Ned Renfree: "I think it was – I started with my dad, and that was just a way that we could spend time together. I loved that. But then coming out here, it's been good to get to know everyone, kind of just sitting around and fishing and talking garbage and just, not really having a care in the world while we're fishing. We're just able to do whatever, listen to music."
 
Chandler Jackson: "I'd say, honestly, before I got here, I hadn't fished, shoot, probably since I was, like, 12 really with my grandpa. So, it's been a long time since I've fished. But I feel like most of the time nowadays I'm usually inside and playing a game or something like that. But it's nice to get outside and hang out with teammates outside the court and, you know, just really get to know somebody on a more personal level and just hang out, have a good time, have some fun, a little competition, catch some dinner."
 
John Lovelace Jr.: "I am not gonna lie, I'm only having fun when I'm catching fish. So, I like to, like, the fight with the fish. I like the thrill of it. When you hook the fish, you got to fight that. But other than that, I don't know."
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "I mean, kind of to back up what Seth was saying, you get a disconnect from the whole world and just go out there and see nature and see how beautiful the world really is. And what Johnny was saying, you know, I never got in a fight with a big fish. That's the dream come true right there. A big old fish just going back and forth. That'll get you."
 
Faizon Fields: "I would say just what pretty much all the guys said, you disconnect and it's just peaceful out there. It's relaxing. You know, it's another way to relax instead of sitting at home and just laying down on the couch and stuff. And also, competition, being with the guys, and it's just the thrill. When you do get that bite and you know, it's the thrill of the fight. Other than that, it's just peaceful out there."
 
Roar Report: How has this developed? Was it on boats and lakes? Was it the side of riverbanks? Was it on bridges? Charters?
 
Faizon Fields: "We've done it all. We've done it all." [group laughter]
Chandler Jackson: "A little bit of everything."
Ned Renfree: "All we need to do now is ice fishing."
Faizon Fields: "Yeah, that's the plan. And we already got it. We got it lined up."
 
Tate Mackenzie: "We got it lined up. Me and Faye started out on the Milwaukee River kind of like traversing … we were trying to figure out spots."
 
Ned Renfree: "Neck deep in the water!"
 
Tate Mackenzie: "Yeah, we got some waders. Went neck-deep. That was fun. But, yeah, we ended up getting a charter recently with all the guys. That was fun."
 
Faizon Fields: "Then we went on a boat, too, out in – where were we? Oh, I forget. It was probably, like, I'd say 45 minutes away. We went out on a boat. And then after that, that's when we got the charter. We've done it all. Next … ice fishing."
 
Tate Mackenzie: "Next … ice fishing, has to be."
 
Roar Report: How do you guys get ready for trips? Gear, snacks, playlists? Do you listen to music while you're out?
 
Seth Hubbard: "Oh, yeah. Yeah. Gear, snacks, for sure. You've got to."
 
Ned Renfree: "You need your rod. You need all your tackle. Bait. But then we get the tunes going. And we just – yeah. Country music, usually. But we enjoy it."
 
Roar Report: Does everyone have their own equipment?
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "I am very inexperienced, so I don't bring anything except snacks and sweats." [group laughter]
 
Faizon Fields: "I would say me and Tate usually know the spot we're going to, or we pick the spot where we're going. And we just tell the guys what they do need or, like, what they should bring. And then me and Tate have a lot of fishing rods for people, even though some of the guys have their own fishing rods. We usually have everything covered."
 
Chandler Jackson: "I actually found my fishing rod out in front of my apartment in the grass. And it sat there. I was like, 'is this anybody's fishing rod?' I took it inside. I'm like, oh, I guess nobody wants it, I guess. Let's go."
 
Roar Report: Biggest fish you caught and what was it?
 
Faizon Fields: (to Pippa-White) "You probably caught about a five-inch bluegill."
Esyah Pippa-White: "Yeah, how'd you know? Yeah, a little baby bluegill, whatever it's called."
Faizon Fields: "Or a panfish, one of those two."
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "But, you know, it was a catch. I caught, like, eight. That could have been the same one every time, but it felt like eight."
 
John Lovelace Jr.: "I caught a pretty big channel catfish."
Faizon Fields: "How much did it weigh?"
John Lovelace: "I don't know. Probably, like, I would say a good ten pounds."
 
Chandler Jackson: "I caught, maybe seven, eight pounds of salmon on the boat."
Ned Renfree: "I probably had a couple. No, I had one – probably, five- or six-pound salmon."
 
Seth Hubbard: "I probably caught one with Pip, you know what I'm saying?"
Ned Renfree: "Still caught one!"
Faizon Fields: "It's like that one day when nobody caught nothing besides me."
 
