FLW-Bottom Line

[Guest]

But Vince would you agree at all that most co angler winners seem to have had either 1 or 2 great draws(top 10 guys) during a tournament? It does seems that way to me. I do believe having knowlegable draws is always a benefit.

No, I don't. In fact I've drawn guys that have finished in the top 10 in multiple tournaments. Believe me it's tough to catch fish behind them especially if they have their bite tuned in. In many situations I've only come in with 1 or 2 fish on places like the Delta fishing behind guys finishing in the top 10. Personally I often prefer drawing guys that give me more opportunities.

How the pro's that I draw do is of no concern to me. How well I execute is all that concerns me from time the tournament starts till the tournament concludes.

It's taken me a number of years to figure this out and to have a network of friends both Pro & Co to discuss these ideas off of. It's not an overnight realization and comes with time on the water.

To quote the great warrior poet Ricky Shabazz (aka gangsta Ricky-S)"

"Scared money don't make no money. My wife always reminds me that it costs to be the boss."

As Dennis Miller would often say, "that's just my opinion... I could be wrong."

[scottsweet]

I think it is both what Rick and Vince said.

I think there is an element of being on fish. Clearly if you are fishing on water where the fish have been hammered or there is simply nothing to be caught, no one catches fish.

I do agree with Vince though regarding the vacuum cleaners. I have fished with a couple of Pros where they position the boat and fish in such a way where the majority of the productive water is hit first by the Pro. As a co, you may need to find entirely different techniques and potentially water that will still produce, but not the ones the Pro's are fishing for.

As we coanglers know, we usually do something different anyways and may very well be on passed or fished water and still catch fish, albeit smaller or different ones. However, I do think there has to be an element of productive water for anyone to catch fish.

If you are stuck on fishing a blue bait with pink pokadots all over it and maybe have a picture of your favorite Pro painted on the head, I don't think you are going to catch anything anyways, but ... .

Scott

[619]

CN wrote

Then why have them?

One reson is to keep the boater honest.

[bigbass111]

Out east alot of the Co's were calling FLW out on how the Sponsored Co's were always being drawn with Locals and big names. I always thought that was bull but a few cases were kinda fishy...

Who knows though, I wouldn't put it past them..

[leachman90]

<img src="http://www.myemoticons.com/images/enter ... nching.gif" border="0" alt="Munching" title="Munching" />

[davejk]

I don't know if there is a right time by definition. It has to be when you feel you should, but you might not be able until you have everything, (time, money, security and support) The support of your family.

Those guys with no bills put everything on hold and everything on the line to fish these tournaments. Some make it some don't. Some of us get lucky and find a job that allows us to fish. Fewer still get a sponsorship that helps.

I moved up way before I should have and didn't make very much money, spent a fortune. Looking back I should have approached it differently, but I would never give back what I learned on my own. I travled with Rojas and fished with I think it is Mark Kyle.. does that sound right? It was experiences in those two boats that changed how I fished. One bait, one rod. I am not saying fish only a jig. I am saying when you find out what they are eating... give it to them. Why break out the old scuppernong that is stuck to the bottom of your box when they are eating a spinnerbait. ( don't bring up that you need to experiment... we already did)

there is so much that goes on in your head that needs to be addressed, a comfort level that needs to be obtained, confidence that needs to be earned. You can be confident without reason, there isn't anything wrong with it. Related to fishing if you aren't confident because of what you have done in previous tournaments it becomes a different story. even just measuring yourself each year by year end standings or as I did it "who I beat". I would end up in 100th place( I averaged about 90th ) and would look at who I beat. Seeing great anglers below me helped me understand how much of a gamble fishing is and how you could fall from so high a position even when the bite was WFO. So when I don't do well my confidence isn't too rattled, it's just part of the game.

I have had some great co anglers in my boat, people that I have learned from.. lessons I will never forget. The lesson seems to always be so basic... fishing fast and not getting bit, slow down etc.

If someone doesn't move up and take a front seat and they make the bar higher, don't worry about it. You only have to improve on yourself and your own bar, eventually everything will fall into place

Clayton is wise.