Lake Smith….Friend or Foe?

By Rob Brewer

Everyone has a favorite lake to fish. Odds are it has been good to you in the form of fish. It’s a lake you know well and you’re confident whenever you fish it. On the other hand, we also have those bodies of water that we avoid fishing whenever possible. Whether it’s out of our way, too many “skunkings” or whatever reasons we come up with, we all have that one body of water we avoid whenever possible. For me, that one body of water is Lake Smith. If it were not for the tournaments BassJons holds there, I’d avoid it altogether.  

For you fans of the place, don’t fret, I’m not bashing the lake. It’s a fine fishery and probably has one of the highest potentials for catching a trophy (over 7 LB in my book) for miles. Year after year, our heaviest tournament stringers come from Lake Smith. So why it is that such a Lunker haven is not my first choice when going fishing?  

If, by chance, you’re unfamiliar with Smith, let’s put Smith under a microscope and examine it closer. The City of Norfolk manages the 198 surface acre lake. It has a concrete ramp with more room to moor boats up than there is to park boat trailers. Many multi-million dollar homes line its shores, so it has its share of docks, bulkheads and riprap. There are plenty of pads, cypress, snorkels and blow-downs along its shore. The water is always murky, with an average visibility of six inches, maybe ten inches at high noon. The deepest hole in the lake goes eight feet, but that’s just one hole. The vast majority of the lake runs two to four feet in depth, with three feet being a realistic average depth. The lake has a firm bottom in many places, the exception being where the pads are growing and a few “muck” beds near some of the cypress. The bottom itself has very few contour features, basically a big shallow flat. There are isolated stumps offshore and these are certainly worth fishing, as they aren’t pounded like the shoreline stuff is. There is no “good grass” (Bladderwort, Hydrilla, Coontail) growing in the lake, but it has its share of what I like to call “snot grass”. It’s that thin slimy green alga that is so fine it can work its way into a ball bearing swivel. Aside from bass, the lake contains some huge flathead catfish, channel cats, pickerel, carp, crappie and other panfish species. I’m not positive, but I don’t think the lake has strong shad or herring forage base. There are a few large snapping turtles and plenty of the wood turtles. There are cranes, herons, ospreys and cormorants as well. 

Here’s how I translate the above paragraph. We have a small, shallow, non-stratifying lake. The water is always murky, keeping the fish shallow and tight to cover. Since there is no grass, the fish have only two options, shallow wood or the pads. So you ask, what is my problem? Well, that’s just it. It sounds so simple to fish, but I tell you, this place confounds me! If it weren’t for the quality of the average fish caught here, I’d just call in sick come tournament day. But I need the points, even if it’s only “show up” points. 

I have no problem buying into “a bass only needs enough water to cover his back”. I have proved this to myself often enough and I have no trouble believing it. What doesn’t feel “right” is fishing thirty feet from the shore and the boat is only in two feet of water, flat, featureless water. I know this is purely psychological; nonetheless, it still affects me to an extent. 

A bass has two basic needs to survive: food and oxygen. Throw in cover to make him easier to catch. Looking at tournament weights, it is obvious that this lake meets all the needs of the bass.  

Let’s look at some proven baits on this lake. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, crankbaits, floating worms, jigs and Texas rigged plastics have all accounted for quality fish here. So choose your weapon according to conditions and your confidence in it. The ideal plan is to have a partner and the front guy fish one of the faster water covering baits, while backseat dissects cover with some sort of weedless bait. I feel this is the most efficient means of determining the preference of the bass that day. Due to the amount of cover, the big fish potential and murky water, there is no reason whatsoever to use anything less than 17 pound test line here. If you do decide to down size, you have been warned. 

If I were to stress two words, they would be patience and concentration. You’ll notice I didn’t mention confidence. That’s because we are already confident of where the fish are and we know we can catch them. It’s just a matter of putting the bait on them. That’s my philosophy. Take it or leave it, but it aides me when the chips are down. Back to patience and concentration. I say patience because you don’t need to zip all over the lake trying to find the fish. Try a little of both pads and the wood. Once you catch a fish, focus on that cover primarily. Keep in mind the bass is an “edge” fish. Work the cover accordingly, especially when you hit the pads. Pay attention here. The pads will often “bird dog” the fish location for you. You can watch the pads and see them move. Sometimes it is only carp, as they love to root around their bases. Always assume it is a bass until you can prove otherwise. 

As far as concentration goes, it can cost you fish if you don’t give it 100%. Because this lake is so shallow and in some places void of cover (at least to the eye), it is easy to convince yourself “there’s no way a fish is in there”. You make a token cast to prove it and wind up getting bit, but miss the fish. Soft plastic baits are more forgiving in this respect. So if you find this concentration thing affecting you, consider tilting the odds in your favor by using one. 

The next psychological effect this lake has is its size. Not only is it small, but it gets its fair share of fishing pressure. It is not uncommon to find yourself fishing “used water”. Don’t sweat it. Easier said than done, but there are several ways of dealing with it. Once you catch some fish directly behind another boat, you’ll find it easier to deal with. Meanwhile keep this in mind to reinforce your confidence. How many times have you been fishing front seat and backseat catches a fish right behind you? Same thing, only there’s fourteen feet between hooks instead of one hundred. I shouldn’t share this with everyone, but here’s trick to use only on boats that fail to observe etiquette and actually cut you off. Its psychological warfare at its best, but not unlawful. The trick is to take an old clip off of a stringer or set of culling floats and tie it on one of your rods (preferably 20lb outfit, to minimize risk). Clip a fish on it and leave it in your livewell. When the guy who cut you off isn’t looking, slip the fish over board and “catch” him again. Hold him up, pretend to unhook him and stick him in the ‘well. Do this again about four minutes later. Now the fish are all yours! He’ll be so busy watching you and failing to concentrate, he’ll never see his line swim off. For the record, I’ve never actually done this, but I have been cut off enough to cook up the idea. 

