CENTER TWP — Retirement just didn't suit Dave Shively well.

Fishing does.

Shively, 58, of Center Township is developing a career as a full-time touring tournament bass angler after a 30-year career as a senior manager for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Boyers.

"I grew up fishing," Shively said. "I always figured I'd be doing plenty of it once I retired."

But not like this.

He entered a few local bass and crappie tournaments and enjoyed them.

"Then I figured I'd go after something bigger," Shively said.

He entered his first national tournament on Lake Gaston in North Carolina during the fall of 2007. Out of more than 200 entrants, Shively finished 60th.

"That convinced me I could compete at that level. I guess that confirmation was all I needed," he said.

This year, Shively is competing in 11 national events on the FLW American Fishing Series and BASS tournament trails. He is competing in the co-angler division, meaning he hits the waters with a fellow angler on his boat.

So far this season, Shively is fourth in points in the BASS Northern Open Series and 39th in the FLW American Fishing Series.

"I've been on boats with some of the biggest names in the industry," he said. "Gerald Swindle was 2004 BASS Angler of the Year, Randy Howell is one of the top fishermen out there.

"I've learned so much from those guys. They don't mind sharing information. They've improved my learning curve by like 90 percent. Anglers on these tours are wonderful people."

Before this year, Shively competed in nine tournaments over three years in the FLW Series, catching 53 bass.

This year, he's scheduled for 11 national events on the FLW and BASS tourney trails. He will log nearly 125 days on the water andtravel more than 1,200 miles through 14 states.

"Anywhere from upstate New York all the way down to Florida," Shively said of his territory. I'm pretty much fishing everywhere east of the Mississippi."

A typical national tour event entails eight hours on the water. Boats — usually 15 to 20 at a time — are sent on the waterway in flights.

"I always arrive early and pre-fish the area, get an idea of what the lake looks like and what I think will happen in terms of the fishing," Shively said.

"If I do my homework right, it usually pays off."

Each national tour event pays a top prize of between $25,000 and $50,000. While Shively isn't in that league yet, he will qualify for this year's FLW Cup, an event that takes the top 50 in the points standings.

The FLW Cup takes place on Wheeler Lake in Alabama the first week of November.

"Everything in this sport is predicated upon building up points," he said. "I'm just starting out. Right now, I'm enjoying the travel.

"If I ever get to the point where I've gained sponsorships and I'm winning a little bit, the sport will pay for itself. That's the goal.

"The folks who run these events, the competitors and the areas we get to fish in are all what makes this a fun way to enjoy my retirement," Shively added.