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At one time or another, everyone who has ever gone out in pursuit of bass has done so with another angler's advice on how to catch them still ringing in his ears. In most cases, the information was delivered with the best of intentions. More times than not, however, such "dock talk" is more harmful than helpful.
For the first time, the Elite Series Anglers have two years of schedules in front of them. With the recent announcement of the 2009 and 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series, and with a five-month break between the last 2008 event and the Bassmaster Classic, that gives them some time to consider how they'll approach the seasons to come.
Over the past three decades, veteran Oklahoma pro Ken Cook has been a consistent competitor on the professional bass fishing scene. In a sport where longevity at the top level is rare, Cook has found a way to remain competitive long after claiming his first professional Bassmaster victory on Florida's Lake Toho in 1982.
In Tommy Biffle's mind, the rules of math that apply to the rest of the world are not necessarily in effect. The veteran Oklahoma pro says that a lot of times, he'd much prefer to catch just five bass instead of 10, 20 or even 100.
Denny Brauer on stealth while approaching isolated cover.
Hunters know that the difference between a successful hunt and coming home empty-handed usually hinges on the ability to get close to the quarry without being detected. When it comes to shallow water bass fishing in clear lakes, the same rule applies. Slammed lids, dropped rods, trolling motors cranked on high and sonar pings can all turn feeding bass into fleeing bass.
When four-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Dave Wolak sees matted grass, he's in his comfort zone. At times, he seems so in tune with heavy vegetation bass that it's almost as if he can see what's going on under the canopies.
When it comes time to crank shallow water, all too often anglers just reach into their tackleboxes for a bait that has a pretty paint job and dives to the right depth. That's a mistake, says Elite Angler Dustin Wilks, who offers up one other factor that is a prime consideration when he ties on a shallow crankbait.
The learning curve associated with a pro's first year as a competitor on the Bassmaster Elite Series circuit is incredibly steep. Beyond the grueling 30,000 miles of travel required between tournament stops is the fact that many rookies are put onto bodies of water they've never seen before.
In bass fishing, just like in poker, you have to be able to understand a good bluff. In both cases, the critical factors lie beneath the surface, invisible to the naked eye. If you play your cards wrong, you'll lose, but if you figure out the true nature of the bluff you can walk away with all the chips.
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