Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

The idea of owning her own bass boat is something BassmastHER ambassador Maggie Jo Carsello has been dreaming about for years. Maggie Jo already spent as much time on the water as her schedule allows, but until recently that was done via her kayak or as a co-angler, oftentimes competing out of the back of the boat with her fiancé Andrew.

Some of that is changing this year, as Maggie Jo is the proud owner of a 2026 Basscat Eyra. Her first vessel is just over 20-feet long and came equipped with a 250HP Mercury outboard, two Power Poles, and electronics. The eye-catching Fearless Fuschia color palette Maggie chose means a lot to her in more ways than one.

“I’m so in love with this boat,” Carsello said. “I like everything about it from how it handles, the speed, fishability, and storage. Those that know me well know pink isn’t always my first color choice, but for every Basscat boat sold in the Fearless Fuschia color $500 is donated towards Breast Cancer research.

“I have ladies in my life battling that disease, and sadly pretty much everyone has been affected by cancer in some capacity. It’s humbling and incredible to be able to spread awareness and help raise money for such a worthy cause with this boat.”

Her first boat is optimized to capture bass and catch awareness around this great cause; two things Maggie is passionate about. She’s been putting in time on the water around her home in Wisconsin at every opportunity and has already hooked the boat up to her Toyota Tundra and hauled her rig as far as east Tennessee for the Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am. Where she and her partner Lee Ellis finished in 5^th place out of a tough field of anglers on Douglas Lake.

While her comfort and confidence increase with every trip, Maggie says her timing was intentional. Despite growing up around water and loving the outdoors, Carsello admits owning and operating a bass boat on her own felt overwhelming at first.

“I guess it’s just easy to get intimidated when you fish amongst people who have been behind the wheel of a boat for years,” Carsello said. “Being the one to make the fishing decisions never scared me. It was things like trailering and launching the boat by myself, driving in rough water or bad conditions… I never wanted to be a liability for those in my boat or around me.

“I’ve also waited until now, logistically, so I had my own house with a garage to store the boat in. You’ve gotta consider that with our Wisconsin winters. I guess I’m a bit of a late bloomer with a bass boat, but I’m proof that it’s never too late!”

For novice boaters, those concerns are incredibly common. Learning how to safely tow a boat, navigate crowded ramps, troubleshoot equipment issues, and handle changing water conditions can feel like an entirely different skillset compared to what drew us all into the sport, which is getting the next fish to bite.

According to Maggie following the crawl-walk-run progression with her boating has been key in organically growing her confidence. The Team Toyota pro believes starting as a co-angler first is the best way to dip your toes into competitive fishing, which is exactly how she began. Eventually, Maggie started competing solo in kayak events, adding another layer of comfort to her decision making on the water.

When it came time to ultimately own and operate her own boat, Carsello realized there was only one real way to improve: time behind the wheel.

“The biggest helper has simply been spending time in the boat,” she explained. “The more you do it, the more comfortable you become. You start understanding how the boat reacts in different situations and conditions.

“The first few trips I watched the weather and ensured I knew another boater on the lake before I launched. That way if I ran into any trouble, I had someone to call who could get there quickly. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you start, you just have to take your time and be willing to learn.”

For the beginning boaters reading this, Maggie’s advice is to start small, respect the water, and don’t rush the process. Practice at quieter boat ramps, take short trips before running long distances, ask questions from experienced anglers and use online resources to your benefit. Most importantly, gain confidence at your own pace.

For Maggie Jo, becoming a boat owner wasn’t about instantly mastering every nuance and aspect of boating. Instead it’s been about embracing the learning curve and accepting that confidence comes one trip to the lake at a time.