Lake Smith is a fine fishery just waiting for you to reap its rewards. In my book, it’s a “mental lake” if ever there was one. The secret, if you can call it that, is to fish here as often as possible. Pick an arm of it and work it inside out. Remember to look at the offshore side of the boat every now and again. See that lone stump out there? Pitch to it. Both you and your partner pick a word, one concentration, the other, patience. Remind each other of your word several times through out the day. It might sound odd here, but trust me; it’ll put fish in the boat. 

In closing, I’d like to part with these words. Catch and release. The odds of catching a “personal best” from this lake are really high. For the experienced basser, letting an eight-pound fish go is not hard to do, for the neophyte it may not be so. This is a personal choice and there is no “wrong” decision, but there is a “better” decision. If you take a trophy fish, give serious thought to letting it go. Measure (length & girth) and photograph the fish. You can always have a fiberglass replica made. It will look more life-like and “outlive” any real fish mount. Returning the fish will ensure it passes along its superior genes and enable others to enjoy the same memories it provided you. One day we’ll all be “fishing” from our rocking chairs and that’s all were going to catch.

 Fishing is life, Rob Brewer 

 Blastoff to Weigh-in

(An insider’s look at tournaments)

By Rob Brewer

Recently, I was asked a few questions about our tournaments and what all goes on during a typical day on the water. It was suggested to me that it may make for a good article for those who are considering “getting their feet wet”, but are uncertain as to what a typical tournament day involves. Since I am the tournament director for the club, I thought I might “walk” you through a typical tournament from start to finish.

 Know up front before you read any further, this isn’t a “how to win” tournaments article. That is something I’m NOT qualified to write. Sure, I’ve won a few and taken home some money, but I’m not always in the winner’s circle. It’s all I can do at this point to consistently finish in the top five. This article is more of a “what goes on” type, written for those are shall we say…. Curious. 

First realize there is a lot of “behind the scenes” activity that takes place. Most of this happens without the contestants giving it a second thought. It is mostly administrative in nature and just seems to “happen” for most of the anglers involved. There is the drafting of, and voting on the tournament schedule, then bouncing it off of other area club’s schedules. Once approved and released, it is posted on our website. As the tournament nears, I’ll call the lake patrol and request the gate be opened early to accommodate our launching prior to sunrise, so we can blast off at sunrise.

Two weeks before the tournament’s scheduled date, I’ll send out a “group email” to all members and those on the waiting list. This email will basically ask whether or not you intend to fish in the next tournament at Lake X. After a week goes by and I have all the replies I am going to get, I will conduct a drawing to match partners. I have all the boater’s names in a coffee can and all the non-boater’s in another. I simply remove a name from each can until everyone is paired up. There are more boaters than non-boaters; so often a few boaters are paired up together and it is up to them to decide whose rig will be employed.

Once the drawing is completed, another email is sent out. This one is called the “pairings”. It will have all the pairings listed, blast-off time and any special instructions included. These instructions might be a reminder that it is supposed to rain or to be extra early because we have to buy permits for a Portsmouth Lake that is not covered by our Norfolk permits or anything else worth mentioning. Usually during the week between the pairings email and the actual tournament, partners are talking strategy, fish location and whatever other “Intel” they may have gathered lately. 

Now it is tournament day. This is the fun part. If it is your first tournament, it’s probably a day you’ll remember the rest of your life. There are those who are always there early, launch, and get everything situated. You’ll find me in this group because I have other duties that take from my time in the morning. I try to be the first one at the ramp, get my boat in the water and park my vehicle. There is much to do before blast-off. While everyone else is comparing “dock talk”, I have entry fees to collect, livewells to inspect, waiver forms for guests to fill out and there’s always a few questions to answer. If you are fishing with us as a member or guest, your basic responsibility is to be at the ramp early enough to launch your boat or get your gear into your partner’s boat, pay me your entry fee and be ready to go before blast-off. Blast off is always sunrise for that particular day. It is not required, but some observe the etiquette of the non-boater paying the boaters $5 entry fee. 

As the time nears for blast-off, all of the boats are fired up and idle out into the water surrounding the ramp. Weigh-in time is reiterated and I announce the time I have on my watch. I mention my watch because it’s also the penalty clock as well. If everyone who said they were fishing is already there, we’ll sound the air horn, indicating blast-off. If not, we’ll wait until the “very minute” of sunrise, then blast-off. If you are later than sunrise, it does not matter if you are just pulling up to the ramp or miles away, the field is off to go fishing against the clock. If you should arrive late, you must go find a member of the club and have them inspect your livewell prior to you actually fishing and pay your entry fee at weigh-in.

During the course of the tournament day it’s “fishing as usual”. Many of the boats will talk to each other briefly and discuss how the day is going. It may be as simple as holding up a hand with the number of fish in the livewell or it may be a five-minute discussion on where and how they were caught. Everyone puts forth their best effort and the cards fall where they land.

