Throughout my tournament career I feel like I’ve always sort of flown under the radar. I fish consistently, but I stay out of the big spotlight. Now, halfway through the 2017 FLW Tour season, I find myself inching into that spotlight. After another solid finish in Florida, I ended up in second place in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year race.
I wouldn’t say I’m surprised to have found success in the past three tournaments, but I have had strong finishes in what I thought could have been my weakest tournaments of the season. Guntersville is known to be an incredible fishery, and that’s actually what concerned me when looking ahead at the schedule. Over the years I have been much more successful in grind-type tournaments than in slugfests. Although Guntersville didn’t show its true colors and was a little stingier than expected, it was still far from a grinder in overall weights. So far, Guntersville has been my best finish of the year – sixth place.
Lake Travis was neither a disappointment nor a triumph. Travis actually set up to be exactly in my wheelhouse. It fished very similar to the herring lakes around home, but no matter how familiar you are with a type of fishing nothing is a sure thing. I grinded out just enough each day for a decent finish 33rd-place finish and moved on.
This past tournament at the Harris Chain I consider to be the high point of the year so far. If you have followed my career then you know Florida has been a massive thorn in my side. I approached this one a little differently and slowed down. It paid off with a 12th-place finish. I definitely haven’t figured out the Florida puzzle, but I’m gaining confidence.
I’m excited as we move on to the second half of the season. The next two tournaments at Lake Cumberland and Beaver Lake are events I have looked forward to since the schedule was released. I definitely consider any clear-water impoundment to fit into my wheelhouse.
I don’t have much knowledge on the last two tournaments at the Mississippi and Potomac rivers, but if there is anything this year has taught me so far it’s that any tournament could be the best of your career.
It’s impossible to not think about the possibility of an AOY title. However, there’s still a lot of season left to go, so I won’t let that chance alter my fishing style the rest of the year. All I can do is focus on each tournament as it comes and capitalize on any opportunity the lake presents.
Making the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray was, and still is, the main goal on my mind. I haven’t spent much time on Murray in recent years, but I am very familiar with the lake. I grew up fishing team tournaments there with my dad and spent countless days on it before I fished the Tour. It should be exactly the type of tournament that I love.
Is Angler of the Year on my mind? At this point I would say it is, but it’s way in the back. Right now, all I’m concerned with is Lake Cumberland and how I can catch them there. Regardless of how the rest of the season goes I’m happy with the start, and the only thing I will be thinking about is the next tournament.