Entry 256-1

Facing the Ups and the Downs of Tournament Fishing with James Niggemeyer

Part 1: Fishing is a Fickle Business

Question: At this writing, James, you’re preparing for the BASS Elite Series tournament at Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Alabama. Are you finding any fish?

Niggemeyer: Yes, I am, but the bass are small. I’ve talked with a number of anglers, and they’re all having the same kind of luck. This tournament may have a much-smaller weight in its limit than predicted each day.

Question: Are you catching largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass?

Niggemeyer: I haven’t caught smallmouth or spotted bass since I’ve been here. I’ve only caught largemouth.

Question: James, what kind of season have you had this year?

Niggemeyer: This season has been a struggle for me. In the first four events, I failed to finish in the money. In the last two events, I finished in the top 50, and in the most-recent event at Lake Murray, I finished 21st.

Question: So, what are your earnings for this year?

Niggemeyer: I’ve earned about $20,000 this year, give or take a few dollars.

Question: So, I guess you’ve got to turn it on for the end of the season to qualify for the Classic?

Niggemeyer: Strangely, I won’t do anything in the last half of the season that I haven’t done in the first half of the season. I’m fishing as well this season as I’ve fished in a long time, but things just aren’t going my way. I’ve had missed opportunities. I’ve had good fish on the line that have come off before I can put them in the boat. I’ve fished in the same areas where the leaders have fished and just haven’t gotten any bites.

Fishing is a funny business. As an angler, I’m fishing for an opportunity to catch a big bass or a big limit of bass. I’m looking for that better-than-average bass and trying to get it to bite. But if the bass bites, I still have to put the fish in the boat. If you miss an opportunity on a big bass, it may be the only chance you have for the entire day to catch a fish that will move you up in the standings. That one bass can be the difference in making a payday or going home with empty pockets.

Question: James, how do you feel when tournament fishing isn’t going your way?

Niggemeyer: Fishing can be terribly frustrating, like any job. In this business, when you’re not doing well, the casual observer thinks you’re slacking off or not performing at your best. But fishermen generally work harder when circumstances aren’t ideal than when situations are perfect. In most other jobs, the harder you work, the more salary you earn. But in fishing, you can work hard and still not earn a paycheck. Sometimes you can go out, beat the water to a froth, use every tactic and lure and still not catch any fish. Even weekend fishermen can relate to this situation. However, the difference between weekend and tournament fishermen, is that when the weekend fishermen return home Saturday night after not catching bass, they still have a job on Monday that will produce paychecks for them.

For tournament fishermen, we can work really hard through practice and a tournament, doing everything we know to win, and still not go home with a check. Now, when conditions are perfect, and you’ve located a big school of fish, fishing is easy. But when you’re struggling and having a hard time finding and catching fish, you really can become frustrated. Fishing is a challenge. It’s not only a challenge to find and catch bass, it’s a challenge financially to make enough money to pay bills and continue to compete. All of us want to make the Classic and make our sponsors happy. But when you aren’t catching fish, there are plenty of struggles.

Question: James, we know a big part of fishing is mental. When you’re having a tough tournament or a tough season like you’re having now, how do you stay up mentally?

Niggemeyer: I’ve learned that I only can do so much to catch bass and win tournaments. When I don’t find and catch fish or win tournaments, I have to turn it over to the Lord. If it wasn’t for my faith, I don’t know what I’d do or where I’d be. When I compete in a tournament, work hard, fish smart and perform the actions I believe are required to win or place high in the standings, yet I don’t catch the bass I need to win, I realize there’s some things in life I can’t control or change. This is a good life lesson.

No one always wins every tournament or contest in which they compete nor are we always successful. That’s the reason they call it a competition. You have to accept the days you aren’t successful and learn how to deal with those days just as much (if not more) than the days you really catch a lot of bass and perform well in a competition. These are lessons all bass fishermen have to learn, if we’ll be successful.

Next: Lessons Learned This Year

Contents:

• Part 1: Fishing is a Fickle Business
• Part 2: Lessons Learned This Year
• Part 3: Still Learning about the Shadalicious
• Part 4: Excited about the Wake Shad
• Part 5: Looking Forward From Now to the Classic