(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
Jamie Hartman quickly ascended to the top of the Bassmaster Elite Series rankings, earning two Classic berths and two Elite Series wins in short order despite not having seen many of the tournament venues before he turned pro. The secret to his success has been a well-developed and flexible tournament strategy along with a strong mental game.
“It’s a lot of thinking, man,” he said. “It’s all in your head.”
That means primarily not getting stuck on the skills you’ve already developed or ending up locked into a single lure or pattern. “Nothing is set in stone in fishing, ever,” he explained. He knows what he’s best at, but by working to become increasingly versatile and competent, he’s improved his consistency.
After each tournament, especially when he does not do well, he takes inventory of what he should have done. While it’s impossible to win every time out at any level, it is possible to learn from mistakes. When he realizes that he needs to become more comfortable with a particular technique, he’ll go to a productive lake for a week and refine his technique until he feels adequately skilled.
He’s also a big fan of Google Maps. “It’s accessible for everybody, unfortunately,” he joked. When he knows he’s going to a new venue and its water level has fluctuated, he’ll go back to a low-water period and mark up as many likely spots as possible. Once he arrives, he wants to make sure that he’s practicing “right.” That involves paying attention to detail and coming up with a game plan, but also being willing to change when things don’t go according to plan. If you catch fish one place during practice and they don’t show up during the tournament, figure out why – was it a weather change or is that spot more productive at a specific time of day? Or maybe they want a different presentation. “Let the fish tell you how they want to be caught,” he explained.
He also stresses that anglers need to factor fishing pressure into the game. That often means that if you power-fished in practice you’ll need to downsize to finesse gear when the going gets tough.
“You’ve got to know when you’ve got to put that big stick down,” he implored.
Finally, even if you’re on the winning fish and using the perfect bait, he said that boat control is crucial. “Don’t blow up on ‘em.” He keeps the trolling motor on a low speed, noting that if you spook an individual fish or a group of fish it often makes them uncatchable. He endeavors to stay as far away from them as he can while still maintaining accuracy and the ability to effect a solid hook set. He’ll also throw into the wind and bring his lure back with the current whenever possible.
If you want to learn some of the other aspects and secrets of Hartman’s tournament success, including how his experience as a top-level competitive archer contributed to his success, check out his full video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
