Softbaitmaker
Well-known member
My friends said I should share something about myself so here it is!!
I am 69 years old and been bass fishing most of my life but really got into it hard 1983 when I began tournament fishing. I learned pretty fast that I was not as good as I thouht I was. I would bring a limit to the scales but my fish were not what it was going to take to compete. I did not join the ranks of the competitive anglers till about 1988 and I had just fished local events for about 5 years while honing my skills. I won my first event on Old Hickory lake in 1987 in a tournament that had about 55 boats in it. During those first years I spent every little bit of time I had on the water. During that time I also saw the anglers that continuosly finshed in the top 5 at events I fished. I realized that time on the water was necessary to be able to compete.
I also was in hot persuit of baits that they were fishing but could never find them. I began talking with bait shop owners and they said that many of the baits these guys were using had been discontinued and they would run out sooner or later and need to switch to new products. That was when I began asking Bait shop owners what the hot baits were back 3 or 4 years ago that were now gone and they didn't mind telling me and a couple even sold me a bag or 2 they had run across during inventories. That got me thinking and I began looking for a way to not use these baits but make more of them. After some research I found a manufacturer that not only had some of those molds in stock but would custom make molds if I could send them baits to make the proto type molds from. I spent the entire winter of 85-86 having molds made and learning how to make my own baits. It was with my own baits in the Spring of 1987 that I won my first tournament. I went on to win 5 more local tournaments that year and finishing in top 5 in several more. Bought a better boat that next winter to be able to make longer runs to places I could fish that I had to trailer to with old boat. Well, I guess that is enough to bore most of ya'll but there is a lot more to tell but will save that for another time.................... emoDance
I am 69 years old and been bass fishing most of my life but really got into it hard 1983 when I began tournament fishing. I learned pretty fast that I was not as good as I thouht I was. I would bring a limit to the scales but my fish were not what it was going to take to compete. I did not join the ranks of the competitive anglers till about 1988 and I had just fished local events for about 5 years while honing my skills. I won my first event on Old Hickory lake in 1987 in a tournament that had about 55 boats in it. During those first years I spent every little bit of time I had on the water. During that time I also saw the anglers that continuosly finshed in the top 5 at events I fished. I realized that time on the water was necessary to be able to compete.
I also was in hot persuit of baits that they were fishing but could never find them. I began talking with bait shop owners and they said that many of the baits these guys were using had been discontinued and they would run out sooner or later and need to switch to new products. That was when I began asking Bait shop owners what the hot baits were back 3 or 4 years ago that were now gone and they didn't mind telling me and a couple even sold me a bag or 2 they had run across during inventories. That got me thinking and I began looking for a way to not use these baits but make more of them. After some research I found a manufacturer that not only had some of those molds in stock but would custom make molds if I could send them baits to make the proto type molds from. I spent the entire winter of 85-86 having molds made and learning how to make my own baits. It was with my own baits in the Spring of 1987 that I won my first tournament. I went on to win 5 more local tournaments that year and finishing in top 5 in several more. Bought a better boat that next winter to be able to make longer runs to places I could fish that I had to trailer to with old boat. Well, I guess that is enough to bore most of ya'll but there is a lot more to tell but will save that for another time.................... emoDance
