Reel Chat with GLENN BROWNE

FLW Tour pro and recent Loudoun-Tellico champion gives insights into fishing swimbaits, how to work shallow water and the current leaders of the Tour pack among other topics

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Welcome to FLW Live Reel Chat. Today we’re joined by bass pro Glenn Browne of Ocala, Fla., a seven-year veteran of the FLW Tour and four-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
With 20 top-10 finishes and three victories at FLW Outdoors events over the course of his career, Browne recently picked up his first-ever FLW Tour victory on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes. He has amassed nearly $650,000 in earnings in FLW Outdoors events alone and currently sits in 17th place overall in the 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year standings.

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Today Browne is here to take questions from you, the fans. So, without further delay, let’s get started.

Q: Great job, Glenn. Besides the I.C. King Park area, what other areas produced for you (at Fort Loudoun-Tellico)? Thanks.
— Kevin (Knoxville, Tenn.)
A: Besides that area, I fished several little short pockets up there above the big bridge area all the way up to the park. I just ran back in those pockets looking for pine trees.

Q: What hook and what kind of weight do you use on the Gambler swimbait?
— Ian Jones (Knoxville, Tenn.)
A: On the Big E-Z I was using a weighted hook. It was a Davis Swim X hook. It was 6-aught size, and it was an 1/8-ounce weight. And the weight, of course, was part of the hook. That hook is actually a screw-in hook with a spring on the end. That spring really helped keep the head in place. And I’m still experimenting. Those baits are brand new; I just got them that week, and that was my first time using them on Fort Loudoun.

Q: There are a lot of good anglers on both tours that have never won a tournament. My question is do you ever stop believing it can happen?
— Ryan S. (Marietta, Ga.)
A: You know, that is a tough one. It gets frustrating. I hate to bring up his name, because it’s almost synonymous with it, but it’s David Walker and he’s a great friend of mine. And Walker’s got more top-10s than just about everyone except for (Andy) Morgan and (Clark) Wendlandt. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t put it together, but he’s still one of the best fishermen I know. Now that I’ve done it, I can say that it takes four days of everything coming together. But don’t you ever stop believing. Because if you do, you need to find a different sport because there are so many great anglers.

Q: How do you find/identify a shad spawn? Can you actually see shad on bed like bass?
— Nick G. (Charleston, W.Va.)
A: Well, the shad don’t spawn like bass do. They get up on rocks; it’s generally on riprap banks. Generally they’re right on the edge of the water, right where the riprap meets the water, just flickering and swirling. It’s not one fish either; it’s like a ball of them. They’re all just kind of swimming around each other. There can be anywhere from a half-dozen to 20 or 30. The ones that were spawning on Fort Loudoun were pretty big. That’s a great question though — the shad spawn this time of year can definitely be a big deal.

Q: The story I read said you targeted fallen pine trees. I thought pine trees were bad for fishing because they were acidic with the sap and all.
— Mark R. (Eagle River, Wis.)
A: I believe that for a lot of the water I was fishing, the trees had been there (in the water) for some time. This was my third time coming to Loudoun, and each time the bass have gravitated to pine trees. So it didn’t seem to bother these fish. I caught some off cedar trees, but pine trees were the ticket.

Q: With the high waters from all the rain, what would you recommend? I’m fishing a BFL tourney this Saturday at Cumberland Lake.
— Anthony (Eastview, Ky.)
A: I’ve never fished Cumberland before, but with the water coming up and high, I would hit the bank hard with a tube, a jig, a spinnerbait and maybe a small square-billed crankbait. I really like high-water situations; it really fits my style of fishing. Just go at it and cover water. Fish timber, wood, picnic tables, bushes — any type of structure. I would look for stuff that’s crazy — stuff you normally wouldn’t think about. Just because it wasn’t structure before doesn’t mean a fish won’t pull up on it now.

Q: Do you think Thrift is a lock for Angler of the Year, or could someone like Shuffield or Morgan still catch him?
— Chad (Durham, N.C.)
A: I think with the way the rest of the season lays out, Bryan should be in the driver’s seat. He’s done well before at Ouachita, and Guntersville’s grass should suit him just fine. Not that Andy doesn’t have a shot, but Bryan would really have to stumble. Right now, with the way he’s fishing, my money’s on Bryan.

Q: What is the difference in your approach for fishing shallow, stained water like you did on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes versus shallow, clear water?
— Joel Alinen (Everett, Wash.)
A: When it’s shallow, dirty water, I will go even shallower; I’ll fish the dirt. When it’s shallow and clear, I’ll back off a bit and fish around 4 feet. I guess shallow is a relative term. But generally, when it’s clear, I’ll fish deeper, shallow water. For instance, the last two years I fished Beaver Lake it was high. In 2008 it was flooded and dirty. In 2009 it was flooded and clear. I caught some fish in the exact same places; the only difference was that in 2008 they were right on the bank, and last year they were just off the bank.

