One of the reasons I've lost some desire to take a shot at the big leagues is due to how cutthroat the competition has become. When I run down the lake in a BFL and I see a boat on a place I want to fish, I just go to the next one. Sometimes I may run by 20 or 30 schools of bass before I find an open place to fish. It seems more and more folks have a different outlook than myself nowadays and multiple boats fishing within spitting distance of each other is a very common occurrence, especially at the tour level.
While discussing the subject with friends that compete on Tour, I think I have an understanding of why fishing in crowds has become a common practice and for the most part, accepted among Tour Pros.
Some good examples of both sides of the "should I stay or should I go" debate took place right here on KY Lake during the FLW Tour Event. My good friend Micah Frazier, whose an up and coming young gun on Tour told me there was a boat on his starting place and when I asked him what he did he said he went ahead and started fishing and soon thereafter another boat or two joined the party. I asked him what the other guy said when he pulled up and Micah replied, "Everything was cool, that's just how it is on Tour." He then explained to me how when your fishing for that kind of money, you can't just "not fish" a place you found in practice because someone else found it. Micah stuck to his guns and fished among the crowds for 3 days and though he lost the fish that would've put him in the top 10, he still put 10 grand in the bank with a top 30 finish. He gave me another example of how Brent Ehler,who is very well respected, had pulled in on him during a BASS Open on Douglas lake. He said Brent pulled up, apologized, and said, "There's boats on every school, I have to fish somewhere." I definitely see his and the other guys who don't mind fishing in close proximity to one another's point.
On the other side of the spectrum was my good buddy and one of my heroes, Larry Nixon. Larry knew where all of the good schools were hanging out that week, just like a lot of the field. He chose not to fish boat to boat with anyone and instead tried to catch scattered fish off of more obscure places and ended up struggling and finishing out of the money. Now we all know Larry Nixon knows how to find and catch fish as good as anyone on the planet so you have to assume if he would have gone ahead and joined the crowds, he would've easily cashed a check in the tournament.
I'm not sure what makes some guys o.k. with fishing in crowds and others totally against it. If I had to guess I would say that a veteran like Larry can probably afford to gamble a little more than the young guns who have more to prove and more on the line financially.
While I understand and respect both views, I don't think I could ever embrace fishing in a crowd which would make me an "up and comer" with a "veterans" outlook on things and therefore I probably wouldn't last long on Tour!
My other reason for having a change of heart is, as I’ve said many times, my love of fishing is trying to figure the fish out. When I first started bass fishing in 2000, the BASS Invitationals were drawing 400 “Pros” per event, the FLW Tour was maxed out with 200 entrants at every event and I really believed that those 600 or so guys were able to go to lakes they’d never seen and find winning fish in just a few days.
I’ve since learned that there are only a handful of fishermen on the planet that can actually accomplish such a feat. Most rely on info from local fishermen, waypoints, sharing info with travel partners, etc. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with what makes the Tour go round as long as this info is obtained in accordance with BASS and/or FLW rules. I’m also not saying Tour Pros aren't great fishermen as most of us know it’s quite a challenge to catch another person’s fish and it still takes a lot of skill and knowledge to put said info to use. What I am saying is that what inspired me to dedicate my life to trying to become a “Pro” fisherman was the belief that it was possible to learn enough to figure fish out in three days like the “Pros” did and 15 years later I realized that, for the most part, it doesn't exist.
Honestly, at first, I was a little bummed out over this discovery. I felt like someone had told me Michael Jordan and LeBron James had flubber in their shoes or the NBA is really using 8ft. goals. I use this analogy because a goal of mine as a kid, was to be able to dunk a basketball on a 10ft. goal which is pretty tough when your 5’8” but as long as I saw Jordan doing it, I knew it was possible and believed I could reach that goal, no pun intended, with enough hard work and determination.
***NOTE: Just so I don’t leave you hanging I finally maxed out by dunking a volleyball but just didn't have the hands to dunk a regulation ball, but that’s another sport and another story for another time and I probably couldn't touch the net now with my fishermen's physique!!!***
But anyway, hopefully you get my drift on how learning that the best fishermen in the world were getting a little input on where to start their search for bass on unfamiliar water sort of took the wind out of my sails.
Luckily for me, it took me awhile to realize this truth or I probably would've given up and still be sitting at a desk every day. Instead, the work I put in trying to reach my goal of becoming a "Pro" help me build a successful guide business and I am now very content making my living fishing as opposed to being a professional fishermen and believe me, there is a very big difference in the two.
All that being said, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll mostly be staying local again in 2015 guiding and fishing FLW/ABA draw events on KY Lake.
I am going to venture out a little bit and fish the Mountain division of the FLW BFL’s in an effort to qualify for the Regional event in October on KY Lake. I’ve been wanting to fish another division for several years that holds it’s Regional on KY but scheduling conflicts with local events have always nipped the idea in the bud. I will have to miss a Weekend Bass Series event or two but a BFL Regional win is worth around 70 grand plus an All American berth and I’d much rather take my chances at home than somewhere like, uh, let’s say, CHEROKEE LAKE!
