Bass fisherman and business student captivating audiences

Reece Tremaglio catches a lot of fish hook, line and sinker, but he didn’t expect to capture audiences in the same way. 

Tremaglio, a junior majoring in finance from Dunkirk, Maryland, is a fisherman on the Auburn Bass Fishing Team, a professional athlete, a dedicated member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and a growing media personality.  

Media maestro 

Tremaglio knows how to lure viewers in just as well as he knows how to lure fish. 

He shares fishing advice, fun videos from the lake and other uplifting content on his Instagram account, which already has over 12,000 followers. 

Tremaglio’s latest venture is his podcast, The Lure, where he takes professional athletes and celebrities out on his boat to chat about both work and play as they fish. 

“It’s good to share a laugh,” he said. “There’s so much stress involved with being a professional athlete or media personality. It’s so rewarding to give them the experience of just being on the water and having fun.” 

Though the podcast’s first episode was released just two months ago, he has already had high profile guest appearances such as the Washington Commanders’ Tress Way and Terry McLaurin, and even television host Steve Harvey. 

Role model 

Tremaglio first met Harvey when he volunteered at the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation Mentoring Program three years ago. Since then, Tremaglio has spent every Father’s Day weekend teaching young men who don’t have a present father figure how to fish. 

“Mentorship is huge to me because I truly believe that it takes a village,” he said. “I love being a mentor to these kids who wouldn’t have been exposed to bass fishing otherwise. I still get texts from former campers about fish they’ve caught because of skills I taught them, and that’s really cool to see.” 

Tremaglio’s fishing lessons and motivational talks were so popular that “Dr. Phil” McGraw even featured the program on an episode of The Dr. Phil Podcast.  

For Tremaglio, it’s all just part of giving back. 

“I’m where I am today because of the mentorship I’ve received,” he said. “I got into bass fishing because my neighbor was a retired professional bass fisherman, and he taught me how to fish in tournaments. I joined my fraternity because of the encouragement I received from my father, and I met my two greatest mentors at Auburn through the fraternity.” 

Balancing act 

As an undergraduate in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Tremaglio has applied the lessons he learned in the classroom to building his growing brand. He’ll tell you the most important lesson, however, is balance. 

“Scheduling-wise, professional fishing isn’t meant to be done on top of being a college student,” he said. “It’s difficult, but it’s really taught me the discipline and time management skills I need to succeed in the industry.” 

Beyond balancing school, athletics and his growing business, Tremaglio is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma, a historically Black fraternity. 

“My dad and my brother are both in the fraternity, so I’m a legacy,” he said. “Joining the fraternity helped me immerse myself in student life and connect with the Black community at Auburn. 

“I’ve built friendships that will last forever and made business connections that are priceless.” 

Spirit of giving 

At the end of each podcast episode, Tremaglio and his guest auction off a signed piece of merchandise. All proceeds go to a local charity or non-profit. 

“Giving back to the community is so important,” he said. “That spirit of philanthropy is something my fraternity has really helped me develop. You never know what people are going through, and small acts of service can make such a difference.”