When Eric Talley brought in the first co-angler limit of Day 1 — three bass for 6 pounds, 13 ounces — we asked him the usual where-when-how questions. His responses exemplified one of this sport’s most endearing elements — the sharing of knowledge.
Talley said he caught all of his fish on a Damiki rig — a tiny shad or fluke style body on a small jig head. The rig is fished nearly motionless in vertical presentation for suspended bass, or those hugging bottom structure.
Turns out Talley had never fished the rig before this event, but a solid piece of advice from a highly credible advisor convinced him to go for it. Doing so led to a fourth-place tie with Don Bible II.
“(Bassmaster Elite) Carl Jocumsen set up the rig for me,” Talley said. “I spent the week with him, and he’s taught me a million things.
“I came in on Sunday and hung out with him and (wife) Kayla and practiced Monday and Tuesday with him. He set me up with tackle and sent me out there and said, ‘Get out there and try.’”
Jocumsen, who became the first Australian to win an Elite event with his 2019 victory on Lake Tenkiller, is known for educating and encouraging. Great to see his selfless investment paying big dividends.
(Note: Although they live about an hour apart, Eric Talley is not related to Bassmaster Elite Frank Talley.)