Being consistent in the world of professional walleye fishing is one of the toughest things to do. With all the various bodies of water with drastically different fishing conditions, being able to cash a check consistently and represent yourself and your sponsors in a good light is not an easy task. One of the best in the business at consistently producing is Crestliner pro Rick Olson of Mina Lake, S.D. Olson was the original Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit Angler of the Year for the 2001 season and finished in 10th place this season. Olson, who has been fishing as a pro for over 10 years, shared some of his secrets of success with FLW Outdoors Magazine.
FLW OUTDOORS: What did it mean to you to win the first RCL Angler-of-the-Year title?
RO: It means a lot. In fact, I will probably feel the impact for years to come. It shows to your competitors, your sponsors and yourself that you are truly a credible professional who can fish under every different condition thrown at you.
FLW OUTDOORS: How did winning the title impact you economically?
RO: I don’t feel it has truly impacted me at this time. I already had multi-year contracts with various companies in place when I won the title. However, in the long run, winning a major title like the RCL Angler of the Year or the RCL Championship gives you plenty of clout when it comes time to negotiate a contract.
FLW OUTDOORS: How did the title affect you personally as far as fishing the 2002 RCL season?
RO: When you fish on this circuit, you just want to survive when you start out. Winning this title makes it a lot easier to survive. The other thing winning this title did for me this season is that it allowed me to fish with even more confidence. I always fish with confidence, but after 10 years of fishing against the best the fishing world has to offer, you really need to keep on your toes. These guys are just so good that winning the title just reinforced my level of confidence.
FLW OUTDOORS: This season you finished in 10th place and cashed a check in all but one qualifying tournament. Last season you cashed a check in every RCL tournament you fished. How do you stay so consistent with all of your commitments to sponsors?
RO: This year was kind of disappointing to me. I went for broke several times and ended up finishing lower than I wanted to. At Saginaw Bay, I knew how to catch enough fish to qualify, but I thought I needed a really huge bag. In regards to being consistent, you just have to keep all of your attention on fishing. I don’t do any promotional work during pre-fishing and don’t go out and enjoy the nightlife scene during a tournament. The people I fish against in the RCL are just too good not to give 100 percent of my effort.
FLW OUTDOORS: After winning the Angler-of-the-Year title, did you have an increase in speaking engagements or other sponsor commitments?
RO: Yes, that increased this year. I try not to overbook myself when it comes to seminars and outdoor shows or any other promotional work. I certainly work my tail off to promote my sponsors because I truly believe in what I use. This year, I bet when it is all over I will have been away from home for about 200 days.
FLW OUTDOORS: How have the increased professional obligations affected your home life?
RO: I have been a full-time walleye tournament angler for about 10 years, so my wife Emmy is used to me being gone. I could not have achieved what I have without her. You truly need a supportive family structure to be able to head out and fish for a living. There are plenty of easier ways to make a living. I think the lack of family support is why many anglers end up failing or quitting. You have to have things in order at home to be successful on the road.
FLW OUTDOORS: Does Emmy have any complaints about your increased responsibilities this season?
RO: Only one real complaint. She loves to fish, and we hardly fish together anymore. When we were first married 18 years ago, we fished all the time. I worked at 3M and would fish every day I could. We would always fish together. Now she hardly goes at all. I don’t fish very much when the season is through.
FLW OUTDOORS: What does it take to be competitive at the RCL level?
RO: There are many things that need to come together to be successful at this level. Financial stability is a big one, as well as family support and a solid knowledge base. But when it comes to the actual fishing part of being successful, I think proper decision-making on the water is what gets you to the RCL Angler-of-the-Year title or winning a tournament. The decision-making process comes from several factors, including years of experience, focusing on the body of water you are fishing and not allowing distractions such as promotional commitments cloud your thought process. Also things like gut feelings and knowing when to stay or go are all things that you either trust and do well or ignore and not perform at the level you are capable of performing. This year I feel I had one bad fishing day at each tournament. That cost me a repeat of the Angler-of-the-Year title and cashing a check at every event.
FLW OUTDOORS: Do you have any advice to aspiring RCL anglers?
RO: You need to learn to be very versatile in your fishing methods. You will see a lot of anglers only show up for one or two of the tournaments. That is because they either can’t afford to be fishing the circuit, have other jobs and can’t get the time off or most likely they are just not well-versed in the various methods it takes to catch walleye on a particular body of water. You also need to make sure you have your family and financial life in order before heading out to fish professionally. It is not a glamorous job that is easy to do. You either perform well throughout the year or within a few years the sponsors that you have accumulated will be gone, and you won’t be able to fish. If you don’t have a happy family life at home with plenty of support, then there is no way you can be focused on winning a walleye tournament. The other thing I recommend is that anglers get out and fish as often as they can. The more time on the water fishing and observing nature, the better you will become at catching walleye.