As the weigh-in time draws near, many boats begin to fish their way back closer to the ramp. Come weigh-in, I am already back monitoring the field and looking to see if I have to “use the clock” on anyone. At weigh-in, usually 4:00, all contestants must either have their boat beached or be hauling it up on the trailer. Once I establish accountability of the field and no longer have to “watch the clock”, I can start to set up the scales. Once the scales are assembled and I have a scoring sheet ready, we begin to weigh fish. I usually weigh the fish and call the weight to the recorder. Huck, our Vice President, usually fills this role and he does a fine job at it. We don’t have a particular order to weigh-in; it’s sort of first come, first served. Some guys who have a nice limit try to hold off and weigh-in last, just to make the current contender sweat a little. Stan and his partner of the day are famous for this.

Once the weigh-in is completed, the winner is announced. Then the field is ranked first through whatever place, pending the number of teams participating. Once the field is ranked, I pay the angler who caught the lunker of the day his prize money. This is required by the rules to be split amongst the team, unless otherwise agreed to before hand. We then conduct our club meeting. The “official” portion is very brief. We address any issues or vote on items that need it and the meeting is adjourned. Then it’s time for “how it was done”. The top finishers discuss how they caught their fish. As with any group, it is basic at first, but the longer you stick around, the more details you can extract.

Personally, I can talk fishing better than I can actually do it, so you’ll find I’m always one of the last to leave, regardless of where I placed. After all, I’m here to learn. Aside from actually fishing, I know of no better way to learn than to be around guys who were just on the water piecing together the same puzzle I was trying to put together. 

That my friend, is a typical tournament day of ours. Sometimes the weather is too cold, too hot or raining, but at least we’re fishing. We have a great time and it really is a great bunch of guys who would do anything for each other. It doesn’t matter if it’s Bob breaking another rod, me trying to float my truck or Rex losing his fish and Bang-o-lure at the boat, there will always be a good fish story at the end of the day. Hopefully, this has given you a good overview of what goes on in a typical tournament of ours. Give it a shot. Theirs is no better learning tool than fishing in tournaments.

Fishing is life, Rob

A Maintenance Resolution

By Rob Brewer 

By now, many of you are suffering from an acute case of cabin fever. You’re just waiting for the first warm days of spring to arrive so you can go out and catch those roe laden pre-spawn mules. A few diehards are still out there catching bass, myself included. Whether your boat is hibernating in the garage, under a cover or still seeing use, there’s a lot more to preparing for the coming season than just buying a 2004 fishing license and lakes permit. 

Were going to look at getting your gear ready for the up coming season. The hardest part of which, is getting off your “duff” and actually doing it. Sure, you can make excuses…it’s not going anywhere, the NFL playoffs are on…. but at the same time, nothings getting fixed if you walk that path. Promise yourself that you’ll put aside the next free weekend you have and dedicate it to the task at hand, prepping your boat and tackle, especially the things that are always neglected. Besides you can listen to the playoffs on the radio while you work. Young anglers are always willing to give Dad a hand too, especially when you put a screwdriver in their hand and have them remove bulbs and other simple tasks. 

The first step involves preparation. There are a few things you can do the week before the weekend you’ve dedicated arrives. First, sit down and identify that one major malfunction you had again and again last year. Whether it was a faulty livewell connection, binding tie down strap, whatever…. Identify it. That is first on the hit list to get fixed. The second thing to do is buy a small memo pad that will easily fit inside the glove box of your vehicle. We’ll talk more about this later; just go buy it before hand. Read over the checklist (below) to get an idea of what you might need to buy before hand. Get these items ahead of time so you have them on hand. That way, you can spend the weekend actually working on the boat instead of shopping. Plus it can be construed as another excuse to go to the new Bass Pro Shops. 

I suggest dedicating each day to a specific “group”. Day one is boat, motor, trailer, batteries and trolling motor. Day two is rods, reels, accessories and tackle. Get up “early” on the weekend that you’ve put aside, pour yourself a cup of coffee and grab hold of that memo pad you bought. Get ready for a long day. 

Here’s a checklist (the items are in no particular order) I think makes for a good starting point. It is just the basics of every boat. Some of you will have specific items to repair/replace or improve. Just use it as a guide to assist with anything you may have overlooked. 

TRAILER 

Remove all the bulbs (one at a time) & record the numbers (types) in your memo pad. 

Sand all the corrosion off the bulbs and from inside the sockets. 

Spray both with WD40 before reinstallation 

Go over EVERY nut & bolt on the trailer with a wrench and socket. Make sure they are tight. 

“Break” the lug nuts and spray WD40 on the threads. 

Record the trailer’s serial & model number in your memo pad. 

Adjust (if necessary) your bunks and rollers. Replace/recarpet any that need of it. 

Grease the tongue jack and winch “teeth”. 

Inspect/replace the winch strap, transom tie-down straps or other load securing straps. 

Repack wheel bearings and if you don’t have them consider installing bearing buddies. These are “too easy” to install (all you need is a rubber mallet or hammer & piece of wood) and make greasing bearings as easy as squeezing the handle of a grease gun. 

Check the condition of those “cheap” little plastic frames that hold your license plate on the trailer. They get brittle with age. Consider bolting it (license plate) to the trailer or using zip ties. Write trailer license number in your memo pad. 

Check the tires (and spare) for proper air pressure; tread wear and signs of dry rot. Replace any that need it.  

