Fishing freak Robert Garrigus is determined the land the biggest catch of his golfing career after snatching a three shot lead on day two of the Valspar Championship at the Innsibrook Resort in Tampa Bay.

Garrigus shot the lowest round of the week, a five under par 66, to move to seven under par in the $US 5.7m event being played on the Copperhead course.

However for a golfer who grew-up in the famed potato growing state of Idaho, Garrigus said his true off-the-course love was fishing and indicating he had spent Monday ahead of this week’s event fishing on Monday night, all day Tuesday and then also on the eve of the tournament.

“I showed up on Monday, fished Monday night after I got off the plane and then fished all day Tuesday,” he said.

Fishing freak Robert Garrigus looking to land his biggest PGA Tour catch.

“I practiced a little bit, and then on Wednesday I had a sponsor’s outing I had to host and went back home, took a nap, came back and went fishing for another five hours.

“I didn’t even look at the golf course.

“That kind of puts me in a good frame because I’m clear and not thinking about anything, just going out and having some fun.”

Of course, Garrigus was naturally asked what he caught.

“Large mouth bass, lots of them,” he said.

“I probably caught about 35 fish over the first three days with the biggest one being about  9 1/2 pounds and the next biggest one was 8 1/2 pounds, so we were sticking them. It was a lot of fun.

“And sometimes I’d rather take the fishing over the golf.”

And keeping the fishing theme afloat, Garrigus also indicated when he won his first and only PGA Tour at the 2010 Walt Disney Classic he fished all that week in ponds about the Disney World complex.

“I remember that week I won the Disney I caught about eight fish over five pound over the Tuesday and Wednesday,” said the 36-year old.

“I caught another six, seven pounder.  That was actually one week I caught a five pounder and there’s always gators hanging around in those ponds.  I saw them over there and when I caught the five pounder I made a bee line for it.

“I yanked another five pounder up on the bank with my rod because I didn’t want to go down and get them.  But then this gator snatched it  right off the bank in front of like 10 people.

“The gator could have taken my limb off.  But I snapped my line off and let him go.  Then a park ranger came over, the Disney Ranger and said was I feeding the gators?  He almost ate me.

A large mouth bass  and a fish that has found itself often on the end of Garrigus line this week.

“So I mean that week was fun.  This week has been fun with the fishing and stuff.

“It’s nice to play some good golf on this golf course and it makes it a little better when you catch fish and you play well.”

And while Garrigus was taught to fish by his father he indicated also he’s spent some $500,000 on boats, trucks and fishing gear.

“All I am doing is trying to figure out these illusive fish,” he said.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s addictive.”

But then Garrigus indicated that  of all the fish he’s caught, he’s never kept one.

And Garrigus’ revelation of spending so much money on fishing prompted a question as to when was the last time he spent any of his money on golf equipment.

He replied:  “That’s a great question.  Probably about 17 years ago when I was 19, and just turned professional when I made it onto the Nationwide Tour.

“I don’t think I have paid for a single club or golf ball since then or a glove, anything  Maybe 17 years.  That’s probably saved me half a million. So it probably evens out.”

And there was more fishing gems from Garrigus singling out Bay Hill and the pond that runs all the way down the left side of the 18th hole at the Redstone Course, and the venue each year for the Shell Houston Open, as the two best fishing spots on the PGA Tour.