By Solomon Glenn BASS Press Release
This wasn’t how Jamie Hartman planned to step away from the Bassmaster Elite Series, but ongoing injuries have made it impossible to continue.
Unfortunately, medical issues have followed Hartman throughout his 10 seasons on tour. He previously used medical exemptions in 2018 and 2024 for unrelated issues that forced him to be sidelined.
“I just can’t catch a break,” Hartman said. “Last time it was sciatic pain from compressed discs.”
This time, he’s been diagnosed with slipping rib syndrome, a rare condition his doctor initially didn’t recognize until doing extensive research. In simple terms, the lower ribs move excessively and slip under adjacent ribs, irritating intercostal nerves and causing sharp, stabbing pain.
“I dealt with this last year too, but it was different; it didn’t feel like it does now,” Hartman said. “I was supposed to leave for the St. Johns tournament in Florida, and I didn’t even know if I was going to make it because of the pain.”
Last season, when doctors struggled to identify the issue, a friend suggested seeing a chiropractor. After three sessions, his ribs were adjusted back into place, allowing him to fish the rest of the year with minimal discomfort.
Now, the problem has returned and worsened. The ribs slip out more frequently, and the adjustments provide less relief.
“It just keeps happening if I keep fishing,” he said. “And when I’m in pain, I can’t perform at my full capability.”
The condition became unbearable on the Wednesday before the Arkansas River Elite Series event, forcing him to withdraw. At its worst, the pain even made it difficult to breathe.
“At this point if I’m on the road and going through that kind of pain like I did that Wednesday right before the Arkansas tournament started, I can’t fish and then I’m stuck on the road somewhere because I can’t drive.”
Faced with that reality, Hartman made the difficult decision to step away from competition and focus on finding a long-term solution. He is currently waiting to hear back from a thoracic surgeon in hopes of resolving the issue before it worsens further.
Hartman says that his girlfriend, April, has been his main support in battling the pain and helping him make this tough decision. “She is my rock!”
While his Elite career ends earlier than expected, Hartman came close to a storybook moment this season at Lake Guntersville.
“I wanted that one so bad. I really thought I had it,” he said. “I’ve thought about that tournament more than any other I’ve ever fished, just being that close to winning.”
After leading heading into the final day, Hartman was in control, but a mix of unfortunate circumstances, including pressure from local anglers, left him just short and fell to 4th.
Though he didn’t want to go out this way, Hartman is grateful for his nearly decade on tour and the support he’s built along the way.
“To my fans, I am so, so, so appreciative of the fans that were with me right out the gate and of the fans that I gained over the years,” he said. “I was told over and over how I was such an inspiration to people coming from where I did, and how hard I worked to get there from blue-collar work. I mean, my phone book has quadrupled, just all these people have taken me in, let me stay at their place, or hung out. The support from my family, I’m just so appreciative. My sponsors, the ones who stuck with me through some of the hard times. I appreciate them more than anything, because we all know how hard the sport is if you don’t have good sponsors and good relationships with them.”
While Hartman takes it easy and works to find a permanent fix to his rare condition, he plans to move to Branson, Missouri, where he will continue growing his guide business on Table Rock Lake. He’s definitely looking forward to getting pain-free and enjoying more time on the water, even if it’s not on the Elite Series.
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