CLAYTON, N.Y. — When Leiding Walters was asked about her son Patrick’s mustache, there was a long silence. Finally, she came up with a diplomatic answer, saying, “As long as he thinks it helps him, I’m okay with it.”
Patrick definitely thinks it helps him. Over the last two Elite Series seasons, Walters has finished no lower than 27th on smallmouth waters and posted three top 10s. In his last smallmouth tournament before the mustache, he was 77th on the St. Lawrence River in 2021. He’s now leading after three days of the Minn Kota Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River with an astounding total of 80 pounds, 6 ounces.
“It’s no doubt a superstition because before I ever grew a mustache out, I couldn’t even catch smallmouth on the Elite Series, for like two or three years,” Walters said. “The last two years I’ve had the mustache going, and they enjoy it.”
It’s fun to play with this idea. Obviously, Walters, who turns 29 on August 30th, is one of the top anglers on the Elite Series – mustache or not, largemouth or smallmouth. Over the past three seasons, he’s finished in the top 5 in Angler of the Year points, and he’s on track to do it again this year.
But he believes in the power of the ‘stache for smallmouth. It’s as deep-seated a belief as the mustache is, well, unattractive. He doesn’t start growing it until the middle May, so it doesn’t turn off the largemouth bass.
“I’m not too aggressive with it early, so it doesn’t really bother them,” Walters said. “You can’t grow it in April. April is too early. There’s something about smallmouth. They’re stuck in the ‘70s. I would not wear this thing if the smallmouth didn’t like it. I couldn’t catch one if I had a clean face right now. They’re nasty little creatures, and I enjoy their company. The largemouth like a tucked-in shirt and a clean-shaven face. They’re classier. They’re sophisticated fish.”
With a track record like Walters’ and his mustache, who’s to argue with him?
On a more serious note, he believes a big key to his tournament success was a decision he made on Day 1, when he didn’t venture out into the rough waters of Lake Ontario and stayed in the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.
“I stayed in the river and caught 24-14,” Walters said. “I was trying to catch 20 pounds. That right there saved me from going and trying to fish the lake.”
Since then, he’s bagged 27-3 and 28-5 after about a one-hour run into Lake Ontario.
“These last two days, I caught them pretty early, and I was able to move around and find new water every single day,” he said. “If we wouldn’t have had that windy day, I think I would have been tapped out.”
Walters said he’s throwing a variety of different dropshot baits on leaders that vary from 5- to 7- to 8-pound test.
“I may throw four different baits at a single fish,” he said.
With the last day of the Elite Series set for tomorrow, the end is near for the smallmouth-attracting mustache. Patrick’s wife, Emily, is not a fan of the look.
“We’ve got pictures scheduled for Monday,” Walters laughed. “She said it cannot stay.”
