Like a lot of full-time pro anglers, Team Toyota’s Mark Daniel’s Jr. is in a hurry to get to Orlando this week to lend treasured sponsors a helping hand in revealing new products at the ICAST show, but first he’s taking on the role of lumberjack at his home near Montgomery.
“We moved to this seven-acre property last year in the little town of Shorter, Alabama, and we love it, but it’s got a ton of big mature trees, and we’ve lost four big oaks in the bad storms this area gets. So, I’m headed to the equipment rental place to hitch up a wood splitter, and spend all day cutting up fallen trees before I drive to ICAST,” says the Tuskegee University alum.
A workin’ man can only be as productive as his equipment and energy will allow, so “MDJ” isn’t bashful about bragging on his chainsaw and tow vehicles. He recently posted on social media about turning 100,000 trouble-free miles on his 2020 Toyota Tundra, and he’s currently mind-blown by the tree cutting power of his first ever battery powered chainsaw.
“Toro is a great supporter of Major League Fishing, and they gave us a chainsaw that’s powered by a rechargeable 60-volt battery. I’m gonna be honest, I thought there was no way it could cut wood like a gas saw, but I’m telling you it’s bad to the bone. I can cut down an entire tree and cut up the big branches for firewood without dealing with pull cords or mixing gas and oil. It’s the baddest piece of equipment I own!” exclaims Daniels.
Daniels is also experiencing new power sources in the brand-new Tundra he just took delivery on. It features Toyota’s new i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain that relies on a twin-turbo V6 engine that couples with a unique motor generator and 10-speed automatic transmission to provide a monstrous 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft of torque.
“My brand new Tundra is a towing beast with better fuel economy. It’ll be the Tundra I use on tour, but I’m not getting rid of my 2020 Tundra. Nope, I’m turning that one into my round-town grocery getter and wood splitter towing truck,” grins Daniels.
The California native describes himself as a city kid who now loves his family’s country lifestyle near Montgomery, AL. In fact, he often drives home from a tournament with giddy anticipation of simply mowing his lawn. He finds it to be therapeutic. A great way to unwind from the mental stress of competing against the best anglers in the world.
Or as is the case this week, chainsawing fallen trees for some good solid physical labor, not unlike a lumberjack, before slipping into the white collar business mindset he’ll lend his energies to at ICAST.
