Country music star Randy Houser spends a lot of his life on the road, but when the shows are over and the tour bus stops rolling, there's usually one thing on his mind.

Finding somewhere to fish.

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"When I get off the tour bus, I'm literally looking for some water to get on," Houser told OutKick OutDoors in an exclusive interview.

For the Mississippi native, that love of fishing started long before the hit songs, sold-out shows and life on the road.

"Growing up in Mississippi, that's about all we had. We had bluegill, catfish and bass," he said.

These days, Houser's fishing adventures have taken him a little farther from home. He's traded the freshwater lakes of Mississippi for the turquoise waters of the Bahamas, where he's developed a particular fondness for fly fishing.

"I spend a lot of time bonefishing in the Bahamas. That's kind of my thing now, as I enjoy fly fishing for bonefish and permit and things like that," he explained. "I spend a lot of my time doing that in the winter."

And while getting away from the demands of touring is certainly part of the appeal, Houser's connection to the water runs deeper than simply needing a vacation.

"I think that stems from all the time I spent on the water as a kid," he said.

It's also a passion he shares with his wife and children, who frequently join him on the water.

But one of Houser's most memorable fishing experiences wasn't about the size of the fish or the destination. It was about the people he shared it with.

More than just fishing

The country star recalled a three-day bonefishing trip to Blackfly Lodge in the Bahamas with the Navy SEAL Foundation, where he spent time alongside active and retired Navy SEALs.

"I'm a huge supporter of our military and military families and personnel," Houser said. "To get that time with those guys and get them in a space where they're on the water and can relax, and just to hear stories that they wouldn't normally talk about in a different situation, was just priceless."

For Houser, the opportunity to connect with those men away from their everyday responsibilities made the trip unforgettable.

"I got to hear just personal experiences from those guys," he said. "I'll remember it forever. It was really cool."

Now, Houser is preparing to bring his love of music and fishing together in a big way.

Country music meets bass fishing in Nashville

On Friday, Oct. 30, he'll perform alongside his friend and fellow country star Riley Green at The Pinnacle in Nashville as part of The Champions, a new professional bass fishing tournament hosted by World Bass Enterprises.

The tournament, held on Old Hickory Lake, brings together top anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour to compete for a record $3.25 million purse, including $1.25 million for the winner.

For someone who grew up fishing for fun in Mississippi, Houser said it's remarkable to see just how far competitive bass fishing has come.

He recalled learning that a friend's son was competing on a college bass fishing team and thinking about how different things were when he was growing up.

"I thought, wow, what a dream," he said. "If I was in high school, I'd have been thinking, 'Lord, you mean I can get a scholarship to go fishing?'"

SUPERMOTOCROSS CHAMPION LEVI KITCHEN WANTS TO TRY TOURNAMENT BASS FISHING WHEN HE HANGS UP HIS HELMET

Houser compared the difficulty of becoming a successful professional angler to making it as a professional golfer, noting the tremendous skill, sponsorships and resources necessary to compete at the highest level.

And he believes Nashville is the perfect place to showcase how much the sport has grown.

"There's a strong synergy between country music, country music listeners and bass fishing," he said.

With Old Hickory and Percy Priest lakes nearby, Houser is familiar with the area's fishing opportunities. He's spent plenty of time fishing Old Hickory himself and expects The Champions to draw a significant crowd, both for the concerts and the competition.

"I think they're going to have a lot more fans than they expected," he said. "Not just for the music at The Pinnacle, but also hanging out at the lake waiting for the weigh-ins and things like that."

Houser is especially looking forward to performing with Green, whom he considers a good friend. The two have spent plenty of time touring together, although their busy schedules haven't allowed for much fishing lately.

They do, however, have plans to do some hunting together once the weather cools down.

Another bonus of The Champions taking place in Nashville? Houser gets to bring his children to the show — something he said doesn't happen very often.

For a man who grew up with a fishing rod in his hands, it's a fitting opportunity to celebrate just how far the sport has come while sharing the experience with his own family.

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And once the concert is over and Houser climbs back aboard that tour bus, there's a pretty good chance he'll already be thinking about his next trip to the water.

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Levi Kitchen just won the 2026 Monster Energy SMX 250 Class World Championship. But the 25-year-old already has his eye on another competitive pursuit for whenever he decides to hang up his helmet.

Professional bass fishing.

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The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider is an avid angler who spends much of his downtime on the water. And while he's got plenty left to accomplish on a dirt bike, Kitchen told OutKick OutDoors in an exclusive interview that he'd love to try his hand at tournament fishing someday.

In fact, he's already gotten a little taste of what that world looks like.

Earlier this year, Kitchen participated in the Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am, where he teamed up with professional angler Tristan McCormick. The two didn't exactly dominate the leaderboard, but Kitchen came away with a few fish, a new friend and an even greater appreciation for the athletes who make their living chasing bass.

"It was amazing. Me and Tristan, we had a great time," Kitchen said. "I didn't know Tristan going into it. I'd just heard his name, but he's a great dude."

McCormick, who grew up near Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Tennessee, was already familiar with motocross thanks to the amateur racing held there. And Kitchen was pleased to discover that he could hold his own on the fishing side of things, too.

"He actually said I wasn't like, you know, sometimes he gets people that go to those events and they say they can fish a little bit and they really don't know what's going on," Kitchen recalled. "But I was proud to at least catch a few fish. We didn't do great, but it was a blast."

