The Stars are Aligning

The anxiety is ridiculous as I wait for word on whether I'm in or not for the 2012 Bassmaster Central Opens. I'm registered and my deposit has been cashed but it's a waiting game from here. I'm excited to step up my game to a bigger stage and I know in my heart I'm ready for the all the challenges that come with it.

My main goal for the season is to make the top 50 in the Angler of the Year points. I'm a competitor, there's no denying that, I work endlessly everyday to put myself in position to accomplish these stiff goals I've put on myself. Though I aim to win each and every event I sign up for, it's important for me to set long term goals as well. Longevity is key in this sport and as I make the transition from semi pro to full on touring pro it'll take patience and perseverance to reach the heights of professional bass fishing.

As if I needed added motivation, BASS announced that the 2013 Bassmaster Classic will be held at Grand Lake, in northeastern Oklahoma. With the exception of Lake Minnetonka, Grand Lake is the lake I know the most. I'm slowly coming to the realization that I may be getting the opportunity to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic and knowing it will be on a lake I love to fish, really gets me jacked at the chance!

For now I go with the preparation makes perfect approach. I'm banking on the fact that I'll get in and preparing accordingly. If I don't then I'll just have to adjust and look at other avenues to get to where I'm determined to go. I also have my eye on the FLW Central Everstarts, especially the event at LaCrosse, WI. It's nice that big name tournaments are starting to creep closer and closer to the north.

Bri and I head down to Alabama as well as Tennessee soon to do some future scouting! We're excited to say the least!

Happy belated turkey day!

Gearing for the Bassmaster Opens

Today is an exciting day for me but a day that also comes with much anxiety. This morning I officially registered for the 2012 Bassmaster Central Opens Pro Division.

This is just the next step but one that could potentially catapult me into the top ranks of professional bass fishing. It's an anxious time for me to say the least, just cause I registered doesn't mean I'm in. I did everything I could to give myself the best shot at it but it's just not as easy as signing up. I won't know for sure if I'm in for another 4-6 weeks, which will be only one month before the first event kicks off on Lake Lewisville in Texas. There's a lot of anglers that want in and unless you're an Elite Series angler, a top 50 from the previous year or have a BASS title sponsor exemption, then you simply get put on a waiting list, first come first serve. I was early in getting my registration in so we'll just have to see.

Regardless, tournament mode starts now. My aim is to plan for success so preparation is first on my mind. I'm not setting very lofty goals for my first season fishing at the national professional level. Instead, I've aimed my goals at being competitive. I want this for a career, so my main goal is to qualify to fish next season by making the top 50 in the angler of the year points. Don't get me wrong, I'll work to win, I'm just too competitive to not think big, but at the same time my goal is to learn and grow to be a dominate force, so for now I'm trying to stay realistic.

I also plan to fish other events this year like the FLW Everstart Series but I need to wait and see how the Opens shake out, then I'll put together the rest of my schedule.

Here's the schedule for the 2012 Bassmaster Central Opens.

Lake Lewisville, TX - February 9th-11th, 2012
Table Rock Lake, MO - April 26th-28th, 2012
Fort Gibson Lake, OK - September 6th-8th, 2012

All for now! Wish me luck!

Aiming for the Record

Most of Minnesota's outdoor enthusiasts will be headed up north to partake in the opening weekend of deer hunting season. This bassaholic will also be headed to the north woods but not to hunt whitetail, instead to try to break the Minnesota state largemouth record. Sitting strong at 8.15 lbs, Minnesota's bass fishing legend Mark Raveling bagged the record just a few years back. Not taking nothing away from his accomplishment but I gotta think there's another bigger one swimming out there in one of our ten thousand lakes and God willing I hope to be visiting that one.

Most every other state that has largemouth bass fisheries have their record set in the books over ten pounds. Rumor has it that a lake in a Minneapolis suburb easily would have held that mark had the gentleman who caught it not began to fillet it. Sounds odd I know, why was he filleting a bass anyway? We'll just skip over that.


Last year I had the opportunity to fish this little gem of a fishery and had some success getting bit on large swimbaits. I wasn't catching small fish, these were giants and they would choke a Huddleston Trout like it was a frickin' Oreo. Insane to say the least and the gene pool certainly has the makeup to produce a 9 pound plus. In addition, here in Minnesota we will be dealing with old man winter shinning his ugly ass head any day now, meaning the bass are eating up to survive the harsh winter, they're going to be chunks!


My main plan of attack is to throw the big swimbaits in search of my quarry, there's something to be said about the phrase, "go big or go home". I'll surely be chucking the big Huddleston as well as a Matt Lures Tournament Series Bullhead. My secret weapon will be a custom rigged Biovex Kolt Ridge Tail with a gold turtle blade.

I'll also have my stand-by jig of course, it be cool to whack a true giant on the swimbait but it won't hurt my feelings none if I'm forced to do it on a jig.
There's also no way I don't have a Picasso Football Jig in the boat as well as a Biovex Deep Runner.

I'm excited to have a couple guys from North American Fisherman there to shoot a video. Hopefully the star of the show, the fattest of the fat bass show up. Of course I know catching a true state record is more difficult than anything to accomplish in bass fishing, it's probably easier to win a Bassmaster Classic, though at the same time if I didn't set my standards high and believe I actually had a chance to accomplish such a feat, then what in the world is going to keep me warm in the 30 degree potentially snowing weather? Game on!

See you on the water, or on second thought, maybe you'll see me on the water from your deer stand! Oh yeah, and the lake I speak of is......HAHAHAHA!!! Not a chance!