Grandmas are the best, are they not?
There’s something special about their homemade cookies, country-style meals and unwavering support that is simply irreplaceable.
Few would argue.
Bassmaster Elite Series newcomer Shane Lehew appreciates his greatest fan, and he’s not afraid to admit it.
“My grandmother is just awesome. She watches every weigh-in and calculates my points as it takes place,” he said. “In fact, she sends me her calculations before B.A.S.S. even makes them official. It’s a level of support I don’t take for granted.”
However, just like many of the other anglers, the 30-year-old pro from North Carolina doesn’t allow his current standings in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race to dictate how he fishes each event.
In fact, if you poll every angler in the field about how and when the AOY points come into play, every one will likely say the same thing—it’s become become a cliché. And their stance makes sense.
“I do my best to control everything that I can control like boat and gear maintenance, bait selection, whatever,” he said. “But the fish don’t care if you’re coming for them, they don’t care when you’re there, they just do what fish do and I can’t let the uncontrollable factors affect my game. I’m pretty strict with myself on that point.”
When his grandmother sends him his updated points and AOY standings each day, he takes it with a grain of salt knowing an uncontrollable factor could change that very quickly.
At the time of this writing, LeHew was sitting in ninth place in AOY, well inside the Classic cut of 42nd place, and moving up thanks to a solid showing at St. Lawrence River after two days of official competition. At what point should an angler pay attention to AOY points? Even though nearly all of them will say the standings don’t impact how they’ll approach a certain tournament, there is a breaking point where emotions go one way or the other.
“To be perfectly honest I pay attention, but not to the point where it affects my day-to-day and hour-to-hour, on-the-water decisions,” he said. “I’ve done this long enough to know how important state-of-mind is, and I do my best to keep my head in the game at all times.
“Having said that, each day of each tournament dictates my level of satisfaction with my performance. For example, at St. Lawrence, if I catch 19 pounds, 12 ounces or better each day I’ll be satisfied. One ounce shy and I’ll be upset with myself. If I exceed that it makes me all the happier.
“I guess it’s me trying to control my emotions along with the other controllable factors,” he laughed. “The more grounded I stay, the better decisions I make, the more fish I catch.”
LeHew mentioned that the Elite events on Lakes Lanier and Guntersville hurt him some this year. If not for those two tournaments, he’d be in tighter contention for the coveted AOY title.
“I found the right fish at Lake Lanier too late. And by too late I mean I didn’t adjust fast enough,” he said. “I waited too long to move to that location and that reinforced that I need to listen to my gut when things get tough. Depending on how St. Lawrence plays out, I will listen closer this time.”
During Day 2, same as Thursday’s opening round, LeHew is sharing water with current leader Chris Johnston.
“We were both surprised to see each other on this specific spot, but we’re making it work” he said. “Depending on how the tournament shapes up, I may have to abandon my original plan to stay competitive. I won’t hesitate if I need to make a change.”
LeHew is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet, and he’s as even-keeled as they come. Based on his extensive experience, he knows not to let his emotions get the better of him.
“There are guys who spin out very easily,” he said. “And that absolutely affects their decision-making abilities in the heat of a tournament. Just like the other factors that I work hard to control, my attitude and emotions can also be controlled. I fish better when I’m calm, and I know that about myself.
“I don’t think there are many anglers — if any — on the Elite Series who aren’t aware of where they stand in the AOY race,” he said. “And it is important to know those numbers, but how I let that info affect me is the key. My grandmother is helping me a great deal by keeping me up to date on critical data, and it’s just as important to keep my head in the game every hour of every day, with or without knowing my AOY standings.
“If I end up having a shot at AOY by the championship on St. Clair, that might be a time where those specific numbers carry weight in my decision making,” he said. “But then again, maybe not.”