CALVERT CITY, Ky. – Alabama pro Justin Lucas is competing as good as any bass angler on the planet right now. The Bass Pro Tour standout notched another trip to the Knockout Round yesterday for Lowrance Stage 5 Presented by Mercury and has put together an impressive string of finishes.
He narrowly missed out on wins in the last two Bass Pro Tour events, Stage 4 on Lake Chickamauga and Nickajack as well as Heavy Hitters on Smith Mountain Lake, finishing 10th and second, respectively.
Reviewing these finishes, it would be easy to overlook the fact that Lucas dominated the Qualifying Round at Chickamauga and then the Knockout Round at Smith Mountain Lake. The pros’ weights are zeroed to start the Knockout and Championship Rounds in the BPT format, nullifying some of Lucas’s best work.
To excel in Bass Pro Tour competition, anglers must showcase a wide variety of skills, with nuances specific to the Bass Pro Tour format. You must be proficient with forward-facing sonar to capitalize on the single FFS period, and elite at catching them with traditional methods the other two periods. Pros must take their weights being zeroed into consideration and make their game plans accordingly.
There is enough strategy and high pressure decision-making rolled into BPT competition to make a high stakes card-counter blush.
Watching Lucas fish freely through this proverbial gauntlet has been impressive. Lucas has showcased his versatility, catching them shallow and deep, power fishing and finesse, with old-school offshore tactics and new age FFS approaches. According to the Alabama pro, his results this season are a product of mindset more than mechanics.
“Man, I am having a lot of fun fishing right now and truly enjoying what I do,” Lucas said. “I had this realization before we started this season that I am halfway through my career. I thought to myself, I can either be a grumpy old guy or I can just have fun and be thankful for being out here. And that’s been my mindset this year. Every day of practice, every day of the tournaments I am just enjoying being on the water.”
This mental approach may sound simple, but it’s not always easy to find joy in your day job. This is Lucas’ 15th season as a professional angler and it would be easy for fishing to start to feel like “work” if he let it. Largely thanks in part to the steadfast support of his wife and two boys at home, Lucas has been able to keep his mind right and his results have proven it.
Stage 4 at Lake Chickamauga was an impressive display of Lucas having fun while making all the right decisions on the water. The first two days of that event alone Lucas weighed scoreable bass bed fishing, on topwaters, fishing docks, and then busted offshore schools with both FFS and traditional methods. He was having fun.
The hybrid format the Bass Pro Tour presents in terms of FFS is another factor Lucas believes is benefitting him this year.
“I think the hybrid format probably plays into my favor a little bit,” Lucas said. “I started tournament fishing way before FFS came out, but I’ve also taken the time to learn FFS the last several years. I’m super comfortable with our format and I feel like we’ve got the best of both worlds. I’m feeling good and fishing good, but I feel like I’m due to get my hands on a trophy.”
While Lucas’s pursuit of a BPT title this year continues, he is holding down a Top 10 spot in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race and cashed multiple Toyota Bonus Bucks contingency checks. Lucas’ second-place finish at Heavy Hitters earned him $4,500 in bonus payouts, with $3,000 coming from being the highest finishing pro driving a 2021 or newer Toyota tow vehicle.
“Bonus money is always a good thing,” Lucas said as a smile spread across his face. “In all seriousness, if you’re a tournament angler and you’re not taking advantage of contingency programs like Bonus Bucks, you’re crazy. I have the utmost confidence in my truck, boat, and motor; plus, they put extra money in my pocket. How can you beat that?”
Lucas’s performance the past few months is proof that having fun, having trust in your equipment and enjoying yourself on the water is indeed a formula that is tough to beat.