20 Questions with Cliff Pace

<p>He was the runner up in 2008, but five years later he cinched the deal and won the Bassmaster Classic. Cliff Pace is young, accomplished and talented. Here's how he tackled our 20 Questions.</p>

He was the runner up in 2008, but five years later he cinched the deal and won the Bassmaster Classic. Cliff Pace is young, accomplished and talented. Here’s how he tackled our 20 Questions.

<p><strong>1. Where were you born and raised?</strong></p>
<p>Petal, Miss. I've lived my whole life here. (Note: Cliff is pictured here with his late father, Leo Pace.)</p>

1. Where were you born and raised?
Petal, Miss. I’ve lived my whole life here. (Note: Cliff is pictured here with his late father, Leo Pace.)

<p><strong>2. How did you get started in bass fishing?</strong></p>
<p>I really can't answer that. It's something that's always been with me. It's been my passion since I could walk. When I was a kid, most of the trouble I got into was because of fishing â usually because I was fishing when I wasn't supposed to be fishing. (Note: Cliff, right, at 7 years old is pictured here with an early fishing buddy, John David McElhaney).</p>

2. How did you get started in bass fishing?
I really can’t answer that. It’s something that’s always been with me. It’s been my passion since I could walk. When I was a kid, most of the trouble I got into was because of fishing â usually because I was fishing when I wasn’t supposed to be fishing. (Note: Cliff, right, at 7 years old is pictured here with an early fishing buddy, John David McElhaney).

<p><strong>3. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes?</strong></p>
<p>I looked up to all the veteran anglers I read about in <em>Bassmaster</em> Magazine or watched on <em>The Bassmasters</em> when I was a kid. I tried to learn from all of them and pick up tips wherever I could.</p>

3. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes?
I looked up to all the veteran anglers I read about in Bassmaster Magazine or watched on The Bassmasters when I was a kid. I tried to learn from all of them and pick up tips wherever I could.

<p><strong>4. What's the biggest bass you've ever caught?</strong></p>
<p>I caught a 13-2 at Lake Amistad when I was practicing for an Elite Series tournament. It hit a V&M Football Head jig.</p>

4. What’s the biggest bass you’ve ever caught?
I caught a 13-2 at Lake Amistad when I was practicing for an Elite Series tournament. It hit a V&M Football Head jig.

<p><strong>5. What do you love most about bass fishing?</strong></p>
<p>It's never the same from one day to the next. It's an ongoing, always shifting and changing puzzle, and I love to try to figure it out.</p>

5. What do you love most about bass fishing?
It’s never the same from one day to the next. It’s an ongoing, always shifting and changing puzzle, and I love to try to figure it out.

<p><strong>6. Where is your favorite place to fish for bass and why?</strong></p>
<p>I love the Louisiana Delta â especially the Venice area. It's so expansive; it's a maze. You could go there and fish a different part of it every day and still have new water for months. I love that exploration factor about it.</p>

6. Where is your favorite place to fish for bass and why?
I love the Louisiana Delta â especially the Venice area. It’s so expansive; it’s a maze. You could go there and fish a different part of it every day and still have new water for months. I love that exploration factor about it.

<p><strong>7. Who has been the biggest influence in your fishing or fishing career?</strong></p>
<p>When I was just getting started and fishing the Opens, I roomed with Jesse Draime, and he taught me a lot about tournament fishing and the right mental approach. After making it to the Elite Series, I've really benefited from my friendship with Gary Klein. I'm proud to call him a friend and a mentor.</p>

7. Who has been the biggest influence in your fishing or fishing career?
When I was just getting started and fishing the Opens, I roomed with Jesse Draime, and he taught me a lot about tournament fishing and the right mental approach. After making it to the Elite Series, I’ve really benefited from my friendship with Gary Klein. I’m proud to call him a friend and a mentor.

8. What goals have you yet to accomplish in your fishing career?
Winning the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year award is definitely a goal and always will be. Now that I’ve won one Classic it would be amazing to do it again. And, of course, winning any tournament I’m fishing is always a goal, too.

9. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career?
Dealing with publicity has been my biggest challenge. I enjoy working with writers and I love the fans, but it’s sometimes tough to balance those demands with my need to stay sharp competitively. Our sport is unique in that we’re competing in a very public arena. Then, when we get off the water at the end of the day, the fans and media can pull you away from the competitive side of things even though you have to get right back to it later that evening and the next day. Some guys are able to handle that really well, but it’s something I need to work on.

10. What is the biggest misconception people have about you?
A lot of people seem to think that because I didn’t go crazy on the stage at the Bassmaster Classic that winning didn’t mean very much to me. That’s just not true. Winning the Classic meant more to me than anything in the world other than my marriage. I take it very seriously and was completely thrilled by that experience. I just tend to keep my emotions more on the inside. That’s just who I am.

11. If you could do one thing over in your career, what would it be?
I’d like to redo the last day of the Classic and catch five keepers instead of four. Even though I won, it made me nervous to have less than a limit.

12. What is the best advice you ever received in your career?
My friend Jesse Draime told me to always be myself â to do whatever I felt I needed to do. He helped me understand that you can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try.

13. What is your greatest strength as a professional angler?
I think it would have to be my versatility and my ability to really slow down and grind it out when that’s what it takes to do well.

14. What is your greatest weakness as a professional angler?
I need to think outside the box more. Sometimes you have to be creative in this sport.

15. What question do you get asked most by your fans, and how do you answer it?
A lot of fans want to know what’s my favorite fishing lure. I always tell them it’s whatever I got my last bite on.

16. How big a part does luck play in tournament bass fishing?
Luck can definitely be a factor. To capitalize on luck and make it work for you, you have to put yourself in the right position. Luck can go one way or the other. To prevent bad luck, you need to prepare as much as possible.

17. If you could only fish one lure for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
It would have to be a jig. It has an unlimited depth range and will catch fish all year long. There are a variety of ways you can fish it, and it can imitate a lot of different bass forage.

18. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried?
I really enjoyed working in my family’s roofing business. I was a superintendent and still miss it. To me, it’s really rewarding because you can look back at the end of your day and see exactly what you’ve accomplished.

19. What message do you have for your fans?
Thank you for being as passionate about the sport as I am. One of the things I love about my fans is that they’re also fans of the sport, and they fish. I can relate to them, and I want to thank them for being there â for me and for the sport.

20. When it’s all over, how do you want the bass fishing world to remember you?
As a man of integrity who loved to compete and was driven to succeed and build the sport of bass fishing.