Seth Hubbard: "Yeah, nobody caught nothing, you know. I caught something, so I'll take it."
 
Tate Mackenzie: "I mean, I'm not going to count the salmon that I didn't even, like, really catch. Them boys caught it. I had to reel it in, on the boat. But I'll just go with, I got, probably a couple, three or four pounds, three-pound smallies. And then I was catching some hog bluegills the other day by myself. Just some massive bluegills. It was probably, 10 inches, 11 inches. Oh, yeah, I was eating them. Frying them up. Right there, coming straight out of the water, frying them up."
 
Chandler Jackson: "Catch and cook!"
Tate Mackenzie: "Catch and cook!"
Ned Renfree: "Dinner!"
Faizon Fields: "What would you say that one smallmouth I caught was?"
Tate Mackenzie: "That had to be a four. That was a beefy smallmouth."
Ned Renfree: "Yeah, that would have been at least four pounds."
Tate Mackenzie: "I'm saying it was like a four, maybe four and a half."
 
Faizon Fields: "That's probably my biggest fish I've caught. Four-pound smallmouth bass."
 
Roar Report: So, the competition is real?
 
Seth Hubbard: "I would say there's more competition. I'm just having fun. I just be vibing. There's more."
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "As long as I get a little bite, I am happy."
 
Tate Mackenzie: "I'd be acting happy for the other people. I'd be like, 'yeah, good catch, bro'. But I'm mad as hell. I get mad as hell."
 
Chandler Jackson: "My biggest reward is out-fishing Tate. That's all I'm going to say."
 
Faizon Fields: "If Tate doesn't catch anything, I'll let him hear it."
 
Ned Renfree: "Chandler, that's not a reward, everyone out-fishes Tate." [group laughter]
 
Tate Mackenzie: "All right, all right … Neddy goes fishing twice on my rod that I set up for you. All right. All right."
 
Roar Report: How do you think fishing has helped everyone get to know each other better?
 
Seth Hubbard: "I think it's probably just how to communicate with each other. I feel like that comes onto the court. What type of person he is. So, it's like having different ways to do it. Maybe I may be a little louder with Pip or I may be a little quieter with Tate, but just know how to communicate with each other out there. Because you get excited out there, too, and get competitive. So, it just helps the way we know we communicate with each other on the court, off the court. So, that's what I'll say."
 
Ned Renfree: "Just spending time with each other. Chemistry. Yeah, chemistry.
You get to know everyone way better than you ever would just hanging out at home playing 'Call of Duty'. You get to know them so much better because you're in person with them, out in nature, and just talking to them. It's great."
 
Tate Mackenzie: "I feel like there's not many things … we all come from very different backgrounds – and there's not too many things that we all kind of enjoy doing. So, one guy likes to play video games. One guy likes to be – there's all a million different things, but it seems like everybody kind of had fun fishing, and it was a cool thing we could all do together. That was just relaxing. It wasn't putting any extra stress on our body between practices and stuff. It was just – it was good."
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "I just feel like when you connect on a different level outside and build a real relationship, it could help with the basketball court. It just feels like I could talk to you a little differently. All I mean is love by it. Nothing like – don't take it too sensitive or anything. It's just all love. We're trying to get you better."
 
Faizon Fields: "We got a group of funny guys."
 
Roar Report: Is anybody surprisingly good or hilariously bad at fishing?
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "I mean, I'd be throwing that thing out there." [group laughter]
 
Tate Mackenzie: "No, Faizon's pretty nice at it, I ain't gonna lie. I feel like I do the same thing that he does, but then he just catches more fish, which kind of pisses me off. I watch his technique. I'm like, 'that's exactly what I do'. Why is he catching more fish? Yeah, Faizon's kind of good at it."
 
Faizon Fields: "Honestly, bro, it's all luck. [laughter] It's all luck. If the fish wants it, then it's going to get it."
 
Ned Renfree: "If they're hungry, they're going to take it. If not, they're not going to."
 
Faizon Fields: "We've come to a realization that it's like the fish that are supposed to be eating what we're throwing don't even eat that, and it's like other fish that eat the stuff that – it's all messed up. The fish is hungry … it's going to eat whatever you throw out there."
 
Ned Renfree: "That'll happen. Beef jerky."
 
Roar Report: Any final thoughts?
 
Faizon Fields: "I'd actually say Seth is better at fishing than what I thought he'd be."
Seth Hubbard: "Yay!" (celebrating) … [group laughter]
 
Esyah Pippa-White: "Hey, stay tuned. Fishing channel coming. Awesome."
 
Ned Renfree: "We've got to vlog one of these! Thanks."