So, the goal in the Mountain division is going to be making the top 50 in the points. That sounds easy enough but unfortunately it’s one of the strongest divisions in the country and draws well over 100 boats in all 5 events. What that means is, catching a couple fish at each tournament isn't going to get it done. A lot of divisions have people start dropping out after a bad tournament or two and you can overcome a couple of mediocre showings, but that’s not going to be the case in the Mountain.
So, the goal in the Mountain division is going to be making the top 50 in the points. That sounds easy enough but unfortunately it’s one of the strongest divisions in the country and draws well over 100 boats in all 5 events. What that means is, catching a couple fish at each tournament isn't going to get it done. A lot of divisions have people start dropping out after a bad tournament or two and you can overcome a couple of mediocre showings, but that’s not going to be the case in the Mountain.
Another thing I have going against me is not only are the lakes (Dale Hollow twice, Cumberland once and Barren River twice), places I’ve never been, but with the exception of Barren, the others are deep, clear, highland reservoirs which is far from my strong suit.
The good news is both Dale Hollow events will be pre-spawn and if I’m going to catch any on a deep, clear lake it’s going to be that time of year.
Cumberland is the one I’m really worried about and it takes place in mid-May. I’ll probably run up the river and make as many flips as possible in hopes of just catching a few keepers in that one. There could potentially be a few lingering spawner's also, so I’ll definitely be looking for a few.
I’ve heard pretty good things about the Barren River and my buddies that have fished there have been able to do well fishing their strengths whether it be shallow or deep so that should be a fun place to try and figure out.
The FLW Rayovac is going to be in early May this year which is a little different. I’m really excited over that because depending on the weather, it may not be a full-fledged ledge tournament. I feel like a ledge tournament is a safer bet for me as far as definitely being able to cash a good check, but I really think if I ever win a Rayovac it’s going to have to be at another time of year when everyone in the field doesn't know where the entire bass population is. My best finish in a Rayovac to date is 3rd and that one was held in mid-March so hopefully we’ll have a cool spring, some high water and we can mix it up a little bit in that one.
Other than that and a few excursions to Eastern KY, it’s going to be a pretty standard year.
I’d also like to say that all of my sponsors stayed on board this year so I’d like to give a shout out to Odom’s Blue and Gray Marine, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Lowrance, Strike King, Power-Pole, All Pro Rods, Abu Garcia Reels, Seaguar Fluorocarbon, The Rod Glove, Strike Force Fish Attractant, The Cabin Bait & Tackle and TackleExperts.com for all of their support.
The good news is both Dale Hollow events will be pre-spawn and if I’m going to catch any on a deep, clear lake it’s going to be that time of year.
Cumberland is the one I’m really worried about and it takes place in mid-May. I’ll probably run up the river and make as many flips as possible in hopes of just catching a few keepers in that one. There could potentially be a few lingering spawner's also, so I’ll definitely be looking for a few.
I’ve heard pretty good things about the Barren River and my buddies that have fished there have been able to do well fishing their strengths whether it be shallow or deep so that should be a fun place to try and figure out.
The FLW Rayovac is going to be in early May this year which is a little different. I’m really excited over that because depending on the weather, it may not be a full-fledged ledge tournament. I feel like a ledge tournament is a safer bet for me as far as definitely being able to cash a good check, but I really think if I ever win a Rayovac it’s going to have to be at another time of year when everyone in the field doesn't know where the entire bass population is. My best finish in a Rayovac to date is 3rd and that one was held in mid-March so hopefully we’ll have a cool spring, some high water and we can mix it up a little bit in that one.
Other than that and a few excursions to Eastern KY, it’s going to be a pretty standard year.
I’d also like to say that all of my sponsors stayed on board this year so I’d like to give a shout out to Odom’s Blue and Gray Marine, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Lowrance, Strike King, Power-Pole, All Pro Rods, Abu Garcia Reels, Seaguar Fluorocarbon, The Rod Glove, Strike Force Fish Attractant, The Cabin Bait & Tackle and TackleExperts.com for all of their support.
I’ve considered The Cabin owner Ronnie Critcheloe a sponsor for a while now and he’s always gone above and beyond for me but this year we made it official. For those that have never been to The Cabin in Kuttawa, KY, it’s the best tackle store I’ve ever stepped foot in and they also have an online division now, www.TackleExperts.com. Not only do they have everything you could ever need, Ronnie and Diane are great people and I look forward to working with them again this year.
Please be sure to check them out as well as all of my other sponsors as I assure you they’re the best companies and people in the business and I couldn't do my job without each and every one of them.
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and you all have a blessed 2015.
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and you all have a blessed 2015.
