Pete Weighs In
"Welcome to My World"
New Crawdad Pattern
Mar. 25, 2008
I hear they eat big baits at Falcon so I'm testing out a new crawdad pattern.
If I Won, Why Do I Feel So Bad?
Mar. 24, 2008
From the American Heritage Dictionary of Cultural Literacy:
Pyrrhic victory [(peer-ik)]
A victory that is accompanied by enormous losses and leaves the winners in as desperate shape as if they had lost. Pyrrhus was an ancient general who, after defeating the Romans, told those who wished to congratulate him, “One more such victory and Pyrrhus is undone.”
What's the opposite of a Pyrrhic Victory?…..something where you win the war, but lose a lot of battles along the way?
I just fished my club's season opening two-day tournament. I predicted it would take 24 pounds to win. I caught 24-12 and I won. So why do I feel like crap?
I fished the type of day you dream about on Saturday. Ended up with 17-05 and everything I did turned out golden. I had the fish wired on a bunch of secondary points with stumps and I was killing them on a medium diving crankbait (for those of you who must know, it was a SPRO Little John in some sort of natural shad color – good bait).
We blasted off at 6:35, I had four in the boat by 7:20, had culled up to 12 pounds by 8:30 and whacked a bunch more fish that helped me a little bit more at a time over the course of the day. Weigh-in was at 3:30 and at 2:30 I pulled my spinnerbait over the top of a brushpile and nailed a 4-15. Only bite I had on a blade all day and it was the right one.
The wind had blown so hard on Saturday that I didn't get to fish a lot of water that fit my pattern, so I was confident that I had a lot of water left and Sunday would be just as good. Second place was four pounds behind me, followed by several anglers six and seven pounds back. An easy ten pounds and first place is mine.
Sunday started out right – blasted off at 6:35, had the first fish in the boat at 6:43, a scrappy pound and a half bass that would be culled in short order. But he wasn't. I had three by 8:30, but didn't fill out my limit until 10:45, and it was a pitiful six pound sack of swimmers. I wasn't getting bites and I pushed the panic button.
In contrast to Saturday, every decision came up snake eyes. I couldn't relocate the schools from Saturday, either shallower or deeper. I'd go to fish a spot and there'd be someone else on it. I'd get a bite on a Senko and miss it, or wait too long and the fish would get me wrapped up in brush or on a piling. I had a two pound plus largemouth on that would have gained me almost a pound and I inexplicably broke him off. I eventually got up to a whopping 7-07, almost ten pounds less than the day before.
I was sure that I had allowed an insurmountable lead to be surmounted (is that a word?).
Utter humiliation would ensue.
The guy in second faltered, but a few big bags in the 14 pound range brought some of the next tier from Day 1 into contention. My friend Chad whacked 14 out of another guy's boat and fell just 4 ounces short of me. Handshakes were given, and I had survived, but it felt like I had lost.
If the days had been reversed, I'd have been happier. If I'd weighed in 12 pounds a day, I would've considered myself consistent (in a positive way). But my Day 1 big bag resulted in a psychological letdown.
I've fished tournaments where I finished lower in the standings and felt better about my performance. Better to make chicken salad out of chicken s#%^ than the other way around.
Rick Clunn once told me that he grades his days on the water on a 1 to 10 scale, and only rarely has he approached a 10. I never asked if he's won at a 5 and lost at an 8, and if so, how that made him feel. I wish I had. He's doubtless thought a lot more about the topic than I have. Then again, he's also won a lot more (and at higher levels) than I have.
At this year's Bassmaster Classic I was one of the foolish media types who asked a few contenders "do you think you can win?" which was always greeted with disbelieving stares and the same answer: "I wouldn't waste my time here if I didn't think that." I still think I can win every club tournament I fish, and hope to do so, but I'd like to relegate this last one to the scrap heap. Usually a win results in the feeling that I've figured something out, but this one leaves me with doubt about what happens if the next time I'm confronted with two days like Sunday.
Career Killer
Mar. 20, 2008
Memo to pros fishing the 2008 BASS Elite Series: I'm fishing the amateur side next month at Falcon. You don't want to draw me.
I'm a perfectly pleasant guy. I know it's your vocation and my avocation so I'll stay out of your way. I'll pay my fair share of the gas money.
But I'll knock you right out of BASS.
Look at my track record: I've fished five BASS pro-ams (for the sake of this entry I won't detail my illustrious career as an FLW Tour co-angler). I've had a total of 11 pro partners, ten of whom are no longer fishing BASS. The 11th underwent major surgery in the off-season after I fished with him.
The tale of the tape:
2001 Toledo Bend
First day partner, Rudy Gautreaux, whereabouts unknown.
Second day partner, Chad Brauer, no longer fishing the Elite Series (by choice).
2003 Toledo Bend
First day partner, Bo Fraser, whereabouts unknown.
Second day partner, Jimmy Reese, no longer fishing BASS (although he's having a kick-ass time with FLW out west, chalk one up for me).
2003 California Delta
First day partner, Tim Loper, not sure what he's fishing these days.
Second day partner, Dalton Bobo, same deal.
2004 Lake Guntersville
First day partner, Chris Baumgardner, no longer fishing BASS, but did have an FLW Tour victory last year on the Potomac, my home water.
Second day partner, Kyle Mabrey, no longer fishing BASS, but at least he's still fishing.
2007 California Delta
First day partner, James Charlesworth, did not requalify.
Second day partner, Darrin Schwenkbeck, did not requalify.
Third day partner, some guy named Denny Brauer.
Watch out Denny, someone wants you out of BASS competition.