"I knew early that competition was something I would love to be able to do for the rest of my life," Clay said. "That's when I started getting into fishing. I realized it was something I could do, no matter if I was 6'5" and weighed 250 pounds or if I was 40 inches tall and weighed 85 pounds. And I thought it was a sport I could take up on a national level, versus trying to play in the NBA or NFL!"

Clay was right. He can do it - in fact, is doing it - on the national level.

"He's a giant among fisherman," said John E. Phillips, sportsman and outdoors writer. "In my opinion, Clay Dyer is the greatest bass fisherman with whom I have ever fished."

Jay Yelas, 2003 Bass Master Angler of the Year, said, "Clay drives his boat, runs his trolling motor, casts with precision, unhooks his own fish, even ties knots. Yelas lists Clay among his short list of heroes. "Few things move me as much as hearing Clay quote Philippians 4:13: 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,'" he said.