It’s the end of the fishing season for most of us. In my case, there’s only one B.A.S.S. tournament left. That’s the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Even though I’m starting to think about putting a blind over my duck boat and finding a spot or two to harvest a deer, I have to drill down on my fishing.
It’s a challenge. There’s no doubt about that. After a long year on the road fishing all around the country, it seems like it’s time for a rest. It is time for a rest. Nevertheless, I’m thankful I’m going to the postseason, and as a serious professional angler I welcome the challenge. This is what I do. I fish.
Even though I’m a long-shot for the AOY title, I’m still going to prepare, practice hard and do my best once the competition starts. It’s a matter of pride, as well as a matter of the commitments I’ve made to my fans and to my sponsors. Being a professional bass angler is a privilege, not a right. You earn that privilege by showing up, ready to go.
I try never to forget that no matter where I am or what I’m doing. Fishing for a living is about as good as it gets.
There’s no doubt some of you are in the same situation — professional or weekender. You’ve done what you could. You’re thinking about fall hunting opportunities. The thing is, though, your fishing isn’t over. In fact, the most important part of the season is yet to come. It’s time to show everyone what you’re made of when the marbles are on the line.
You see, not all tournaments are created equal. We say they are sometimes and we always try to win no matter what the stakes. Heck, even when we’re out of the running we still try to weigh a big, heavy sack of bass. That’s a given. It’s a matter of self-respect. But the truth about tournaments is a little more complicated.
Any year-end event is a matter of great prestige. Championships, points contests and classics aren’t like every other tournament. They are more important. That’s true regardless of whether it’s a Bassmaster Classic or a club classic. We all remember who won the big ones, or at least most of us do.
If you doubt what I’m saying, I suggest you think about something for a minute. I’ll bet a lot of you can name last year’s Bassmaster Classic champion, but how many of you can recall who won any individual Elite event this year or last year? The same thing can be said about your local bass club.
So, I’m going to respectfully suggest to all of you that if you fish competitively you hold off getting ready for the ducks and the deer. Spend your time fishing and preparing for your club’s year-end event.
Come to think of it, going fishing this fall is a good suggestion even if you don’t fish competitively.
Chris Lane’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook or visit his website, www.chrislanefishing.com.