Record tire size in your memo pad. 

Check/clean the “pig tail” (wiring harness) that plugs into your vehicle. Spray more WD40 here too. 

Check the condition/ alignment of your “guide posts” if you have them on your trailer. If you don’t have any, consider installing them. Gone are the problems of “lining up” just so on the trailer when recovering your boat. You can also install some strips of reflective tape on them. They’ll be easier to see when launching in the predawn darkness. 

BATTERIES 

Check all cells for proper fluid levels & wipe the tops of the cases clean. 

Test each cell with a hydrometer (if not sealed cases) Add electrolyte or distilled water pending the results of your test. 

Clean the posts and all connections. Time for more WD40! 

Install a means of fastening your batteries in place if not already equipped as such. 

OUTBOARD MOTOR 

Take it to a professional if you have no clue about anything. 

Change the oil & filter (4 stroke)  

Change the gear oil in the lower unit 

Inspect/ replace spark plugs. Be sure not to substitute wrong plugs and check their gap before reinstalling them. Torque them to specs. 

SLOWLY pull out the starter rope and inspect for wear, replace if necessary. 

Remove prop and inspect thrust bearing and look for pieces of fishing line fouled in it. 

If your motor uses shear pins, now’s the time to buy some spares.  

Record the shear pin size in your memo pad. 

Add STA-BIL or other preservative to your fuel if it’s sitting for any length of time. 

Inspect/ replace fuel filter 

Inspect/ replace fuel line, connections and tank. 

Record the propeller pitch and diameter in your memo pad 

Record the outboard motor serial and model number in your memo pad. 

Check transom clamps for tightness and alignment on centerline.  

TROLLING MOTOR 

Record the model and serial number in memo pad. 

Now’s the time to buy these shear pins too. 

Remove propeller and look for old fishing line. Consider replacing if in poor shape or at least file out those dings. It will make less “noise” underwater. 

Check mounting hardware and tighten/ replace if necessary. 

Clean/ WD40 socket and plug 

Lubricate (w/ graphite powder) cables on foot control models. 

BOAT 

Record hull identification number (HIN) and model number in memo pad 

Record registration number and lakes permit number in memo pad. 

Remove bulbs from lights & record numbers (type) in memo pad. Remove any corrosion and WD40 them before reinstalling. 

Clean out the livewell and remove pump. Clean any debris from inside the “pick up” screen. Consider upgrading it to a stronger pump. (500 GPH minimum, 750/800 GPH optimum) 

Do the same to your bilge pump. 

Inspect & replace any PFD’s that have frayed or torn. See VDGIF website for specifics. It’s still a fine if you have them, but are not serviceable as defined in the law. Besides, it’s your life were talking about here. Get out of the “It can’t happen to me” mindset. 

Inspect all your fuses, record sizes in your memo pad and buy spares to have on hand. 

Inspect or replace fire extinguisher, first aid kit & flashlight. 

Inspect/ assemble a “spare parts” kit. Keep it simple though. 

Hide (where you can find it) a spare drain plug somewhere in the boat. Possibly duct tape it in the bottom half of your outboard cowling. 

Vacuum out rod lockers, under console, all carpet, etc. 

RODS 

You can get as extensive as you want. Some go as far as wiping down with furniture polish; cleaning cork grips, inspecting guides, etc. Do what you are comfortable with. For me, that’s basically a quick “look see” at the rod. I feel I already “know” if something happened to my rod. But that’s just me. 

REELS 

 At a minimum, peel all the old line off. If you have a lot of reels, this can be done with little effort like so. Get an old wire coat hanger, while holding the hook portion in one hand; place your other hand directly below it on the wire frame. Now pull your hands apart as far as you can. Once you have “elongated” the hanger, bend and flatten the hook portion with a pair of pliers so it can be put in a drill’s chuck. Now you can wind all that line off your reels and toss the whole mess in the trash when you’re done. Don’t refill with fresh line until it gets close enough to when you will actually go fishing again. 

Next consider lubing your reel’s gear train. This too is something you can ignore, but not forever. When was the last time you did it? Never? Well, if the reel is a few years old you might want to consider it. You be surprised what kind of “life” can be breathed back into an old reel that has dirt and junk inside it. If you don’t know how, I wouldn’t recommend trying it without a schematic of the reel in front of me. These can usually be found on the reel manufacturer’s website. Sometimes a piece just “falls” out when you open it and unless you know where it went, it is one of the most boring puzzles I’ve ever assembled. If you’re still not comfortable going there, at least clean the reel’s exterior with a Q-tip and some more WD40. Be sure to get inside the level wind hole and down inside the frame and atop the reel foot. 

If you have expensive reels, engrave your name on the bottom of the reel foot. It’s out of sight and just might help convict a tackle thief someday. 

Someday, I’m going to try “super tuning” a reel. That’s where you open up the gear case, smear some moly sulphide or other lapping compound on the gears, and chuck the reel’s drive shaft in a router or other tool capable of generating something in the vicinity of 5,000 rpms. Chuck the reel in and “rev her up” for about 30 to 40 seconds. Remove the centrifugal brakes first or they’ll burn up. Disassemble; clean the gears and reassemble, then relube. The result is supposed to be one of the smoothest, most sensitive reels you’ve ever used. I have not done it yet, but I have a few old Shimano’s that are volunteering. 