More importantly, the experience gave Kitchen a firsthand look at just how demanding professional bass fishing can be.

"It was an eye-opener, too," he admitted. "I've always said, when I'm done racing, I want to give that a shot. I really do. But I have so much more respect for those guys. If I ever wanted to do that, I'd have to really buckle down. You have to put so much time, so much time into it."

And it's not like Kitchen is a newcomer to fishing.

Growing up in Washington state, he developed a love for the outdoors thanks in part to his father. Around age 14 or 15, he discovered an old fly rod in his dad's shop, started practicing casts in the yard and quickly fell in love with fly fishing.

Watch Levi Kitchen's entire interview with OutKick OutDoors here:

These days, Kitchen lives in Florida, where bass fishing has become his primary obsession. But he still makes time to return home to Washington for an annual steelhead fishing trip with his father, friends and family — a tradition that has lasted roughly a decade.

"I still love it," Kitchen said. "When the racing's done down the road, you'll probably find me on a river fly fishing a lot, or on a bass boat. Just maybe not Florida in the summertime."

Fishing also provides a welcome contrast to the intensity of professional motocross.

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Kitchen said he and fellow rider Malcolm Stewart frequently talk about fishing in Florida, and he suspects the sport appeals to motocross athletes because it's such a departure from their day jobs.

"We get to kind of calm down and be a little more present than when you're just wide open on a dirt bike," he explained.

But there's still a competitive element, even when championship points aren't on the line.

"It's another way to be, I guess, kind of competitive with yourself," Kitchen said. "You obviously don't want to go out there and not catch a fish, but sometimes that happens."

And as much as Kitchen enjoys catching fish, he also appreciates the atmosphere surrounding competitive bass fishing.

At the Bassmaster Classic Pro-Am, he found himself surrounded by athletes and celebrities from across the sports world, including NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss. Kitchen was particularly amused by Moss' impressive collection of fishing boats.

"First, Randy Moss, I'm like, who's this guy with two of the same specced-out, crazy sweet boats?" Kitchen recalled. "And they're like, 'Oh, that's Randy.'"

He also noticed something that set the fishing crowd apart from what he's accustomed to in motocross: Competitors were hanging out together at the hotel bar the night before the tournament.

"You do not see that in dirt bike racing," he said. "They put their game face on when it's time to fish, but just the whole event and weekend is pretty laid-back, which is kind of my style."

Of course, Kitchen isn't preparing to trade his Kawasaki for a bass boat just yet.

Levi Kitchen has big plans for 2027 season

The newly crowned 250 SMX World Champion, who helped end a seven-year championship drought for Pro Circuit Kawasaki, has made it clear that he wants a long career in motocross.

After recovering from a serious crash at Daytona in 2025, Kitchen said he's learned the importance of racing smarter and protecting his longevity in the sport.

"I want to race for a lot more years to come," he said.

And he's certainly not satisfied with one championship. His goals for 2027 include winning both a Supercross and a Pro Motocross title before eventually moving up from the 250 class.

So, no, Levi Kitchen isn't walking away from moto anytime soon.

But when the day finally comes to hang up the helmet, don't be surprised if The Chef trades his dirt bike for a bass boat.

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After all, it never hurts to have a backup plan. Especially when that plan involves doing something you already love.

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Measures adopted by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) to address unsustainable Russian mackerel fishing in the North-East Atlantic officially enter into force. Initiated by a proposal from the European Union, these measures aim to protect mackerel stock currently under severe conservation pressure due to years of overfishing. 

In 2026, Russia unilaterally increased its quota to 67,548 tonnes, or 22.5% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC), nearly five times its 2004 quota.

Key sustainability measures now in effect

The NEAFC measure sets a limit for Russian mackerel catches in international waters of 1,495 tonnes. Despite Russia’s objection, the measure prohibits other NEAFC members from facilitating Russia’s unsustainable fishing of mackerel in international waters in excess of that limit. Vessels from other NEAFC members may not tranship from, nor provide refuelling services to fishing vessels with Russian mackerel catches on board that exceed that 1,495 tonnes limit.

In addition, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Iceland are applying these restrictions within their respective national jurisdictions. Fishing vessels carrying Russian mackerel quantities above the agreed limits are barred from entering their ports.

Early application of the measures by the European Union

The European Union decided to apply these NEAFC measures since 3 July 2026. As a result, this summer, the Union has already denied entry into its ports to fishing vessels with Russian mackerel on board caught in excess of the 1,495 tonnes limit.

Next steps

While today's measures mark crucial progress, the European Commission emphasises that further steps are required to ensure the recovery of the mackerel stock. The Commission calls on all like-minded NEAFC partners to:

• Extend jurisdictional enforcement: Ensure full implementation of these restrictions across all national waters in the region.
• Ban transshipments at sea: Address high-risk, unmonitored transshipment activities in the NEAFC Regulatory Area as an urgent control priority.
• Establish comprehensive stock-sharing: Agree on a long-term, coordinated management framework among coastal States to secure sustainable harvest levels.

Background

The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) is the regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) responsible for ensuring the long-term conservation and optimum utilisation of fishery resources in the North-East Atlantic. Its contracting parties are the European Union, Denmark (in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland), Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom.

More information

The European Commission welcomes NEAFC measures on mackerel and deplores Russia’s further quota increase in 2026