Story by Hunter Sales | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
As tournament fishermen, we spend most of our time focused on learning the newest baits or techniques, making sure our equipment is perfect, and spending time on the water. These things are very important, and I’ve written articles on each of those topics. However, I would argue there is another part of the sport that plays more of a factor in tournament success. The mental aspect of bass fishing is what separates an average angler from those at the top of the sport. On-the-water decisions, composure, and attention to detail are of the utmost importance.
The conditions on any given tournament day are subject to multiple changes. The wind can start or stop as the day progresses, cloud cover can change, and storms can pop-up. Each of these changes impact the way fish react. The best in the world can adapt immediately. For instance, during my recent BFL win on Dale Hollow Lake, I was catching suspended fish using FFS until 11:00 at which point the skies cleared and the sun came out. The presence of sun altered the way the baitfish were acting, and the open-water fish were no longer productive. I was able to locate a few blue-gill beds on points and begin dragging to catch additional fish. Those who notice these changes and adjust the quickest experience the most success.
Far too many fishermen will stick with their practice patterns even as the conditions change around them. Knowing when to “lay-up”—a phrase I use to categorize fishing for points rather than the win—can change the trajectory of a season. Santee Cooper was an event where each day I fished for points rather than to win. I focused on catching a limit before targeting bigger bass. While I really don’t like doing this, I was struggling to get bit otherwise. On Day 3, I figured out a pattern and weighed nearly 23 pounds to jump up 37 spots. I was thankful to have my two small limits to go with that rally bag. Those points will be valuable at the season’s end.
Composure is something that a large majority of professional anglers have in abundance. Fellow NPFL pro Andrew Upshaw taught me a lesson on this while I was in college. I was observing him during his pro-level win on Cherokee Lake and one thing stuck-out to me—he stayed calm and focused even when things weren’t going his way. Broken lines, lost fish, etc., all seemed to plague him on the final day, but he never once got upset. Instead, he focused on the next cast.
“Next pitch” was a saying that I had often heard throughout my baseball career, meaning that you can’t control anything in the past. Watching Andrew win that event taught me a valuable lesson. Whether you land a 5-pounder or break it off, it’s over with. Learn from it and focus on the next cast. That’s how all great anglers handle adversity or success. One minute spent celebrating a big catch is one minute where the rest of the field is working on catching you.
Something that I have noticed over the past few years fishing professionally is that all of us pro-anglers are meticulous with details. Whether it’s the way your plastic is rigged, the way a bait is worked, or the type of cover fish are holding on, the best anglers will notice things that others overlook. I think back to Lake Norman this year where in the morning the fish were on the outside of the dock slips, but throughout the day would slide to the inside of the slips. Just noticing this detail would save me 3-4 casts on each dock and result in extra casts in productive areas by the end of the day.
One of my roommates, K.J. Queen, is incredible about trying different baits to figure out details that make a difference. At Douglas Lake, he noticed that a certain silent bait was getting crushed, while I had zero bites on the rattling version. It’s these types of moments that can make the difference at the end of a day of fishing.
When you’re preparing for your next tournament, don’t forget to pay attention to your mental game. Watching live coverage of professional anglers will give you a glimpse into the way they conduct themselves and how their mind works. In today’s information-saturated world, there are a lot of people that have the knowledge to be a pro angler. There are a lot of people who can cast as well as pro anglers. But the anglers who win the mental game are the ones you see hoisting trophies.
Hunter Sales – Angler Profile