TACKLE 

Here’s a subject that I could write thousand- page dissertation on. Don’t worry, I won’t. But it’s something that deserves serious thought. I’ll try to focus on these two words. Organize and minimize. 

Organize what you have so you may find whatever you may be looking for. Consider buying several Plano cases and categorizing your tackle in the cases. That doesn’t mean you’ll need to bring all these cases with you fishing. But you will easily be able to put together a case (or two) of what you may need for a day on the water. 

Minimize what you take on the water. I know it’s common “phobia” to worry about getting caught without something you need or running out of something you have. But really, when is the last time it happened? Probably hasn’t has it? I mean sure, you may have forgotten the pliers or some other item, but have you ever actually ran out of a given lure? Purge the junk. You don’t have to throw it out, just leave it at home. Its there if you need it.  

If you have gone over all these items as mentioned, odds are you found a few potential deficiencies that were waiting to “pounce” on you at some point during the upcoming season. Hopefully, your actions staved them off and will let you continue to fish unhindered through the season with no or minimal problems. At the same time, you’ve just become more familiar with all your equipment and how it works. 

Now take that memo pad you have with all that info in it. Throw it in your glove box and leave it there. Next time you’re at the store and looking for whatever bulb, fuse, or part you need, you have all the info needed sitting out in your car. Just don’t forget its there. 

Once you take the time to do all these checks and repairs, you’ll want to go fishing just to experience the fruits of your labor. By all means do so.  

Fishing is life, Rob Brewer 

Going Pro or BUST 

Some Things Anglers Should Know Before Going Pro…Is It Worth It? 

Have you ever thought about taking your skills to the next level? Many anglers have pondered the idea and just know that they can make it happen. There are few diamonds in the rough that can actually compete at that level, but those who have the skills and talents to compete at the next level need to understand that they cannot just jump in on any of the Pro Tours, there are steps in between in order to just qualify for a Pro Tour, which are a feat within itself to accomplish.  

There are qualifications…

For instance, in order for one to qualify for the B.A.S.S. Pro Tour they would need to qualify; meaning that an angler would have to fish the Open Tours and fish well enough to be considered. Not that the Open Tours do not have Pro’s, but the Pro Tour names are not quantified like Van Dam, Yelas, Brauer, etc. And believe it or not, those Pro’s also fish the Opens, giving them another opportunity to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. But anglers need to understand they must first get past the “Wanna Be Pro’s” like themselves, who have been fishing the Opens for years and still haven’t made it. Then they can consider fishing against the “Bigger Name” Pro Anglers. Some Pro’s strictly fish Open Tournaments and never fish the Pro Tour, even when they qualify to fish the Tour. Angler’s fishing in the Federation cannot break into the Pro Tour, but can qualify a slot in the Classic after some rigorous efforts to win. But that Angler would have to be a standout, not only within the Club, but the Region and the State, then the angler would have to compete with the largest organized fishing organization loaded with talent across the Nation; not just 175 other anglers. Also, only the Top 100 on the Tour can return to the tour. The Top 15 among the other Opens will also qualify for the other remaining slots on the Tour. This is no different than the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; anglers just can’t walk in from the ground up, they must qualify to be one of the elite in the Everstart Series and/or be accepted after going through several stages. Sure there are ways to get into the FLW Tour, but that wouldn’t be smart without first learning the ropes. 

Start Small…

Anglers should take small steps into advancing into a Professional career. The meaning of small steps would be, look for other Tournament Trails that get recognition on a National level. There are organizations out there that are just as competitive as the Pro Tours, but their names are not in neon lights; that doesn’t mean they are not good. The Federation and the BFL’s are great places to begin, but they are not the only National affiliations out there. You have the Pro-Am’s, American Bass Angler’s Association (ABA), Angler’s Choice, Fisher’s of Men and the list goes on. These are all well-known circuits that are just as competitive.  

Local Competition …

In reality, fishing the small Local Club or even Open Tournaments can be more competitive than some of the Tour Tournaments. Not that the fishing experience is better, but the local knowledge of the lakes structure and cover, knowledge of the lures and presentations and the knowledge of the competitors is a major benefactor to the local anglers. Within the local community of anglers, there will be a select few that are the “Cream of the Crop,” who will consistently place well in tournaments and win. Anyone can fish, but can they consistently put together a pattern that puts them in the Top 5 or 10 percent of tournament places? Can they honestly say that they are part of the elite, the “Cream of the Crop” within their local fishing community? If an angler can honestly believe that and say that with confidence, then more than likely they are the ones to look up to. Sure, anglers are in competition with the fish, but you have some anglers that can read fish. They understand the nature of the fish, the season, the migration patterns, the current weather conditions, etc. Those anglers can take their knowledge of the lake, added together with the past, current and throughout the day weather conditions and put a plan together right there at the ramp before launch and become successful. Now, you are not only in competition with the fish, you are in competition with the field of anglers that can dissect the current surroundings and conditions on a whim, creating a successful plan and a positive outcome at the end of the day. In any local fishing community, those anglers know who they have to beat because of the vast knowledge they carry. These anglers can also take that same knowledge and successfully transfer that onto an unfamiliar lake. If given the same Top 5% of the local anglers on their home lakes and put them in competition with the Pro’s, it would be best to put your money on the local angler. Not that the Pro’s won’t be able to compete, but because of their lack of knowledge of the water being fished. That is why competition within your community can be more fierce and competitive than those at the next level; because anglers are competing against other anglers that have a vast knowledge of the lake, making the level of competition stiffer.  

