Pequot Lakes grad making a brand by spending his days on the lake Tucker Jobe is a wake-surfing social media influencer

By Jeremy Millsop

The Whitefish Chain is becoming more popular for reasons many might not know or even understand.

Tucker Jobe is a 2021 Pequot Lakes High School graduate who grew up around the chain. The 21-year-old area resident spends most summer days and even a few winter days on the northern Crown Wing County lakes doing something he was born to do — make video content.

Jobe is a social media influencer who makes wake-surfing videos of himself using everything but a wakeboard to glide across the beautiful blue waters of the Whitefish Chain.

“I started creating social media content about wake surfing when I was 16 or so,” Jobe said. “I started filming videos and then TikTok started blowing up and I just started replying to comments on my videos. People suggested I try surfing this or that. I ended up doing that and stuck with it and things grew from there.”

Jobe has used anything from the roof of a Jeep, a toilet seat, a ladder and even a door to make videos of him wake surfing.

He said around 2019 his popularity and followers began to grow. He loaded his videos onto Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. It was TikTok that helped Jobe’s name explode.

“It was a motivational drive,” Jobe said about watching his follower numbers grow. “We had something cool here. I was just trying to find a way to make revenue with it and that’s kind of what I did. I just kept going with it. I was

Tucker Jobe has found his calling as a social media influencer specializing in the sport of wake surfing. Contributed photos just constantly creating videos.

“Then I would reach out to other brands and partner with them. I’ve reached out to Supra Boats. I’ve done a couple of things with them. You’re just constantly networking with other brands and you grow together,” he said.

Jobe recently partnered with Alluvium Marine on a signature mini jet boat made and crafted in Jenkins. He’s also partnered with Dave Syverson Auto Center out of Albert Lea.

“I partner with these brands because they see me almost as a marketing tool,” Jobe said. “I generate hundreds of millions of views, so brands want me to promote their service or product in my videos to get them exposure.”

Jobe’s video career began with doing real estate videography. He grew up interested in cameras and filmmaking. That spiraled into making wake-surfing videos and the masses wanted more.

Jobe dove into water sports when he was 10. He’d hop on his friend’s boat and they would take off, spending hours on the surrounding waters.

Now Jobe owns multiple boats. He and his film crew, composed of former classmates and friends, create content that appeases the 400,000 followers Jobe has across all platforms.

He receives millions of views on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.

Jobe’s friends, Griffin Dahlberg and Nolan Oliver, are also featured in the videos and handle the video production side of the operation.

“We grew up just doing this for fun, but now it’s cool because I get to bring my friends along and pay them to do what we love to do,” Jobe said. “I’ve done a lot of crazy things.”

Jobe hopes to parlay this venture into a watersports brand where he’ll sell surf vests, wakeboard ropes, swim trunks and other accessories involved with watersports. He’s already got a name for it — Revival Wake. The line will be released later this year.

“It’s a blast,” Jobe said. “I get to do what I want every day. I’m making videos with my friends. I do this full time now. The plan is to keep up with the videos, continue to build positive relationships with brands and see how much bigger this can get.”

JEREMY MILLSOP is the sports editor for the Brainerd Dispatch. he may be reached at 218-855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremymillsop.

The plan is to keep up with the videos, continue to build positive relationships with brands and see how much bigger this can get.

- Tucker Jobe