Lost That Loving Feeling (But Not All is Lost)
Posted by Pete Robbins on Feb 24th 2021
As I write this, the road-weary Bass Pro Tour competitors just finished the third day of competition in their 2021 Redcrest Championship. With a few notable exceptions, like Superman Bryan Thrift, their catches have been underwhelming. What can you expect in tough conditions, with one day of practice? If the sandbaggers on the Elite Series are to be believed, their Knoxville tournament, which starts today, may be equally stingy.
Regardless of how tough they are, someone is going to win a six figure check in each of them. As my friend Bill Roberts has said to me repeatedly over the past 26 years: “Some a#%hole ALWAYS catches them.” Indeed, unless the whole field blanks, there will be winners.
As a fan, I love watching tough tournaments. I’ve written several times that the Pittsburgh Classic was one of my favorites. As an angler, however, grind-em-out events lost their appeal a while ago.
That’s a big part of why I haven’t fished a tournament at any level in six or seven years. In order to be really good at this sport, you have to be anxious to get out there every day, whether it’ll take 26 pounds to win or 6 pounds to win. Bragging rights for a big bag are fine, but to tournament fish successfully you have to care less about the size of your bag, and more about the fact that it’s bigger than that of the nearest competitor. I lost that drive a while ago. There was a time, in my late 20s and early 30s, where I had it, but eventually I just wanted to go and catch the snot out of the fish – and not just bass – and I didn’t want to get the crap beaten out of me to do it.
That hit home a few years ago at Lake St. Clair. Hanna and I had hired a guide to cast for muskies for two days, and then to troll out of his big ocean-going boat the third day. That third day, which happened to be the first day of the Elites’ practice period, produced consistent winds of 25 miles per hour, and gusts approaching 40. The guide told us that he would take us out in his 29’10” boat (with a 10’6” beam) but that it wouldn’t be pleasant. We elected to go home a day early. I have no doubt that all of the Elites put in a full day on the pond.
In the realm of fishing, when you stop loving what you do, that doesn’t mean you have to stop fishing altogether. You might go from non-tournament-angler to tournament angler, or vice versa. You can switch species. You can switch the style of tackle you use. I’ve found my mojo in travel, much of it to exotic places. What’s funny about it to me, is that it makes me appreciate the days at home that much more, rather than less. My next outing is to a local lake where 12 pounds is a pretty damn good day. If I catch 9 or 10 pounds, and have to weed through a lot of spinnerbait-busting little keepers to get there, I’ll be thrilled. Figuring that path out wasn’t a straight line, but it makes me a happier angler.