Nothing is taken away from the Pro’s perspective of what they can do on lakes that aren’t fished consistently by them. The Pro’s have the ability to look at a map, eliminate waters, scrutinize the lake and put together a game plan with the conditions being faced. Also, they fish against other anglers that may consider a particular body of water their home lake, making their outcome of winning or placing in the money even less. Another ability that the Pro’s have is that they have been there and done that, especially the old Veterans. Great Pro’s have money and they utilize that money to their advantage. Whether that is to pay Guides for trips and information, paying or using other anglers to fish for them and relay the information back so that they can rest up or satisfy sponsor obligations, flying in planes to get a bird’s eye view of the lake, etc. The thing is, Pro’s who have the money, take advantage wherever and whenever they can. When all is said and done, if an angler cannot compete within their own small local community or region and know that they won’t be getting much help because they are not well known or don’t have enough money to hire and pay for information, it would be best that they not take it to the next level. 

The Horror’s Not Shown On TV…

As Anglers, we love to see the Pro’s on TV and see how easy it is for them to win. That is because it’s on TV. Within our own small community, we don’t see the disasters that take place. That isn’t what the Tour level or the levels just below them are trying to promote.  

With 365 days in a year, a Tour Pro can spend at a minimum 250 days on the road, leaving them with 165 days to spend with their personal life. Those 165 days aren’t spent in a row of 165 consecutive days, they are scattered about throughout the year. Even those days spent at home are spent evaluating their previous tournaments, upcoming tournaments and events, contacting current sponsor’s and pursuing new one’s as well, up keeping their boat and motors, the house up keep and the list goes on. We as anglers know how tough it is at home with just a day-to-day job and having to just keep up on the house, vehicles, boats, etc. It’s not that easy.  

Things not shown…

One of the ugliest numbers that the average angler doesn’t see is the Divorce rate; somewhere in the ball park of 65%, if not higher. What isn’t shown many times are the families. Sure, on TV anglers see Jay Yelas, Kevin Van Dam and a few other Pro Angler families out in the audience, but look at who we are talking about? We are talking about the elite, million dollar anglers. Money makes the family life easier, whether they are on the road with you or at home, it’s all about the money that an angler can bring home to support their families.  

Family Support…

Families play 2, and sometimes 3, major roles to a Pro Angler. First, the family is the angler’s number one supporter. If an angler doesn’t have the support of the family, it will destroy the family or shorten the anglers Pro Tour career. Second, they become a home base for those angler’s and the family can take care of personal matters while they are away on Tour. And third, would be those families that understand that this is a way of life for them and they make every effort to help manage the angler. The family becomes part of the business by freeing up the time needed for an angler to allow him to fish tournaments, practice or experimenting with new products, satisfy sponsors by attending shows and seminars, and most of all rest. If the family can become part of the business particularly the management end, it would relieve that angler of so much stress on the business side and allow him the time to focus on fishing. Also, when it’s time for the angler to come home, it allows him to spend more time with the family and not working the business. Family members can assist with knowing where to spend the money, locating new sponsor’s, satisfying current sponsor’s, scheduling, receiving and sending products, networking with other anglers and more; all the things to keep the Angler updated on current issues on the industry; basically, the family becomes the Angler Management team. If an angler can get the support of the family, while on the road, it makes it that much easier. The FAMILY is the biggest obstacle that an angler must face. Without the family or a good management team supporting that angler, that angler will misplace his focus and his chances of success are depleted.  

If an angler doesn’t have a family, everything is on the angler; the fishing and the business side. But the angler doesn’t have the stress of having to support the family.  

Road Time…

If the angler is single and doesn’t mind being on the road, living out of a suitcase, going from hotel to motel or sleeping in a truck, then it isn’t too bad for them. But no one likes to live that way, that isn’t the featured life people want. Again, on TV anglers don’t see the sacrifices these Pro’s make because they can’t afford hotels or motels. Some anglers will room together to lower the cost, but what about those practice days when they aren’t hooked up with a fellow angler? Who likes the idea of living out of a suitcase 250 days out of the year? Who really gets enough rest sleeping in a truck; even if it does have a make shift bed? Is that even healthy? Anyone whose taken a good long nap or slept under these conditions know that they don’t get as much rest as they would have liked and they don’t wake up as refreshed. Getting on the road constantly with little rest or being exhausted from either fishing or running to and from seminars; and more than likely pulling a boat, that can’t be safe. When a person is that tired, they become delusional and they are unsafe on the road. What about food? Who really likes those small cans of Bennie Wennie’s, sardine and crackers, sandwiches all the time? When anglers are on the water, they are the best thing in the world, but that gets old quick. What about when anglers are in the hotel, there usually aren’t any accommodations for anglers to cook anything, except for a microwave. Some bring small grills along and cook burgers or eat fast food on the way. But when do they get a nice home cooked meal? They may get a cooked meal when they are near a fellow angler’s home or something, but that isn’t going to happen most of the time. For the most part, anglers are basically roughing it.  

