PALATKA, Fla. — Elite Series pro Derek Remitz, who described his 2011 season as “the worst of my life,” weighed in 17 pounds, 8 ounces on Day One of the 2012 St. Johns River Showdown Thursday for 14th place.
“It took me a long time to get over last year,” he said. “I just had to clear my head and reboot myself.”
The turning point for Remitz, who won an Elite event in his 2007 rookie year, but who ended 2011 ranked 96th in a field of 99, came just weeks ago at the 2012 Bassmaster Classic in February. Not a qualifier, he attended to appear for his sponsors. And when Remitz saw fellow Elite pro Chris Lane win, it was like a door opened to his future.
“Right then, I knew I had to get back to the Classic,” he said. “My drive this year, too, is that I love fishing Grand Lake, and I want to make it there to fish the Classic in 2013.”
Remitz said that competitive fishing seems to be based on inertia.
“When everything is going good, it rolls. When it goes bad, it’s the same, but in reverse,” he said.