Carl Jocumsen’s Bassmaster Elite profile lists boxing among his hobbies. It’s no surprise, the Australian standout knows how to throw a punch — both in the pugilistic and piscatorial sense.
The latter is the second part of a 2-stage game plan by which Jocumsen intends to win his second Elite title. Having claimed his first blue trophy last year on Oklahoma’s Lake Tenkiller, he’s leading Championship Sunday and placing a lot of emphasis on punching mats in Lake Marion’s upper end.
Having secured three final-round keepers on his starting spot — a grassy depression — Jocumsen hopes to bolster his chances of closing the deal with these technique points:
Habitat: Hyacinths mixed with salvinia and punctuated with cypress trees is money.
Depth: “It can’t be too deep or too shallow. If I’m in 4 feet, I can’t get bit; if my trolling motor’s kicking up mud, I can’t get bit. It needs to be about 2 feet under the mats.”
Bait: Jocumsen’s punching a black and blue Molix SV Craw rigged on a 4/0 Owner Jungle hook and a 1 1/4-ounce green pumpkin Woo Tungsten weight. He believes the contrasting weight color is key, as it breaks up the bait profile.
Technique: While punching typically delivers bites on the fall, Jocumsen has caught the majority of his fish by dropping his bait through the mat and immediately pulling it to the underside. Wiggling the bait against the mat resembles a feeding bream.
If all of these elements come together, Jocumsen may have his shot at landing the knock-out punch.