If the angler has a family that he must support, he better be winning tournaments or have same darn good sponsor’s that kick out some mighty checks. But money isn’t the only factor when it comes to the family; it’s time spent away. If we listen to the Pro’s carefully, they try to support their families by expressing how important they are to them and their business. But if it’s one thing that they can all agree on it would be the times that they have missed watching their children grow up. Basically, the family grows without the Pro Angler, except on a few occasional days. The spouse is home continually wondering why they are doing this; not only are the anglers stressed and exhausted, but the spouses at home working and raising children are just as, if not more, exhausted. They assume that the angler is out there having fun, enjoying what they do, while they are at home raising children alone and taking care of business the way a family should be. It’s almost like being separated, but it’s not legal and the angler comes home occasionally to visit. If an angler has children, can they truly say that they were a large part of their children’s lives? How many birthdays will be missed; X-mas, Thanksgivings, school plays, school sports, skinned knees/elbows, first words/steps or when they go to the hospital and need the support of that person? The children know you, but they really don’t know you because of the time spent away. Sure, there are exceptions, but that’s the problem, there are exceptions. There shouldn’t be exceptions when it comes to the family life. Too many times I have listened and heard the stories that anglers wished that they could have spent more time with their families; especially their children. But the sport kept them away. This isn’t just targeted towards anglers, but professional athletes across the board. Professionals do it for the Glory of winning, the competition or world dominance in their profession. But they tend to leave the family out of the light because the industry doesn’t profile the family, it profiles the individual. And when the family is gone, the angler begins regretting not spending the time with them and neglecting them; whether that is directly or indirectly. When children are involved, the playing field becomes different. So one of the other major factors a Pro Angler must face is the time spent on the road away from the family. 

Money…

There isn’t enough money paid out in tournaments for anglers to enjoy leaving a good paying job. The US National Household Income as of 2001 equated to $58,208. Doesn’t sound too bad, but that is the HOUSEHOLD income; which isn’t great, just good. Leaving a sure income to something that isn’t known or set can, not only be scary, but also a threat to the family. Not just facing a possible separation/divorce from their spouse, but facing bankruptcy as well. Not many stories are told about how many anglers go for it all and find out that they were unable to finance their careers and had to file bankruptcy, losing everything; the family, home, job, friends and their dignity.  

Let’s take for example a family that makes the National Income average at $58,000 a year (this figure would be smaller if narrowed down by anglers only). To make it fair, we won’t say that the Male figure is the dominating household income, so let’s split it in half, $29,000. If an angler removes himself from a sure income to the unknown, it leaves the working spouse to take the remaining $29,000 to budget for the household. This doesn’t include taxes (lets just say 7% across the board and this is way off on the low end here, but let’s look at it) which will knock that down to $26,970. Also not calculated in would be rent; low balled at $700 ($26,270) and a vehicle payment more than likely (not including 2^nd vehicle and boat for angler) again, low balled at $270 leaving only $26,000. Well, medical and dental expenses haven’t been taken out, nor insurances and we haven’t even talked about paying utilities and other minor bills. Let’s just say now that that income is fortunate to be $24,000 to spend on the family when all is paid. That averages out to about $2,000 per month ($67 per day) for that family. That just isn’t enough to support the family and we haven’t even gotten to the expenses of the angler being on the road. The angler has to eat; he has to put gas in the vehicle and the boat, entry fees, hotel/motel and vehicle/boat maintenance just to name a few. But the angler cannot afford to suck up anything from the household income, but it will happen and as it is happening it not only puts a financial strain on the family, but strain as a hole on the family. It’s tough enough to juggle the family budget, but now to support the angler with the household money shouldn’t be part of the bargain.  

For instance, if an angler is fishing the 6 FLW Tour events, the year’s entry fees would be $14,600. This cannot come from the household income stated above or the family couldn’t survive. And in order to get a check, they would have to place in the Top 75 and that won’t give them their money back in entry fees, much less expenses. Sure, placing in the Top 75 of an elite crowd of 200 Pro- and another 200 Co-Anglers, but if the payout isn’t covering money spent, the angler is going backwards. When an angler goes all out, the family, as well as the angler, is gambling on instant success.  

Let’s use Curt Lytle’s numbers for this past 2003 year as an example, who actually didn’t have a bad year. Curt fished both the FLW (164^th) and B.A.S.S. (33^rd) Tours, which is tough in anyone’s book to do. Curt only fished 4 events on the FLW Tour collecting only 1 check at $3,500. On the B.A.S.S. side of the house he fished 10 Tour, 1 Open and the Classic, where he scored 8 checks totaling nearly $52,000. He fished 4 FLW events (about $1,800 per event) costing $7,200 and for the 10 B.A.S.S. Tour events (guessing $1,200 per event) and $800 for the Open he paid $12,800. Assuming that the Classic entry is free, unsure, that means he put back about $20,000 just to fish in the events, leaving him with $32,000 in winnings. Had it not been for the decent wins within B.A.S.S., he would have been in trouble. Actually, had he not made the Classic and placed 5^th (earning a $25,000 check) he would be in trouble. Of course, sponsor money hasn’t been calculated in either, but not included either are the expenses incurred during the year. This was actually a good year for Curt, but imagine had he not made the cut in the Classic, or placed 5^th to collect that big check. That $32,000 is now $7,000; actually because of being in the Classic, he probably would have gotten some money within the 61 angler field. Even the 25^th place angler received $7,000. 

Usually, there are only about 25 to 30 anglers on the Tour that either break even or better. Most good Tour Pro’s can get their sponsor’s to pay for some of their entry fees, but I will get into Sponsors later on. 

In order to take a step up in competition, an angler has to have some serious financial backing. Whether that be from an angler that is financially well off, owning their own personal business, another household income from a spouse or some serious sponsor backing.  

