Michael J. Baranowski
Dear editor:
The new column on fishing by Jeff Gustafson (“From the Livewell”) is interesting and helpful to the average angler, but the one that appeared in the Oct. 15 edition of the Times (“Pre-fishing the key to success come tournament time”) has no meaning on the subject in hand.
The questions asked of the teams were answered by a few that had distinct similarities while others were vastly different. In other words, some gave some of their ideas while others threw them a curve, which spells uncertainty and who do you believe?!
Do you think for one minute that they are willing to give up their bread-and-butter tactics so other anglers can benefit from it? Not a chance.
Pre-fishing has a very simple tactic and that is to find many spots, especially the “ugly spots.” What I mean by this is bass structure below the surface.
Spots above the surface are recognized by anyone and will not guarantee you on having it to yourself during the tournament.
As a “spotter” during the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, I have seen as many as a dozen boats fishing the same spot. Therefore, the team that finds more “ugly spots” will have the spot firsthand.
Checking the numbers on the motor that I saw fishing these spots were high up in the standings when the tournament was over.
This is not the answer to being in the top five as suggested as teams like the Lindners that won the FFCBC a couple of times have slipped down considerably.
A Fort Frances team that won the event is not even close to the top five, and have gone down to the bottom of the heap, so what does the top five prove by pre-fishing being “the key to success.”
In this article, Jim Moynagh’s turning point, which happened on the second day of the tournament, was contradictive to the main subject of the importance of pre-fishing.
No, there is no advantage of making the top five unless you find great and many spots that are hidden from the rest of the field.
Signed,
Michael J. Baranowski
Nestor Falls, Ont.
