Making the Best of a Bad Situation
by: Terry Brown

Pre-fishing and preparation for a B.A.S.S. Top 150 or an Invitational takes determination, perseverance, and most definitely skill. Knowing the time of year, knowing the areas that have the best habitat, and also having the ability to read a good topographic lake contour map are all necessary ingredients to a successful tournament finish. Sometimes however, just when things look like they are really starting to fall into place the unexpected occurs and the best game plans go by the wayside.

At a recent Top 150 on Toledo Bend, Alabama Pro Randy Howell had a unique pattern “dialed in.” He had an area he felt was good enough to win the tournament and ultimately get him closer to the top of the Angler of the Year point standings. He had done hours of preliminary map work, had utilized his pre-fishing time wisely and was confident this work would pay off. “My confidence was as high as it could be. I felt I had the area, the right bait and really had no other competitors in the area I was fishing so pressure really wasn’t a factor either.” He started the tournament and as he expected the fish were there and ready to bite. He had his limit in the first 3 hours of the tournament and approximately 13lbs in his live well. Toledo Bend had been good to him on day one. At least that’s what he thought…

On his way to the weigh in the unexpected occurred, with plenty of time to spare, his engine seized up coming out of the creek he had been fishing. “ I couldn’t believe it, who would have expected this would happen, I knew I was in trouble,” noted the amicable young pro. Limping out to the main channel from the creek he was able to wave down fellow BASS professional Roland Martin who stopped and helped him get back to the weigh in…14 minutes late. His first day catch was forfeited and because the event was shortened to two days because of fog his two-day total was a little over 14 pounds. Add that 13 lbs and he would have been in 2nd place. “ As a professional I have learned we have good days and bad days, the good ones are really good and the bad ones can be down right awful. This most definitely was one of those.”

Noted risk-taker Tommy Biffle of Wagoner Oklahoma almost had a similar story only his occurred at the BASSMASTER Classic on High Rock Lake in North Carolina. “While pre-fishing I found an area behind a fallen tree that looked to me if left untouched and if I could hold a high spot on the first day might be the place I could win the tournament. It was an old creek that had been blocked off by a beaver and looked as if it had the potential for some big fish. The only problem was how to get over that tree and if I did could I get back out.” The Bassmaster Classic pairs an angler with a press partner for the event. “For the first time in my career I was really concerned who my press partner was going to be. If it was someone who wasn’t in great shape or maybe up in age I wasn’t going to take the chance of getting in to this spot. I wasn’t as concerned about getting in as I was getting out and if we were to get stuck I might need some help getting out. As luck would have it he drew a younger press partner and knew immediately it was a risk he would take. “ I didn’t have any difficulty getting in but getting out was a real deal” said Biffle. “The tree turned as we went in and the branches were pointed up the creek. I fished up the creek about 25 yards, caught a keeper and decided with about 30 minutes to go it was time to take my chances getting out.” The first attempt to get out found Biffle stuck high centered on the base of the tree. “After rocking for about 15 minutes, stripping down to our shorts, jumping in and pushing ourselves off we were able to finally head out. We made it back to the weigh in with about two minutes to spare”

Winning tournaments on the BASS Tournament Trail is becoming more difficult all the time. Exceedingly long runs, sawing up a fallen tree to get into a hidden creek, or navigating through a treacherous stump filled flat at blinding light speed are now the norm. Tommy Biffle puts it simply “To win everything must go perfectly. Even with great preparation and attention to detail things can still happen…….sometimes its just not your day.”

Terry

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