Tournament Ready with Trey Butler

The alarm clock screams at 2:45. Frustrated that you are being rudely pulled from a dream in which your boat will run circles around every other one in a 100 mile radius, you slap the snooze button hoping to get in a few more Z's. You feel your wife's elbow in your ribs as she tells you in no uncertain terms what she is going to do if that alarm goes off again. Grudgingly, you turn the alarm off and stagger to the bathroom. You consider a shower but decide you look as good as anybody else you will see today, think about brushing your teeth and pass on that also. After making a few bologna sandwiches you are on your way to Waffle House.

Waffle House coffee does strange things to a man's brain at 3:30am. Life is great and you feel invincible (not to mention that your mouth is running at Warp Speed). A friend of mine who is a Vestavia Policeman has an interesting theory about Waffle House after 1am, he believes there are only three kinds of people there at that time of the morning; Policemen, drunks, and fishermen. I am glad that most Cops like fishermen. Sometimes it is rather humorous to see how a group that just finished a Widespread Panic concert acts when a few of Vestavia's finest have a seat in the booth next to them. Hello Officer...

When you first see that line of boat trailer tail lights waiting to launch it is very exciting. After the transom support comes off, plug goes in, and the lights go on, it's hurry up and wait. That coffee is really kickin' now! Several guys waddle past you with their knees together as the coffee combines with scattered, smothered, and covered to produce a gastro-intestinal sensation that mere words fail to describe.

After you pass 7 rednecks waiving flashlights you finally get to launch , and you tie up to somebody's boat who is tied up to somebody who is tied up to somebody, and you meet you partner and check in. Mingling with this crowd is an interesting experience, wonder what a psychologist would say about all this? To start with, hardly anyone makes eye contact, as a matter of fact, everyone just about sneers at each other. Almost looks like everyone is a mortal enemy and is miserable to be there. There are a few predictable groups that talk a little, but they are careful what they say so as not to tip their hand. The coffee continues to work its magic and your mind races: "Look at that boat, is it faster than mine? Look at all those patches! Are those really sponsors? He looks like a good fisherman, is he better than me? Am I going to the right place? Do I have the right stuff tied on? Did I put in the plug? Do I even know my name?

All Work and No Play

We can be all be very glad that this illustration is a gross exaggeration and far from reality...yeah, right! The funniest thing about all this is that those of us that are acting this way are the same ones that have obsessed over this tournament all week long: three trips to Mark's, hourly checks of Bass Fishing Home Page and Weather.com, numerous partner phone calls, multiple solicitations of top secret fishing info, and manic fiddling with tackle. Dr. Ruth once said that men think of sex every 2.3 minutes (how does she know?), and it is a safe assumption that those of us who are addicted to tournament fishing are thinking about it (fishing) at least that often.

For many tournament fishermen, somewhere along the way we forgot that fishing is supposed to be fun. Counselors tell us that we must allow our minds to have "down time", or a period in which we do something drastically different than the seriousness of our work. If we were brutally honest, how many of us would have to admit that we work as hard at fishing (sometimes harder), than we do our "day" jobs? There is certainly no down time or recreation in that approach. Watch a kid who is learning to cast a rod and reel for the first time. After some trial and error, the novice begins to find some success, only to have it slip away and the frustration return. A closer look reveals that the budding angler has a death grip on the rod and is just plain trying too hard. We can learn a lot from children.

But isn't it necessary to prepare hard and fish hard in a tournament in order to win? Absolutely! However, there may be a balance between obsessing over, and enjoying our sport.

The Zone

A primary casualty of over zealousness is awareness. If we are too intense upon a task, we can develop tunnel vision which blocks our awareness of anything outside of a narrow scope. Successful fishing is a puzzle that comprises multiple complex elements. If we are focusing on nothing but our bait or line, we may miss subtle, yet highly important data that can impact our pattern. Being aware of baitfish activity, water temperature and clarity, variations in depth, vegetation, and shoreline are vital to successful pattern fishing. It is not uncommon for an angler in the front of the boat to be so focused on a flipping pattern that he/she is oblivious to the fact that bass are schooling in the immediate area.

