Reel Chat with ANDRE MOORE

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Hello, FLW fishing fans. Welcome to FLW Live Reel Chat, the latest interactive feature on FLWOutdoors.com.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Joining us today is Andre Moore. Last month the pro from Scottsdale, Ariz., won his second Wal-Mart Open title at Arkansas’ Beaver Lake, becoming only the second pro to accomplish the feat. (Clark Wendlandt was the first)

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
$200,000 richer for a second time, Andre has been generous enough to make a pit stop on his way to Wheeler Lake – the site of next week’s Wal-Mart FLW Tour event – and join us for the inaugural session of Live Reel Chat.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Editor’s Note: FLWOutdoors.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Reel Chat discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Q: What’s the best hook for the Smallie Beaver when using a Texas rig?
— Chuck Kaleel (Raleigh, NC)
A: Either a 2- or a 3-aught extra-wide gap Gamakatsu hook.

Q: Hey Andre, what type of bite will it be on Wheeler Lake as far as lure choice and presentation?
— Joshua (Poynette, WI)
A: I wish I knew. Guys are going to be catching them on everything, really. I’ll definitely be catching some on a Beaver, but they’re gonna be catching them on topwaters, spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

Q: I have a tournament this weekend on Old Hickory Lake. The bass were trying to spawn when we got a lot of cold rain and the water temp dropped to 58. I am having trouble finding them now. Do you have any suggestion on where to start?
— Doug Fraser (Ashland City, TN)
A: Start about a hundred yards away from where they just were. They probably haven’t gone too far. Actually, they’re probably still there if it only went down to 58.

Q: What is your favorite fishing lake on the FLW Tour this year?
— Jon Pageler (San Francisco, CA)
A: Probably would have to have been Okeechobee. It’s pretty fun ripping fish out of weed mats with 80-pound braid.

Q: It’s been reported that you put your winnings from your first Wal-Mart Open title into your bait company. What’s in store for the $200,000 this time around?
— Rodney Szlewak (Ypsilanti, MI)
A: Even Sweeter Beaver. Might be a new bait.

Q: Hey, Andre! Can you give out any secrets on how you won the last FLW Tour event at Beaver Lake?
— Gerald (Little Rock, AR)
A: I wouldn’t really consider them secrets. Not too many secrets. It’s just that, sight-fishing as long as I have, I know how to recognize the different moods of bed fish. A couple fish I caught were on a drop-shot rig. Just didn’t seem like they wanted to guard the bottom of the nest, and you could tell that by looking at the fish.

Q: What is the Web site for your baits? Thanks.
— Andy (Ypsilanti, MI)
A: www.reactioninnovations.com

Q: What bait do you find most productive for bedding fish?
— Stephen Scoggin (Old Hickory, TN)
A: Like I said, the Smallie Beaver and that little Flirt finesse worm have been successful for me. The Sweet Beaver also works well when you’re fishing for a little bigger fish.

Q: What advice do you have for co-anglers that find themselves paired with a sight-fisherman and are stuck out where they have no way to fish any fishable water?
— Tommy (Abilene, TX)
A: Basically, I tell them I’m fishing a 5-foot spot on the bottom. You’ve got the entire rest of the lake around me. What I suggest is, fish very, very light or weightless small lures and fish extremely slow and cast far around the boat. There are other fish around. You just have to have the confidence that you’re going to catch them.

Q: Andre, at what age did you start fishing tournaments?
— Sarah (Biloxi, MS)
A: I started fishing tournaments at 18. Pro at 19. I’d always fished as a kid, always had a boat since I was 10 years old. I moved out to the West Coast and didn’t have a boat anymore. I heard about these tournaments where you didn’t need a boat. I fished a Red Man (now the BFL) as my first tournament, and I got a check. Ever since then I was addicted to fishing tournaments.

Q: Where do bass usually hang out in deep, clear lakes with rocky outcrops and sandy bottoms? And what baits work well in this type of setting?
— Pete Engel (St. Peter, MN)
A: If it’s a rocky lake, they’re usualy on rocks. They’re usually trying to find something different if they’re usually on rocks. Usually trees or bushes or structure of some sort. Generally, in rocky lakes, go with a smaller bait, such as my Flirt worm, which works really well in deep, clear lakes.

Q: Was it difficult making the transition from being a “Western” angler to an angler who needs to adapt his game to all parts of the country?
— Patrick Zak (Oakland, CA)
A: No, it wasn’t that difficult. I’d already had some Eastern experience. Also, from experience fishing the California Delta, that gave me a pretty good knowledge of how to catch fish on river systems. The hardest things back East are figuring out the drastic weather changes and how the fishing changes day to day, depending on what the weather’s doing.

Q: What do you prefer catching, largemouth or smallmouth bass?
— Titus Song (Minneapolis, MN)
A: I guess I prefer catching smallmouths, because I always catch largemouths, and I get bored with them. We don’t get many chances to catch smallmouths, so I like catching those guys.

