Todd Grew up in Claremont, Commiefornia, when SoCal was still a red, Republican State many moons ago.  He wasn’t the typical kid. His mom sent his picture in to a well-known Hollywood talent agency when he was 5. Todd’s expression was “son of a b$$$$, they liked me and signed me on the spot.” The first job he interviewed for was a California Raisins commercial. He got the job and would continue to do work in television for the next 13 years. He had to eat raisins all day during that interview, took him over 40 years to eat another raisin. Fast forward and he continued to star in lot of tv commercials. 22 altogether. “I am 3 credits from being fully vested for a full, SAG pension. Anybody know anyone to find me a principal roll-on Yellowstone, don’t be shy. I can wear a cowboy hat!” Doing all the tv commercials allowed him to live an awesome childhood as his parents didn’t spend a penny of the money and allowed him to invest and buy toys with motors starting at 13 with his first dirt bike. He’s been pinned at full throttle ever since; we all know that watching the Allison run around at the derbies.  He started riding his buddy’s dirt bikes when he was 7, even once or twice with blue and red lights following him as he aged. 189mph on a crotch rocket, 83mph on skis, or doing 100mph in his last boat, he enjoys the go-fast mentality!

  

When he was 5, his dream job was to be a top fuel funny car driver, clearly showing something was wrong with him at a younger age. “The closest I came to my dream job was a role in the pit crew and back up driver for the Top Fuel injected, altered car, The Nanook 2” Todd said. He’s raced professional off-road in class 10 single seat in the BORE association. “If ya know me, my current dopamine and adrenaline supply comes from my little Mazzone sand rail weighing in at less than 800lbs with a built 2332cc, 240hp VW motor that goes 0-80 in 4 seconds and my Allison XB21. Looking for 96mph in the Allison this spring at sea level.”  He has raced mountain bikes for over 30 years as well. He won his class in the BOGUS BANZAI downhill race nearly 30 years ago. The race was reborn a few years ago and he was top 30 vs 99 other 18- 35yr old’s and is over 50 years old now.

​

When he was 3, his dad, took him on his first fishing trip. “I caught my first limit of some meaty, San Diego, Florida strain largemouth, all by myself.”  When he was 5, Dad bought him a Bill Dance rod with the Fuji Pistol grip. “Coolest thing ever when you’re a 5 yrs. old! Attached to that speed grip was a Daiwa Millionaire and I practiced like crazy casting in the backyard swimming pool, simply fascinated by lure actions and mastering a baitcaster at 5.”  After that, his dad and him fished almost every weekend, year-round, weather permitting and if they weren’t out at the desert dirt bike riding.  Football, soccer, baseball, water and snow skiing, and surfing were for any day, but Sunday.  Once, his dad caught 5 pigs for 35lbs one year in the ski arm at Castaic where they fished 90% of the time chasing the world record. His dad and ol buddy Willy Thompkins were from the same mold and fished the same ways.

“Willy and I were naturals together. I hope they are both fishing together now, on the big lake in the sky. I felt like we were brothers from another mother. Miss ya buddy!! Miss ya dad!!”

​

The last couple years has been a toll on us all and Todd too has lost some great people in his life. His offshore buddy Kelly McMillan passed in 2021. We all know Willy Tompkins who passed in 2021 also, and Todd also lost his dad the year prior. “Never pass up a chance to fish with family or friends, should be a fisherman’s vow.”  Along with freshwater bass fishing, Todd ocean fished as well. “We completely switched to offshore deep-sea fishing when we figured out Calico bass fishing, his dad was a pioneer in in SoCal Calico Bass swimbait fishing and Calicos are like smallies, only meaner.”  As seasons changed, Mako sharks and the Pelagics would be the target species. Sports in high school were now on weekdays so, they fished both days, on many weekends. He documented 175 trips to the Backside of Catalina, in 2 years, in a 17ft Boston Whaler. He was on every trip but 2. He graduated to 22ft Whaler that they could make 180-mile runs, chasing bluefin tuna and the other pelagics. His dad got that Big ol Boston Whaler going 60mph with an old Yamaha 235 Excel. In 1988 he caught an 11.5lb Calico bass on a Scampi swimbait at San Clemente Island. Unofficial state record until 1993. “I didn’t kill my bass.” Along with big bass, they also caught over 1000lbs of Tuna, Mahi, and yellowtail all in one day, stuffing every fish hold on the 22 Whaler. He has spent more than 1000 days at sea and fishing in my life.

​

In 1993, he applied to transfer to Boise State University to pursue a marketing degree and moved to Boise shortly after. His first real job in Idaho was the marketing director for the Nike Wild Rockies mountain bike series. His last at year at BSU, he busted his arm good doing a skate trick on park bench. He fell behind in calculus and other classes, and bills were due. So, he decided he had to do something to make more money. He couldn’t run a fruit stand with a busted wing and my giant Nike check was dwindling and no new Nike checks for another 4 months. So, he bailed on Boise State and rolled up some sushi, packaged it all up, created a cool label, and showed it to the Corporate Albertsons guys. Boom! Product in Albertsons. Next was the Co-Op. Then, the customer list went out of control, and he bought a sushi robot to handle Albertsons, WinCo, Costco, St Luke’s, Tamarac and the list went on. King Hussein from Jordan flew in on his 727 to pick up sushi whenever he was on his way to Jackson Hole. Dave Mathews Band, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, and Cypress Hill were all clients. He took the guys from Cypress hill fishing for a couple days, too. “One morning in June, I was waiting for my 50lbs of sushi rice to finish cooking and ran down to Vet’s Pond with a new Loomis and Curado. It’s 4am with a full moon and a texas rigged watermelon senko. First cast, I nail a 24 ½” x 24” one, eyed monster spawner. She stripped several yds of 12lb test. Biggest bass of my life!” Todd recounts! Todd is currently the owner of GunsGongCrazy and Wicky Wicky Distributing. 

​

Todd was blessed with his son, Keegan, in 1998 and had him in skis by three years old. Keegan continued to ski and was top 50 in the JR Olympics in has age group. He is at Montana state pursuing business and is a pro instructor at Bridger ski resort in Bozeman. He loves bass fishing but, living in MT makes it difficult to make the tournaments in Idaho. Mr. Wilson, his 95lb Pitbull, is his best friend.  Todd is looking forward to the 2022 season and seeing some old faces and seeing some new faces “Let’s go Brandon!!”