The Rod Glove, David Cosner, fishes with his life on the line

For The Rod Glove Pro Staff, David Cosner, every time he fishes, he fishes with his life on the line.  

Having been diagnosed in his early College years with Wegener's disease, every breath that David takes is literally another chance at life.  The disease has destroyed his lungs but David has found a way to stay competitive through bass fishing, a sport which allows him the chance to compete. Although David has had hundreds of surgery, been in a coma twice and risks infection, his positive mental attitude helps him on the water.  We recently caught up to him to ask him a few questions:

Q What is it about fishing that you like the most?

Fishing is my getaway for me, its an escape of both body and mind. I have always been an analytical thinker and a problem solver, bass fishing is the perfect competitive sport in my opinion. Its always a challenge, it is very much a mental sport and it has an amazing community surrounding it.
 

Q You have had a lot of surgeries in the past for your condition, how did fishing help?

Yeah TONS and TONS of surgery, looking back its pretty insane how many I have actually had. When I look at the number 324, it is almost hard to fathom having so many procedures. It really seems to all blur together. I have always been the type of person to deal with the present the best I can and adjust to circumstances on the fly, very much like fishing. Then never loose sight of the past, let it be a reminder for which you learn valuable lessons that aid in steering your future decisions.

 
Fishing is very much a sport that draws a lot of parallels with life, this is one thing I have learned out of all of this. You control what you can, and you put yourself in a position to be successful. A 9/10 your not going to perform to your expectations, but what makes a good angler great, or a strong person even stronger is how they handle defeat. As bass fisherman we are pretty much professional losers. 

 
Q Can you tell us a bit about your 2017 season?

 My 2017 season was rather slow in regards to fishing. I was able to get out here and there and fished maybe four events. I had to focus a lot of my time and energy on my health along with working on my 2018 tournament season. There were some large medical decisions that aided me in deciding to compete as a pro in the Bassmaster Central Opens and Bass Champs. I have been blessed up to this point to have found some new doctors and some amazing companies to work with in 2018. I don’t think I have ever felt to comfortable both mentally and physically going into 2018.

 


Q It looks like you have a busy 2018 season, what are your goals?

Very very busy. And if there is one little bit of advice I could provide to an aspiring angler young or old is how important it is to have something to work towards. Set a goal, make a plan and execute. It's amazing since I started working towards this journey of fishing as a professional, the amount of work that has come together and the great relationships and friendships that I have fostered. From the construction of my webpage DavidCosnerFishing.com to all the amazing sponsorship support I have received thus far, it makes me hopeful that all the hard work and planning for all I have lined up for 2018 will become a reality. We will be producing a documentary vlog series called “Life on The Line” following three pros including myself on tour, and helping raise money through the Reelin’ and Healin’ campaign.

 

Overall my goal is to BE THERE and ENJOY the experience. A lot of people talk about wanting to do something great in their lives, to realize a dream. If you always say your going to start working towards that goal TOMORROW, that day will never come. Just START. As a competitor I want to win, I always want to have a strong fish, but this season will be more about taking my love for fishing and combining it with my amazing story, and sharing that story with as many people as I can. All the while showcasing the great products and companies who have helped with this journey.

 
I know I will continue to have surgeries and interventional procedures done on my lungs. For the longest time we were pursuing a full heart lung transplant, but after being denied from five of the worlds best transplant centers, the decision was made on my part to no longer chase that as an option, instead I will continue the current course, even though my illness is terminal, all of human life is in a way. None of us never know when the END will come, and even being in the situation I am in I know I will eventually pass away.  When? Who knows? It’s realizing how fragile life and certain opportunities are and how important it is to live in the moment and take advantage of every opportunity that you can to achieve your goals. 

Written by Shelley Langley, the expressions and opinions are that of the author's