Q: Which victory was more sweet, your first Wal-Mart Open victory or your second one?
— Jim Interlandi (Chicago, IL)
A: I think my second one. The first one, I kind of felt like I got real lucky. This year, after I made the cut, it kind of felt like everyone expected me to win. And when I did, it was almost a relief.

Q: What weight do you think will win the California Delta event of the 2005 EverStart Series?
— Denise (Dixon, CA)
A: I’d say the winning weight for the last two days is going to be somewhere in the mid- to high-50s. They’re going to catch them. They’re biting. At a tournament there last week, the big fish was 9 1/2 pounds. I wish I was there right now.

Q: What’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught?
— Peter Gruman (Chazy, NY)
A: I’ve caught three 12 1/2-pounders. I never landed one bigger.

Q: Who do you think are the toughest competitors on the FLW Tour today? Do you worry about the veterans more or the up-and-coming “young guns”?
— Sophie Salisbury (Englewood, NJ)
A: I think there’s a different group of guys to worry about at every venue. Everyone’s tough on the FLW Tour, I don’t care what anybody says. Definitely J.T. Kenney this year is the man to beat anywhere. He’s on fire. Bobby Lane’s on fire. He’s a guy you gotta really look at. And Matt Herren also. All three of those guys, really. Anytime they’re in the tournament, you’re going to have to do somerthing special to beat those guys. David Walker’s another one. He’s an incredible fisherman.

Q (MODERATOR): What is your favorite lake to fish? Is the West the best?
A: Any day of the week, I’d rather be fishing the California Delta. The size of the fish, and it’s just a cool place to fish with the tides and everything. The fish bite really hard there. Any day of the week, you’re going to catch 20 pounds out there, and you can’t say that about a lot of places in the country. It’s just an awesome fishery.

Q: How do you come up with such creative, innovative, original ideas for bait styles? Is it through your experience on the water – you know what you like to fish with?
— Bob (Westlake, CA)
A: It has a lot to do with my experience on the water. Also has a lot to do with my art background, being able to visualize what I want in my head, and being able to put it on paper. Knowing what kind of hook, weight and line I plan on using with the bait, and then incorporating it with the bait. It has a lot to do with- just everything. Being able to catch them and being able to plan what the bait’s going to be used for.

Q: Andre, did you have trouble at first finding sponsors? Also, did they come to you or did you go to them?
— Ken Fahrman (New York, NY)
A: Yeah, it’s hard getting sponsors. And not very often do they come to you. That’s the hardest thing in this sport. Everybody thinks that they deserve a sponsorship. You’ve got everybody out there saying that they should be sponsored, and I think a lot of companies are tired of hearing it. The only reason it might have gotten a little easier is that I have some national credibility and some tournament wins. Anytime you’re starting out, it’s really hard.

Q: Andre, you won the 2002 Beaver Lake event throwing a Sweet Beaver and this year’s event on a Smallie Beaver. What’s the difference between the two baits and why did you make the switch?
— Mike Jones (Boulder, CO)
A: I would have thrown probably the Smallie in 2002, because those fish there aren’t real big and probably bite a little faster. You can still catch them on the Sweet Beaver there, it just might take a little longer. It just seemed like I could get them a little faster on the Smallie Beaver. It’s just a size issue. Another reason: In 2002, the lake was flooded, so I needed to use bigger line and bigger hooks so I could get them out of the trees.

Q: Andre, how’s the redfishing? I saw you did relatively well last week in Jacksonville. You thinking about switching species?
— John Francona (Fort Myers, FL)
A: I’m not going to switch species, but the redfishing’s a blast. I’m having a great time. That was the first time I’ve actually tried to catch them. I’ve only caught them by accident up until then. And I don’t have to bring a thousand pounds of cold-weather gear when I go redifshing. I’m tired of these cold-weather tournaments.

Q: What pro did you look up to the most while you were growing up?
— Grant Windsor (Vancouver, Canada)
A: Rick Clunn, like everybody else, I think. Guys like Hank Parker. Pretty much the usual suspects.

Q: Have you ever been fishing for Peacock bass outside of the country, like in Mexico for instance? If so, what was that experience like?
— Tim Halverson (Boulder, CO)
A: I haven’t gone outside the country yet. I’m actually going to Costa Rica in June to catch some, and Brazil at the end of the year, too. I hear they’re an awesome fish. I’ve got a lot of friends who have caught them. If you’re a serious fisherman, it’s something you need to do.

Q: I saw that you fished with fellow FLW Tour angler Kim Bain at the last Redfish Series tournament. Is it all just fishing or is there more to the story? Thanks!
— Gary (Phoenix, AZ)
A: There’s more to the story. I’ve been dating her for about a year, and we just love fishing together.

Q: What’s the most important thing to remember about your technique when you’re sight-fishing?
— Jim Mellema (Redlands, CA)
A: Yeah, stay as far away from the fish as you can, and be very quiet. It’s more just kind of realizing what the fish is doing down there and finding the exact place on that bed that’s going to agitate them the most. Typically, you’ve got to figure out where the eggs are at. When the bait gets there, you have to be able to recognize that the fish is agitated then.