Somewhere between intense effort and total relaxation is a place called "the zone". The zone is a balance between our burning need to compete, and our ability to trust the process. In this case, the process is our chosen bait, terminal tackle, and developing pattern. The zone is where we develop a rhythm with our casts and the bait begins to fall where and how it should. This is a groove where we instinctively know what the bait is doing, and we are highly tuned to a strike, no matter how subtle it may be. In the zone our tackle and boat become an extension of our bodies that we control with ease. Football coaches talk about execution, stressing that opportunities must be maximized when they present themselves. Nothing could be more applicable for tournament fishing. When the bites are few, it is imperative to turn strikes into keepers, and this takes focus.

Rick Clunn is a prime example of someone who seeks the zone in every tournament. Rick is of Native American descent, and is highly opinionated about the importance of mental state during fishing. As a volunteer tow-vehicle diver (what a title) in the Bassmaster's Classic in the mid '90s, I was assigned to chauffeur Rick, his media correspondent, and assigned boat to and from Logan Martin during day two. I had heard stories of Rick talking in his native tongue to the water and fish gods, and that he would not use air conditioning during an event so that he could stay in touch with the elements. Well, we blasted the A/C in the August heat, and he spoke a regular ol' Texas-English the whole time. Rick did, however, talk about his lack of success that day, and how he attributed it to lack of focus and consciousness. Rick was fishing a pattern that he was unsure of, in an area that was unfamiliar to him, solely on a tip he received. Rick couldn't find the zone because of the constant debate that raged in his head over what he should be doing. Rick is a huge proponent of visualization, a process developed by sports psychologists where we actually envision a successful event prior to the actual event itself.

Tuning In

As in other areas of our lives, we will have good days and bad days on the water. However, preparation and the proper frame of mind can assist in maximizing our time spent fishing. There are some simple activities that can lower stress, improve focus, and possibly put more fish in the boat.

Take Time to Prepare. Waiting until the night before a tournament to change lines, tune gear, and prepare the boat is a recipe for disaster. Doing it all the night before can have you so wired you can't sleep, and cause anxiety that carries over into the next day. Do something each night leading up to the tournament and save Friday for a final check and to handle any problems that can, (and will), turn up.

Get There Early. There aren't many people that just love to get up before the chickens, but this is a sport that requires early hours. You will find that 30 minutes less sleep is not going to make any difference in the big picture. There is nothing worse than the feeling of getting to a tournament late, and one thing is certain, if something goes wrong, you will need time to fix the problem.

Develop a Routine. If you follow the same ritual each time you prepare for a tournament, the likelihood of forgetting something important drops dramatically.

Just Go Fishing. Never forget that this is a sport, a hobby, and a gift from God. We can be so intense and competitive that we try and force a pattern, rather than just fishing and allowing the fish to tell us what they want.

2 Wrongs don't make a Right. Unfortunately, not everyone understands the common courtesies and rules of the water when it comes to fishing and boating. Sooner or later, someone will cut you off, fish your spot; scratch your boat, or even worse. Having an argument or a fight guarantees only one thing; your zone is destroyed and your day is toast. It may help to remember that everyone there is operating on a couple of hours of sleep and carrying very high expectations for the day. Treat others the way you want to be treated, while knowing you may not get the same in return.

Live in the Minute. There are fishermen who are so busy beating themselves up for what the "should be doing", or what worked in the past, that they sacrifice the most important thing; the opportunity at hand. Commit yourself fully to your plan and stop the mental acrobatics.

Tournament fishing is growing in stature and popularity by tremendous leaps and bounds. No longer are sponsors limited to boat and tackle manufacturers. New people join the sport daily. With this kind of attention we may find it harder and harder to find that zone where we perform at our best and enjoy the highest level of satisfaction. Being aware of what your zone is, how to get there, and how it feels when you arrive will give you a competitive edge over the competition; increase your stamina, and battle burn out.


Trey Butler is sponsored by Skeeter Boats, Airport Marine, Falcon Rods, Sizmic Bait Company, Davis Baits, and Minn Kota. Your support of these fine companies is greatly appreciated!