Bernie Schultz holds down an unofficial B.A.S.S. record that he would love to shake.
Schultz has the longest continuous tournament streak without a win. This week makes 312 events fished since 1982. Putting that into perspective, the record was held down by he and Rick Morris until last month. Morris ended the run by winning his first tournament, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open in his home state of Virginia.
Is their hope for Schultz? Sure. He is one of the best anglers on the tour (to never post a win). Ironically, smallmouth are a personal favorite. His best tournament finishes have come in Northern waters. Case in point is a 12th at St. Lawrence River in New York last month. Currently, BASSTrakk has the Floridian in second place.
“Being versatile plays into my wheelhouse, and smallmouth force you to do that,” he said. “Being versatile is at the core of my fishing skills and smallmouth force you to continually think ahead.”
“In these northern smallmouth tournaments anyone can win, there’s always that chance, because the fisheries are just so good,” he added.
Schultz discovered long ago that power fishing, one of his angling strengths, could be modified to work in the clearer water. Sight fishing worked too, but not like the Floridian was accustomed to in the ultra-shallow waters. The clearer water enabled him to see smallmouth in deeper water, up to 10 feet.
On St. Clair he is experiencing what he likes to do the most. Being versatile and catching smallmouth.