The one statement I get told all the time.
“Fishing is not a sport”
Well let me tell you, after 300 games of AFL at senior level and playing basketball here in Australia and abroad I strongly disagree with that statement.
And here is why
Most people look at fishing as a past time not a sport. But Bass fishing and tournament fishing in general are massive sports worldwide. To be a pro angler you need to be at the top of your game. I would challenge anyone to spend a weekend fishing with me in a tournament and I bet by the time day two came around they would be both mentally and physically drained.
To stand up on the front of a Bass boat for 7 hrs straight casting lures for Australian natives like Bass Yellowbelly or Murray cod will challenge the fittest person in the room. Now, you may be thinking that seven hrs is not that hard right? If you factor in three full days of competition, 7 hours prefish, 7 hours day one and 7 hours day two. With a total of 21 hours nonstop casting you may now be thinking that’s getting a little harder.
Now let’s throw in some variables like weather and season. I will start with weather because Tournament fishing can be done in every month of the year depending on what the target fish is. You don’t get the chance to say I am not going out today because it’s too hot or it’s too cold. You have to do the pre mentioned 21 hrs of casting in 30+ degree days or maybe the one I hate the most is the -0 degree days. Factor in wind to the mix, it can be calm and easy or blowing its ringer out and with waves coming over the front of your boat.
Did I also mention seasons? Australian native fish such as Australian Bass and Murray cod will always bite better at certain times of the year. You can’t just go out when the stars line up. You have to find a way to make them bite.
Still thinking it’s not that bad? Throw in 60 other pro anglers doing the same thing. You don’t get to fish the prime morning or evening time slots either with a 7am start and a 2 or 3pm finish. I can tell you, it can get a bit crowded on the lake when the active fish are all in one area.
Now you may still be thinking I could do that. Let’s talk about the mental side of tournament fishing and use deep schooling fish as the first example. With every cast you have to count the lure down to a depth where the fish are biting at. With around 1000+ casts per session, you are continually counting your lure down to the right depth. If the fish are sitting at 20 feet, that’s a hell of a lot of counting. If you don’t count, you don’t catch the fish.
Trying to make the correct decision at that perfect time, there are several thoughts that never leave your head. Do I stay or do I move. Do I fish shallow? Do I fish deep? Is it a reaction bite or do I need to be doing a shake and bake retrieve? Is the wind blowing on this bank, will the fish be in the shade? You battle this all weekend. It is a thinking man’s game.
I suggest you go and give it a go before you say it’s not a sport.
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