This week, Clark Wendlandt discusses tips for keeping fish alive in your livewell, how a pro handles fishing tips from co-anglers and advice for anglers interested in starting out on the tournament circuit for the first time.
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Q & A with CLARK WENDLANDT
Q: I know you guys usually fish Beaver Lake during the spring when fish are on beds. But my question is what would you do in June after all the spawning is done? I usually turn to night fishing and do really well on tubes and worms, but tournaments almost always take place during the day and I have a hard time catching anything after about 9 a.m., especially when there are no clouds. Finally, what section of the lake would you concentrate on during this time?
- Keith Bangs , Lowell, Ark.
A: Keith, I have never fished Beaver Lake during the summer, but my home lake is very similar, so this is what I would do. I would start by throwing top-water baits all day long. Many people quit throwing top-waters after 9 a.m., but on lakes with clear water like Beaver, bass will often bite them all day long.
I would prefer fast moving baits such as a Zara Spook (or similar bait) or a pop-R type bait. I would also concentrate on the lower part of the lake. The other thing I would try is fishing some of the numerous docks on the lake. They provide shade and good cover for bass and I would think you could catch many bass around them.
Q: Lately, I am having a hard time keeping my fish alive in the livewell. I put good amount of water in at all times, but I keep losing two or three fish a day on the water. Obviously, this is killing me during weigh-in. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening?
- Daniel Ring , Moss Point, Miss.
A: During the summer it is harder to keep bass alive in livewells, however, there are many things you can do to increase your chances. First of all you need to run your livewells constantly. Once they are full of fish, I put my Ranger livewells on re-circulate so that no new warmer water gets into the livewell. Next I take extra ice and add several handfuls every hour to cool the water. There is also an additive you can add to the water called “Catch and Release” which works well – although there are other brands that work just as nicely. These precautions will help rejuvenate the fish and keep them alive. In FLW tournaments the penalty is 8 ounces for bringing in a dead fish, so keeping the bass alive is one of the most important things we do as tournament anglers. Following these suggestions will save your fish. Good luck.
Q: I was wondering if you ever take a co-angler’s advice on where to fish? I see on TV that the pros don't always catch fish. And as a co-angler on the BFL circuit, I find it very frustrating when the pro isn’t really open to any advice from his or her co-angler. I belong to a federated club and we all help each other when we’re out on the water. Many of us know how to fish and are only co-anglers because of lack of money. But because of this, some people feel we don't know what we are doing or don’t know anything about how to fish. Please let me know what you think.
- Steven Gray , Wayland, Mich.
A: Steven, this is a very complicated question and I will do my best to answer it. I believe that many co-anglers are some of the best fishermen in the country. I understand that there are many talented fishermen out there who, for a variety of reasons, either can't or don't want to participate on the pro side. The reasons co-anglers are so good is that they are forced to adapt and be flexible. Not only do they have to accept the conditions of nature, they are fishing from the back of the boat in untested waters.
While I really believe this to be true, I also believe that taking advice from anyone can undermine the creativity of a pro. Many of my very best days on the water have resulted from following my instincts. For example, I start off the day not having a clue about how to fish. Then I catch a fish using a technique or method that I came up with myself. This does two things. Not only does it give me much needed confidence in myself, but it could also be the start of a pattern that I might be able to use to win the tournament.
In this example, had I taken advice from someone else, I wouldn't have gained that confidence that comes from figuring something out on my own. And I might not have the confidence to be creative and original going in to the next tournament. In addition, if I start relying on information from others, I might not have someone there to tell me what to do in the next tournament.
Most tournaments are won, and most pro careers are made, by guys who are doing something a little different - something original. If I allow myself to be influenced by someone else's ideas it undermines the creativity and flow of my day. Over time, this can result in an erosion of confidence. The flip-side is that the pro may have some bad days as a result. But it is a trade off that will be worth it in the long run. Confidence is a fickle thing. And it is the most important thing that a pro bass fisherman can have.
I will add one more caveat. A pro does need to be ready and willing to learn. He/she can never become complacent about new baits or techniques. But this has to be balanced with retaining confidence like I have described. It is a thin line. But for the reasons I have explained, there are some pros who will be reluctant to accept advice. However, I would hope that all pros would be courteous to co-anglers and respectful of their talent, and that we could all work together.
Q: I have recently joined FLW Outdoors and I am planning to fish my first tournament in the BFL Hoosier division soon. What advice can you give a first-timer? Thanks for the help.
- Gordon Bennett , Westport, Ind.
A: What an awesome sport! I started on the BFL circuit and worked my way up from there. If possible, I would try to practice for two days before each event. Try your best to figure out each lake on your own. This will help you gain confidence. Try to control all of the variables you can, because as we all know the weather and bass are the uncontrollable variables. Finally, try to learn all you can from each event, even reading tournament results to find out how guys caught fish. It will help you in similar situations in the future.
Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, is one of the most successful pro anglers in the history of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. He started his FLW career by winning the Angler of the Year award in 1997. Since that year, he has 15 top-10 finishes, including three tour victories. In 2000, the shallow-water fishing specialist not only won the FLW Tour event on Lake Murray, but he also captured his second Angler of the Year title, becoming the only angler to win the trophy twice. In 2001, Wendlandt won the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake, capturing the top prize of $200,000 and further cementing his place among the nation's most elite anglers. Wendlandt took home the first-place prize at the 1999 FLW Tour event on Beaver Lake as well. Wendlandt's current tour sponsors include Kellogg's, Yamaha Outboards and Stren.
