| The "PRO JOCK" Corner |
Here it is! The place where you
we will answer all the questions
you didn't know you had. Lot's
of information, no BS. Okay,
maybe some BS, but it wouldn't
be fishing without it.......
we will answer all the questions
you didn't know you had. Lot's
of information, no BS. Okay,
maybe some BS, but it wouldn't
be fishing without it.......
Mike Elkins
Parchment, MI
Team Triton Boats
Mercury Pro Team
Parchment, MI
Team Triton Boats
Mercury Pro Team
Today we’re going to talk about “running”, no not with your new Nikes but with your
boat. At the Last BFL I learned a valuable lesson, just because your boat can go
that far and get back doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I have long thought that making
a long run was a sign of genius or desperation, my run fell in the latter. My Triton
and Merc combo ran flawlessly from Elizabeth Park to Fawn Island and back. Don’t
get me wrong it was a great ride in the boat but I spent most of my time driving and
not fishing, which is cool if the fish are there but sucks if they’re not. So before you
make that big long run next time think of this.
If you’re going to burn more in gas than first place pays, don’t go.
If you need to apologize to your co-angler before you leave, don’t go.
If you’re back hurts from the run you made 3 weeks ago, don’t go.
If a guy that knows a guy who knows a guy says he heard they are “on fire” don’t go.
If that little voice in your head (the normal one, not the sick one) says don’t go.
Listen to him and fish at the launch. It almost always works out better.
Pro Jock Basser
Mike Elkins
boat. At the Last BFL I learned a valuable lesson, just because your boat can go
that far and get back doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I have long thought that making
a long run was a sign of genius or desperation, my run fell in the latter. My Triton
and Merc combo ran flawlessly from Elizabeth Park to Fawn Island and back. Don’t
get me wrong it was a great ride in the boat but I spent most of my time driving and
not fishing, which is cool if the fish are there but sucks if they’re not. So before you
make that big long run next time think of this.
If you’re going to burn more in gas than first place pays, don’t go.
If you need to apologize to your co-angler before you leave, don’t go.
If you’re back hurts from the run you made 3 weeks ago, don’t go.
If a guy that knows a guy who knows a guy says he heard they are “on fire” don’t go.
If that little voice in your head (the normal one, not the sick one) says don’t go.
Listen to him and fish at the launch. It almost always works out better.
Pro Jock Basser
Mike Elkins
Kendall Ulsh a.k.a. KDawg
Schoolcraft, MI
Team Skeeter Boats
Okuma High Performance Tackle
Shuberts Rite Bite Baits
Vicious Fishing
Lake Drive Marine Fishing Team
D&R Sports Center
Schoolcraft, MI
Team Skeeter Boats
Okuma High Performance Tackle
Shuberts Rite Bite Baits
Vicious Fishing
Lake Drive Marine Fishing Team
D&R Sports Center
Not everyone has the answers all the time, and few of us have the time to find all the answers.
So what is the key to being a competitive angler every time you hit the water? Well, I have
learned some important and instrumental lessons that changed the way I approach
tournaments, and that have had a huge impact on my success. I believe that the biggest key
to being a top fisherman, whether its as a boater or co-angler, is to take advantage of what
you are given. I'm guilty of it, and many others as well, have put themselves in positions where
they feel they have to win to justify their participation. As if competing against 120 of the
country's best anglers on their body of water isn't enough, now you have hinged your financial
well being on the outcome of a tournament. I avoided the pressure this year, and took the
road less traveled. It's sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but don't let your ego get in the way of
your happiness. Competing as a co-angler in the BFL Series may have cost me the respect of
some of my peers, but I only have to answer to myself. And not only did I lessen the financial
burden of pursuing my dream, I increased my confidence in my ability to catch fish under any
circumstance, and compete with the best. You never know, you may come out just as I did. I
can say with complete certainty that I learned alot about fishing, and alot more about myself.
