Entry 308-1
From Bull Riding to State Bass-Fishing Pro and then National Bass-Fishing Pro with Brian Clark
Editor’s Note: Brian Clark of Fort Worth, Texas, one of the newest Strike King Pros, went from being a professional bull rider to a professional bass fisherman. This week, we’ll find out more about Clark and learn what leaving the world of bull riding and transitioning to being a local state-fishing pro in Texas and then moving to the BASS Elite Series has been like.
Part 1: From a State Pro to a National Pro – Big Jump
Question: Brian, how long have you been tournament fishing?
Clark: I’ve tournament fished full-time for the last 5 years and moved to the BASS Elite Series 2-years ago.
Question: What was moving to the BASS Elite Series like?
Clark: I hadn’t really bass fished much outside of Texas until I began fishing the Elite Series. So, I had a lot to learn when we fished in different regions of the country. I had to learn to catch smallmouth in New York, to fish the herring spawn in the Carolinas and to catch smallmouth in 40 or 50 feet of water in Lake Erie. Regardless of how well you fish in your home state, when you leave familiar waters, you have to learn how to fish a variety of water types, colors and conditions.
Question: How did you finish this year?
Clark: I finished third in the competition for the Rookie-of-the-Year title, and on the Elite Series, I finished 82nd in points, but re-qualified to fish the Elite Series this year. There were six-different tournaments where I missed the cut by less than 1 pound, and I missed the cut because of lack of experience. 
As a rookie, there’s a lot for me to learn, but as long as I continue to learn, I’ll keep improving.
Question: What’s been the hardest lesson for you to learn on the BASS Elite Series circuit?
Clark: The hardest lesson is every aspect of fishing outside of Texas. I’d never fished for smallmouth using a drop-shot rig until I fished in the North, and I’d never fished during the blue-back herring spawn before because we don’t have blue-back herring in Texas. 
So, I had to learn a number of new fishing techniques and how to fish in various water types and depths. In Texas where I live, I do a lot of dock fishing and fishing around grass.
When I fished for smallmouth, I had to learn how to detect a smallmouth bite in those deep depths. Too, I’ve learned that you may be a good bass pro on your home lake, but when you start traveling all over the country, you’ll fish different water types for various species of fish. You have to learn how, where, when and why that particular fish feeds on certain baits at specific times of year. Then when you add the competition component, and you realize you’re competing against the best bass fishermen in the world, you become humble really quickly.
Contents:
- Part 1: From a State Pro to a National Pro - Big Jump
- Part 2: Bull Riding to Bass Fishing
- Part 3: Local Pro to Strike King Pro
- Part 4: Sexy Swimmer?
- Part 5: You've Got to Have the Right Lady - One Day the Classic