Sponsors…

If an Angler doesn’t have at least 2 or 3 major Sponsor’s backing them, they will be in a world of hurt, unless they can financially fish on their own. In the beginning, angler’s are not familiar with how to retrieve good sponsor’s and usually end up with what is called a, “Product Sponsor,” but that is not what a Pro Tour is looking for. What that means is that an angler may have a sponsor with a Product that they can utilize, but they will only provide that angler with Products, not money. In return, the sponsor will want the angler to not only fish their products, but to field test their new products and attend seminars and shows at little to no money. Most of the time, anglers are smart enough to convince the sponsor to pay for their expenses during seminars and shows, but usually its minimum wage, they pay for hotel expenses, gas, mileage and per diem. So in reality, the angler isn’t getting much out of it. Some product sponsors aren’t that bad, but those would be the type of sponsors that have a huge line of products that cover multiple areas of the fishing industry.  

Now anglers are thinking out of the box and finding ways to benefit from non-fishing companies. This allows the angler to be more versatile in his approach to sponsorship. It also forces the angler to target a money sponsor and reaping the benefits of not being limited to a particular sponsor’s product line. Most of the Pro’s targeting the fishing industry type sponsors not only look to get money from their sponsor’s, but free access to their product line as well. An angler doesn’t necessarily have to be a good angler to be a money and product sponsor. If they have good people skills, good speaking and public skills, enthusiasm, selling skills, mannerism, knowledge of the products, the ability to relate and understand a diverse audience that appear at shows and seminars, well groomed and dressed, etc. these folks can also get paid well because they provide their sponsors with a talent that doesn’t have to be taught.  

In order to make into the big time, an angler must have multiple sponsors, but not too many that they cannot control their sponsors and satisfy their needs. If a contract is breached by the angler, their sponsors will not only drop them, but will look to be compensated in money. Also, if potential sponsors call your previous sponsors, how you depart with a sponsor can wreak havoc upon you. It’s no different than a White/Blue collar company wanting to know previous employers and point of contacts with them.  

Sponsors are an angler’s best friend out there and anglers cannot afford to lose them or play unethical games with them. That could mean having too many sponsors on board because that can be in direct conflict with the competition of another sponsor that the angler may have. Anglers need to ensure that they are not putting their sponsor’s up against their competitors; else that sponsor may drop the angler. On the other hand, if an angler doesn’t have enough sponsors, it can work against them because Sponsor’s are a key to being able to be successful in this business. Without Sponsor’s on the Pro level, this sport couldn’t happen. That’s almost like telling NASCAR that they cannot utilize sponsors anymore; it ain’t going to happen. Sponsors are what make the business go forward and are the industries biggest asset. 

Am I really that Good? Am I willing to sacrifice it all?

Too many anglers say, “I know that I am good and I know that I can compete at the next level,” well that may be true, but what anglers need to realize is that there are a lot of, not good, but great anglers out there. But when an angler is faced against the best in the business and they compete against those that sacrifice everything, they are competing against a monster and the odds are against them. We are all good in our own way in our community, but before taking it to the next level you need to honestly ask yourself, “Am I really that good?” And if you can honestly say, “Yes,” then try taking a small step up and see how the competition is there first. When and if an angler feels that he is good enough then, well he can step it up a notch more. But SAYING you are good is a lot different than KNOWING you are good.  

Yet and still, even after KNOWING that you are good, the ultimate questions is, “Are you willing to sacrifice it all?” Think about the job and the money that will be sacrificed; the family that will be left behind with minimal financing and missing the head of the household; sacrificing leaving the children; lower living standards because the lack of money; dignity in knowing that you are not as good as you though in comparison to the Pro’s because you didn’t sacrifice enough and the list goes on. And for what, a little satisfaction of GLORY? Is it truly worth it?  

Anglers don’t have to be on the Tour to be a Pro. Some Pro’s shouldn’t be called a Pro, but they are because they made the sacrifices and they pay to be in that status. Personally, we all know folks who we think can make it to the next level or the Tour level, but we don’t have to make the sacrifice, they do. And if those anglers are smart, they will weigh there options before attempting to do so. 

Not Busting Any Dreams…

It sounds like this is about busting up a dream opportunity, but that is not what it’s about. It’s about exposing SOME things that the Pro’s go through that many anglers don’t know about.  

In reality, anglers can win more and kick out less money in their own local community tournaments. Sure it takes a while to get any kick backs, but they are surrounded by friends, they are not too far from home, they are with their families, they have a steady income and they can get all the GLORY needed from their fellow anglers.  

We all would love to see those in our own fishing community to take it up to the next level, but not if it takes away from their families. If an angler THINKS they have the ability to go Pro, don’t go for BUST. Take your time, it will always be there. Personally, I have thought about it over and over again, but I cannot make that sacrifice. I have taken it up and fished National Circuits and done well and felt that I had the ability to take it up one more level, but never have because of the sacrifices that I would have to embark. I was not willing to sacrifice my income from my family so they can lower their standards for my satisfaction of pursuing a dream that was more than likely going to fail. But how do we know, unless we try? We don’t. That is a chance that has to be taken, but there will be sacrifices and broken dreams; there always is.  

The next Kevin Van Dam or Jay Yelas may be setting in our own fishing community, but it won’t be me; not yet. Right now, I can be proud of those ang