OH NO, you forgot to set the alarm, just kidding your up and to the landing with an hour to spare before check-in. That's when you notice Earl and Bubba, last years Anglers of the Year. You think to yourself those guys are good, that's the team to beat. Then just before take-off the wind picks up and it starts to rain. Again you think to yourself, wind, rain, Earl, Bubba, what else could go wrong? STOP
Don't let the uncontrollables take control of you. After all, your not even fishing yet and already you feel beaten. Learning to control your thoughts and block out everything else is key to becoming a successful tournament angler. You can pitch a jig into a cup from 20 feet away, you can work a jerkbait better than Van Dam himself.If you can't concentrate on the task at hand, the rest doesn't matter. Being able to concentrate on what your doing is critical. Paying close attention to how your working the bait you are using is much more important than worrying about the rain.
Weather is uncontrollable. Each and every angler in the tournament will fish the same weather as you. Learning how the weather will affect the fish will help you more than worrying whether or not you will get wet.
Controlling the controllables, that's where your mind needs to be. Concentrating on putting fish in the boat and doing everything possible to better your odds should be your first priority, not how many bass Earl and Bubba have caught.
Tournament fishing is a great sport, it's you against the bass. If you can't beat the bass, why worry about the rain, wind, and of course Earl and Bubba.
Like I said before, you have done your homework, you made sure your equipment is ready for the challenge, now don't blow it by talking yourself out of the game. If you concentrate on what you have control of, it wont be long and Earl and Bubba will be talking about you.
Carl Scharenbroch
Strictly Bassin
