Time management is defined as the ability to use time effectively or productively. Mostly, it’s a buzzword used by corporate types to maximize time spent on specific activities. This week, the term is moving outside corporate confines to Lake Conroe.
Starting tomorrow is the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The clock starts running at 7:20 a.m. and stops at 3:20 p.m. when the 52 anglers begin returning to the launch site. The cycle repeats on Saturday and Sunday, when the world champion is determined inside Houston’s Minute Maid Park.
For about eight hours and 20 minutes career-changing decisions will be made each day. Some will be calculated well ahead of time, others will be automatic and many will be decided in the moment.
What triggers those decisions revolves around time management. That theory will be tested over the next three days, more so than any other time during the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Here is how some of the Classic anglers plan to make those crucial decisions.
Ike’s three-stage plan
“Time management for me is important no matter if it’s a club tournament or the Classic,” said Michael Iaconelli. “Based on the weather coming in that makes it even more important this week.”
Iaconelli follows a three-step time management process for every tournament. First comes tackle and boat preparation. Making sure gear is in working order and organizing tackle are priorities. Once complete, he moves on to the next step.
“The night before I study paper maps and use those to write down an outline of my game plan,” he said.
That game plan is akin to blocking out time for meetings, projects and other activities on a workday calendar. Iaconelli moves on to the next area when time runs out for fishing a given area.
“The most important of all, and especially this week, is fishing in the moment,” he continued. “Then the outline becomes a means of eliminating what’s not working.”
That could be an area made unfishable by the wind, other competitor boats or other uncontrolled factors.
“Edwin Evers did a phenomenal job last year of time management on the final day,” he said.
After windy conditions rendered his chosen area unfishable the eventual Classic winner retreated to the upper reaches of the lake. The strategy change allowed him to maximize his remaining time on the water.
What’s the bottom line?
“You’ve got to be willing to make that change,” said Iaconelli. “You’ve got to leave the paper plan behind if needed.”
Jones eliminates distractions
Making sound decisions comes from a mind free of distractions. Alton Jones has his share of those this week. Those mind blockers range from excitement over the Classic happening in his home state, to a son fishing the event.
“All of it can distract me from making decisions during the competition,” he said. “So blocking out distractions is key.”
Jones turns his mind to studying short- and long-term weather trends and the moon phases. Preoccupying his mind with strategic thoughts helps block the distractions.
Simplifying his strategy makes decisions easier on the mind. This week, the bass are in all phases of the spawn. Jones has wisely chosen to focus on one aspect.
“I am focused on learning where the bass are coming to, instead of where they are coming from,” he said.
DeFoe’s commitment
Time of year is the key influencer in making decisions for Ott DeFoe. So is keeping an open mind, especially in spring, when bass are on the move.
“Committing to an area is key for me, because eliminating water simplifies things when it comes time to make a decision.”
Committing to a confidence area makes the decisions come even easier. DeFoe, like some of his peers, has that at Lake Conroe. That group has experience fishing the Toyota Texas Bass Classics held in previous years.
Christie divides and conquers
The Classic is like two tournaments in the same event. On Days 1 and 2 the entire field competes. The Top 25 gets to fish on Championship Sunday. The elimination style format requires either going for bust early, or keeping a pace.
Jason Christie plans to swing for the fences.
“I would like to have an advanced game plan here but it’s going to be tough to keep it going,” he said. “Even if you get through the first day, you’ve got to do it again the next, and maybe even start all over on Sunday.”
Christie’s goal is to base his decisions around the weather.
“I’m going to let the conditions tell me what to do.”
Multiple game plans for Reese
Skeet Reese has a multi-day game plan in the works.
“There is very little water here that you can duplicate a strategy on consecutive days,” he said. “It’s either been fished or the fish have moved.”
“I have different areas, for different days and scenarios, based on the conditions.”
That is a complicated game plan, but in the case of Lake Conroe, a necessary headache to confront.