Page 49 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine Classic 2022

When the fishing day has been tough, what is a piece of advice you would give to an
angler?

It is important for anglers to approach the last hour of the day as if it was the first hour of
the day. That last hour is just as important at the first hour. If you can string together an
hour of great fishing, and great decision making you are on the path to a successful day
on the water. That is what you have to learn to do as a competitive angler. Train yourself to

be the best angler you can be any hour of any day fishing. Learn not to be complacent with
any hour of the day. In short, discipline yourself that the last hour of the day or any hour
of the day is just as important as the first hour. If you have an hour that is not successful,
make changes until you can find that success. Learning that discipline and applying it each
and every time on the water will help develop you into a better angler.

What advice would you give to any young lady out there considering getting into
tournament fishing?

• Get involved with tournament fishing.
• Have the confidence and belief that you have the same opportunity to do just as well as
everyone else. You need to tell yourself that and believe in that. There is nothing that I
can’t do that you can’t do. Have the courage to pursue it and believe that you can do it.

No reason why you can’t be the “Cindy VanDam” of the fishing world.
• What separates the greats in any sport is their confidence. No one is or can do it for you.
• Be willing to put yourself out there when tradition says otherwise.

• Set attainable goals. That doesn’t mean winning. What is a reasonable something you
can attain each time out? Maybe that is a top 5, 10 or 20 finish. Set goals each time so
that you have personal wins. Then when you do win an event, it is the icing on the cake.

• Be open and willing to learn from what didn’t work as well as what did work.

Images provided by Boyd Duckett Fishing Lady Bass Anglers Association 47