Q: How long did it take you to decide to turn pro? And have you ever fished from the back deck?
— Clark (Hellertown, Pa.)
A: I’ve never fished from the back deck. But turning pro was something I always wanted to do ever since I was 12 years old. I watched Rick Clunn and Denny Brauer in their prime, and those guys inspired me. But I went and got my business degree from the University of Central Florida, and I currently own my own commerical floor-care business.

Q: Do you think the low water helped you? I was a little surprised your pattern worked. I figured most of those lay-downs would be high and dry.
— Randy (Concord, Tenn.)
A: I do believe a lot of people overlooked it because they were so shallow. There were a lot of times my trolling motor was hitting bottom and turning up dirt. David Walker actually said the water came up a foot or so during the off-limits. When he looked at it before, those lay-downs were high and dry. So I guess it came up enough for the fish to come in, but not enough to attract attention from most of the field.

Q: Were you OK with Jay Yelas coming into your area on day three?
— Frank (Arlington, Texas)
A: I had a cameraman in my boat, and I hadn’t seen anybody in three days there. But I know Jay has fished that area in the past. I guess we’re all competitors and he gave me space, but I would have liked it if he would have left it completely alone. I like Jay a lot, and I respect him as a fisherman. When an angler of Jay’s ability comes in your area, it kind of gets into your head a little bit.

Q: I’m new to swimbaiting, and to be honest, it’s a little intimidating. To start, I just want to learn to throw it in shallow water. How do I hook a swimbait and what size weight, if any, should I use?
— Ken (Poplar Bluff, Mo.)
A: I’m most familiar with the soft-plastic style. I like fishing it with weight, and I like a big hook. The key thing I’ve learned is to reel it painfully slow; that’s the biggest thing I can tell anyone to do. You’ve got to reel it slow. When you think you’re reeling it slow, slow down some more. When I’m not in Florida, I like fishing it around docks, and you’ve got to find a happy medium. The 1/8-ounce weight allows you to skip it clean, yet there’s enough weight to keep the head down.

Q: What kinds of strengths would you expect guys to need to do well at Ouachita at the end of the month?
— Scott Groff (Omaha, Neb.)
A: I think it’s going to be a really good tournament. I fished the lake in 2008 during the Cup when Scott (Suggs) won it. Back then, it was the middle of summer and the lake was really hot. I think this tournament is going to be much different. You’ll be able to power-fish and work shallow with crankbaits and topwaters. I know there’s some grass too, so possibly flipping could come into play. I’m really looking forward to it, to be honest. I’ve been home for a few days, and I’m ready to get back at it.

Q: Glenn, out of all the lures you used, would you say the water depth and area you were in were more important, or was it the lure and your presentation?
— Roger Tripp (Fredericktown, Mo.)
A: I’ve got to go with the location. I think you could have caught the fish on a lot of different baits. I think with the water coming up, I had steady fish coming in. And that’s what we’re all looking for in these big tournaments — fish that are coming to you. I got so many bites the last day of practice — that really gave me the confidence to stick it out there and keep grinding.

Q: Congrats on the win! You mentioned you searched out shallow, dirty water. What was the key structure you looked for, and how did you fish it?
— Bud (Tacoma, Wash.)
A: These pine trees would have the main branch going out, and then on the end was a mess of bushiness. It was basically the treetop with messy pine cones and all the needles and limbs. The first few days I caught almost all of them on the ends. The last few days I did catch a few on logs. On the bigger pine trees, I’d make anywhere from eight to 12 pitches before I left. Sometimes you had to really get up on them and make a precise cast.

Q: When was your last tourney in Missouri, and how did you finish?
— Matt (Aurora, Mo.)
A: It was Table Rock, and I finished somewhere around 90th. I like Table Rock, I just think it was too cold for me. I’m from Florida; I get dysfunctional when it drops below 70.

Q: Sounds like we fish a lot alike there, sir. And what is the game plan on this next lake? Or should I ask? ;);)
— Roger Tripp (Fredericktown, Mo.)
A: My lineup is definitely going to include some topwaters — power-fishing on the bank with Pop-Rs, buzzbaits and that new Big E-Z swimbait. I’m a shallow-water fisherman; I love burning up the bank.

Q: Is it true you didn’t catch any fish until (FLWOutdoors.com on-the-water reporter Rob) Newell left?
— Scott G. (Bainbridge, Ga.)
A: I bet it was 10 minutes after Rob left that I caught my first one, and I bet it was my best one too!

– MODERATOR COMMENT –
Unfortunately, fishing fans, that’s all the time we have to chat with Glenn today. Thanks to all who tuned in and participated in today’s Reel Chat. And a special thanks to Glenn Browne, the recent FLW Tour winner at Fort Loudoun-Tellico, for giving us his time and insights into bass fishing. Check back shortly for a complete transcript of today’s FLW Live Reel Chat.