One of the challenges of living on the West Coast and fishing the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series is the time between events. Once I leave California at the beginning of a season and travel east, I pack what I need for the season and then leave my boat and truck at a friend’s property between events.
I fly back home as often as I can. But until this year, every time I’ve traveled east for the past five years to fish the Bassmaster Opens and then the Elites, I’ve never gotten to fish at home as much as I’d like. I would show up for an Elite event and those eastern events would be all I fished for the whole seven months.
That’s why I chose to keep my boat from last season at home and fish a local circuit. I wanted to stay fresh, stay in the tournament mode and keep the repetitions going so I don’t have to relearn how to tournament fish every time I show up to an Elite event.
This year, I’m fishing the BAM Tournament Trail’s Super 60 Pro Tour, which includes four regular-season events and a championship. I recently finished fourth at the first event on Don Pedro Reservoir.
I’m also fishing the WON Bass U.S. Open on Lake Mohave. This event takes place after the Elite season, so I was able to win the U.S. Open title last year.
I will say competing on the western fisheries is very different, but that could be because I’ve fished them all my life and I’m not fishing new water like I often do on the Elites. I always go into a western event with at least an idea of what to expect, whereas at a lot of Elite events, I don’t always have experience.
As far as the tournament mindset, it’s all the same, no matter where I’m fishing. I’m a competitor, and I want to win everything I can. It’s a little more laid back out West, but I definitely want to hold that trophy every chance I get.
I’ve always said the diverse skill sets I’ve had to develop for competition on western fisheries from the California Delta, to the Columbia River, to the deep, clear desert lakes have equipped me for the various fisheries I encounter in the Eastern U.S. On the other hand, I will say fishing the Elites has also helped me back home.
Eastern fishing is so regional, and I find that I take a lot of those regional things back home. It has helped me. Probably the biggest example is forward-facing sonar.
I’ve had to become proficient with this technology to compete in the Opens and now the Elites. I’ve been able to use these skills on the West Coast, especially on the deep, clear fisheries like Lake Mohave.
Forward-facing sonar has been helpful in unlocking a population of fish that doesn’t get targeted. Last year, I wouldn’t have won the U.S. Open without it.
Thankfully, this new Elite season has started well for me. With a top 30 and a top 20 at the first two events, I’m sitting in 13th place in Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points.
I know it’s a long season, but it is a big weight off my shoulders. Last year, the season started off so badly, I felt like I was constantly digging myself out of a hole.
Obviously, I want to keep this momentum going and fishing West Coast tournaments between Elite events will be a big part of that. It’s all about staying sharp, trusting my instinct and making good decisions.
And, hopefully, holding a blue trophy.