So for anyone who says co-anglers are less than the rest, I'd like to see you try it.......
KDawg
Pro Jock Co-Angler
So what is the key to being a competitive angler every time you hit the water? Well, I have
learned some important and instrumental lessons that changed the way I approach
tournaments, and that have had a huge impact on my success. I believe that the biggest key
to being a top fisherman, whether its as a boater or co-angler, is to take advantage of what
you are given. I'm guilty of it, and many others as well, have put themselves in positions where
they feel they have to win to justify their participation. As if competing against 120 of the
country's best anglers on their body of water isn't enough, now you have hinged your financial
well being on the outcome of a tournament. I avoided the pressure this year, and took the
road less traveled. It's sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but don't let your ego get in the way of
your happiness. Competing as a co-angler in the BFL Series may have cost me the respect of
some of my peers, but I only have to answer to myself. And not only did I lessen the financial
burden of pursuing my dream, I increased my confidence in my ability to catch fish under any
circumstance, and compete with the best. You never know, you may come out just as I did. I
can say with complete certainty that I learned alot about fishing, and alot more about myself.
So for anyone who says co-anglers are less than the rest, I'd like to see you try it.......
KDawg
Pro Jock Co-Angler
Mike Elkins a.k.a. Big Cobra
Parchment, MI
Team Triton Boats
Mercury Pro Team
Parchment, MI
Team Triton Boats
Mercury Pro Team
Ok,
The season is over and if you’re from Michigan you’re trying to figure out how in the world you
are going to make it through to spring. Cold, Ice, and the like are gonna kill me if I don’t get to
fish. A really good option is to sign up to fish a southern tournament either as a boater or a non
boater. Last year I fished the BASS Elite tournament on Lake Kissimmee in Florida. My folks live
about 5 miles away from the launch so I flew down and spent time with them and got on the
water. It was awesome and I learned a lot. Got good sunburn and charged my batteries. This
year neither the Elites nor FLW tour are going to Florida, but there are several good chances to
fish in the warm weather in January or February in the southern states as a boater or non boater.
I think that BASS made a mistake in getting rid of the co anglers this year. First I’m disappointed
because it really was something to fish with these guys, all positive in my book. They’ve talked
about taking the sport to the next level, that the co angler was an X factor sometimes helping
sometimes hurting the outcome of the tournament. While that may be true, they are after a fish
aren’t they. Aren’t bass the ultimate X factor? You know the smallies that moved last night, the
largies that won’t bite today even though you know they are there? Seems the Co’s were a very
small part of the equation and like Rick Clunn recently said I feel like the Elites have lost
something, not gained…
Mike Elkins
Pro Jock Fisherman
The season is over and if you’re from Michigan you’re trying to figure out how in the world you
are going to make it through to spring. Cold, Ice, and the like are gonna kill me if I don’t get to
fish. A really good option is to sign up to fish a southern tournament either as a boater or a non
boater. Last year I fished the BASS Elite tournament on Lake Kissimmee in Florida. My folks live
about 5 miles away from the launch so I flew down and spent time with them and got on the
water. It was awesome and I learned a lot. Got good sunburn and charged my batteries. This
year neither the Elites nor FLW tour are going to Florida, but there are several good chances to
fish in the warm weather in January or February in the southern states as a boater or non boater.
I think that BASS made a mistake in getting rid of the co anglers this year. First I’m disappointed
because it really was something to fish with these guys, all positive in my book. They’ve talked
about taking the sport to the next level, that the co angler was an X factor sometimes helping
sometimes hurting the outcome of the tournament. While that may be true, they are after a fish
aren’t they. Aren’t bass the ultimate X factor? You know the smallies that moved last night, the
largies that won’t bite today even though you know they are there? Seems the Co’s were a very
small part of the equation and like Rick Clunn recently said I feel like the Elites have lost
something, not gained…
Mike Elkins
Pro Jock Fisherman
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