Q: When you’re pitching the Smallie Beaver or the Sweet Beaver, do you prefer braid? Or does the size of the bait help make your decision?
— Henry Aguilar (Costa Mesa , CA)
A: I prefer braid if I’m fishing heavy grass, but if I’m fishing just bushes, I prefer using just heavy mono. Size of the bait doesn’t really matter, mostly just the size of the fish I’m catching.

Q: Is there any fishing technique you haven’t really mastered, one that you really need to work on?
— J.R. Bauman (St. Anthony, MN)
A: I wouldn’t say there’s not a technique that I really need to work on. I would say that I get too hard-headed sometimes and don’t want to finesse fish when I need to.

Q: What tournament circuit would you suggest for somebody just starting out?
— Jim Colbert (Lebanon, NH)
A: BFLs or EverStart as a co-angler. It’s a great way to start out. Or even just local club tournaments. Any kind of tournament will help you out in the long run. You just need to find a circuit that will fit into your schedule and some places that you want to go fishing.

Q: Andre, can a female bass that makes that big circle around the spawning bed after you pitch to the bed be caught, or do you have to wait for her to lock on the bed?
— Mike (Silver Spring , MD)
A: I caught a female just under 5 pounds at Beaver Lake that never actually sat on the bed. I caught that fish wacky-rigging that little Flirt worm that I make. Typically, what you have to do is blind-fish the bed with a weightless bait or a wacky-rig bait, and stay way off the bed and cast up there. A lot of the times, the female will be on the bed when you’re not right on top of that bed looking at her. The fish’ll probably be up there spawning, but when the boat gets too close, it’ll probably start freaking out.

Q: How do you mentally prepare for a tournament? Are you superstitious?
— Lena A. (Minneapolis, MN)
A: I am superstitious, but I don’t mentally prepare anymore. I’ve been in so many tournaments this year, I don’t really think about. I just try and relax. If something bad happens out on the water, you can’t let it bother you. My biggest superstitions are bananas. Never put bananas in your boat.

Q: Please describe what it is like to be in a final weigh-in. Do the television cameras make you nervous?
— Michaela N. (Maple Lake, MN)
A: Oh yeah, and it’s really hot under those lights. It makes you more nervous when you think you have a chance than when you don’t. It’s a lot of fun, but it can be frustrating. You’re sitting there, trying to guess what the other guy’s got; it’ll drive you crazy — especially when there’s $200,000 on the line.

Q: What tournament conditions are the hardest to fish under?
— John Stebbins (San Diego, CA)
A: Cold, flooded, muddy rivers.

Q: The bass will be in postspawn mode during the Wheeler Lake event. What strategies do you apply to catch bass in May?
— T Suk (Minnetonka, MN)
A: I’ll be trying everything I can to catch them on topwater baits. I love catching postspawn fish on topwaters. But there’ll still be some fish spawning, I guarantee that. Not many, but there’ll be some.

Q: What are some lakes you hope the FLW Tour visits in the future?
— Jill Locke (Seattle, WA)
A: Lake Amistad in Texas. A couple Western destinations: California Delta, even Lake Havasu or Lake Mead. I’d like to go to Mexico. I’d like to see some stops in Texas, some stops out West. There’re a lot of places I’d like to go. I love fishing new water. I’d really love to see us go to Table Rock in Missouri.

Q: Do you use the Internet to learn more about a lake or river before a tournament? If your answer is yes, what Web sites do you visit?
— Taylor W. (Forest Lake, MN)
A: I’ve looked at some Web sites in the past, but the information was far from useful, so I don’t really look anymore.

Q: Who do you think is going to win Angler of the Year this season on the FLW Tour?
— Amanda Pollack (New York, NY)
A: J.T. Kenney’s going to win it. The last tournament’s on his home lake.

Q: How long will a typical female bass stay on the bed? I’ve heard of female bass laying, and then immediately leaving, and the buck bass stay gaurding. I recently took a trip to a local clear lake and saw a 4-pounder on the bed with no male around. What would happen to the male?
— David (Kingsport, TN)
A: Well, I’ve caught lots of males that could have been 4 pounds. If someone caught the female and put it in the livewell, the male will take the guard.

Q: How did you go about getting your first sponsor?
— Chris S. (Exira, IA)
A: My first sponsors were my mom and dad, and I begged and pleaded with them to help me out. My first company sponsor was a company where I knew the guy who was making some fishing lures, and I knew him through fishing. And he offered me a sponsorship. You’ve got to start somewhere.

Q: You’ve achieved so much on the FLW Tour. What’s next for you?
— Jane (Monroe, LA)
A: Next thing is, maybe I should try some kingfish tournament. No, I’m just going to keep fishing for bass and maybe expand into the redfish deal.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Well, that’s all the time we have. Thank you, Andre Moore, for joining us in today’s chat and thank you, FLW fans. He says thanks for your insightful questions and comments.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Please come back and join us again as we bring you FLW Live Reel Chat the first Wednesday of every month.