It’s Friday. This weekend I’ll be hosting the KVD Big Bass Classic on Table Rock Lake. It’s a part of the Oakley Big Bass Tour. I’ll be at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield during the registration on Saturday, and then I’ll be heading toward Kentucky Lake for the Tennessee Triumph.
That one starts a day early next week — on Wednesday. It’ll end on Saturday. That’ll give us plenty of time to get to Muskogee, Okla., and the Arkansas River for the last regular season Elite Series tournament. I always have mixed emotions about the last one. It’s nice to have some time off, but it’s also nice to keep competing.
The KVD Big Bass Classic is really exciting for me. It’s the sort of thing that gets anglers involved in our sport at the grassroots level. There are winners on an hourly, daily and overall basis. It’s supported by many of the same sponsors who support me and BASS tournaments at all levels. Check it out if you’re interested at www.oakleybigbass.com.
It’s important that we recognize things like this. Our sponsors are the companies that keep us out on the water fishing, and that make innovation possible. Let’s face it, if we didn’t have financial support from them, bass fishing would be very different than it is now. That’s for sure.
They are the ones who finance and promote new products — products that help us catch more bass. We all — professionals and amateurs alike — benefit from their contributions.
Speaking of contributions, I want to make some this week at the Tennessee Triumph on Kentucky Lake. Despite what all you’ve heard and read, I don’t think this year will be much different than past years. Kentucky Lake is what it is at this time of the year — a big body of water with a high population of bass living out, away from shore, on the ledges and drops.
I love it. It’s my kind of fishing, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the same. Every year is different, for sure. The lake gets a lot of pressure and, thanks to the great coverage by BASS, anglers know where to fish and what to do to catch them.
Still, I’m confident. Like I said, it’s my kind of fishing. I know I can crank, throw a football jig and a big, heavy spinnerbait and catch bass. Being honest, however, I had a lot of confidence going into several events this year, and it hasn’t always worked out the way I wanted.
I’m not complaining, though. This is a competitive sport. You have to catch them to win. Besides, I have a Classic title this year and I’m doing exactly what I want to do to support my family. That’s about as good as it gets in life.
Remember, it’s all about the attitude.
