KVD Wins Again!!

[GrassRat]

Where do you guys get this stuff? You should use your "creative" minds for purposes of good. That is like a weekend golfer saying Tiger Woods aint' for real or a pick-up basketball player saying they could take Lebron to the hole or a beer-league softball player busting on Bonds. Ok, that last one wasn't a good example but you get my drift.

I promise you these guys don't have pre-programmed GPS units. They have much more to do than just execute and the fish aren't already found for them. Who would find them, you? They are usually adjusting on the fly all of the time anyway. The patterns are typically generic in that everyone knows (or there are very few surprises anymore) what pattern will win/should but they can find some pretty neat twists to those generic patterns too. Such as KVD catching everyone off guard by winning sight-fishing smallies. Nobody saw that coming on that lake.

But most of all, the majority of these guys can just catch them better. I have been in the boat twelve top level guys during both practice and competition. Some people can catch fish but believe me, these guys take it to another level. Several of my friends have said over the years, why aren't you out there doing it. I always say, "I've seen them at work and they really are that much better". And that is the truth. If the truth hurts your feelings than I'm sorry. They really are that good. And you probably aren't.

[Fast]

Grassrat,
I will be a marshal at the Ky Lake tournament. Have any suggestions on what to take with me. My goal is to learn a minimum of 5 things per fisherman. My understanding is that I will ride with 2 different fisherman . Thanks! Ed

[GrassRat]

Grassrat,
I will be a marshal at the Ky Lake tournament. Have any suggestions on what to take with me. My goal is to learn a minimum of 5 things per fisherman. My understanding is that I will ride with 2 different fisherman . Thanks! Ed

Fast,

You are apt to have the time of your life but it's mostly up to you. Here are some random thoughts:

Do take a pen and notebook and a map. Do not take a handheld GPS. It will be an offshore tournament for the most part. If you truly want to learn you'll take a map and figure out what they are fishing by looking at the map and not just marking the spots. Spend alot of time watching their back GPS unit (if they leave it on) and focusing on why they are fishing what they are fishing and not just where they are fishing. Forget about the where and you'll learn to find stuff on your own.

Take plenty of water as it will be hot and humid. You might even want to take your own ice and small cooler as last year one pro, who shall remain nameless (but he was the bachelor), wouldn't let me use his cooler or any of his compartments for that matter. He said they were full and he needed access to them all. Do bring a rainsuit. Don't bring a baseball bat as you could be tempted to use it if you draw a guy like that.

Depending on the pro, as some can be very quiet, you might take an ipod. Dean Rojas said four words in eight hours - "I needed that one", was all he said the entire day. I stopped after catching five and watched him the rest of the day. Quite an entertaining day watching him throw that frog and an honor as well. But I learned nothing.

Feel your pro out to see how they are going to be. Some guys are extroverts anyway and you can't shut them up. Some guys are introverts and prefer to focus. Some guys will be talkative for awhile and then you can tell they are getting into a zone. Leave them alone at that point and you might see something special. You don't want to be offputting right off the bat. I think the quieter you are at first the more open they will be later. Blowhard marshalls probably learn nothing. Guys who deal out their "resumes" to the pros probably get tuned out. Humble guys truly wanting to enjoy the day in the boat and learn will find most of these guys extrememly outgoing, thoughtful and great teachers.

Hope you have a great time and learn a ton.

GrassRat
aka Brian

[Stanley_p]

KVD worked his way up like some of you are right now. Some will make it and some will not. The ones that make it to the top will find out that it is harder to stay on top than the drive it took to get there. So to stay on top, you utilitize every sponsor, every dollar to stay there. Just like any other business. This is why we are the United States of Amercia! Where a man can go fishing and make a living out of it. I think KVD is a true professional and an american icon in the fishing world.

I would praise any individual who climbs the ladder of sucess and stays on top of their game.

HELL YEAH,
I'm Amercian,
Stanley