Entry 25-4

Randy Dearman on Professional Bass Fishing

Teaching the Sport of Bass Fishing

Editor's Note: Randy Dearman of Onalaska, Texas, has fished professionally for 20 years, and he's competed in seven BASS Masters Classics.

Question: What do you think about teaching youngsters or women who don't normally fish how to fish? How would you teach them? What equipment would you suggest? What is the first step?

Dearman: I really enjoy fishing with kids, women and anybody who doesn't know a lot about fishing. I think any newcomer to the sport needs to start fishing with good equipment. I'd rather start them with a casting reel and a rod that they can handle real easy. Basically, you want them to learn to cast with their wrists and not to try and use their arms at all. I teach them to let their rods do all the work.

I teach them to start with little, short casts, and then they can extend them on out. I always tell them to keep their elbows against their bodies so all they can use is their wrists because the rod and your wrist is where you get all the casting ability. You see people trying to use their whole arm, and they make it so hard. If they'll keep their elbows up against their sides where they can't use anything but their wrists, they'll learn to cast much easier and a lot faster.

Question: How does someone learn how to bass fish if he or she doesn't know anyone who participates in the sport?

Dearman: I'd tell them to read good bass-fishing magazines and watch as many of the bass-fishing television shows as they can. They also need to go to some of the seminars that Strike King puts on around the country and just get as much knowledge as they can. They also need to hire a guide. They should pay attention to everything that guide teaches them.

Question: What would you suggest after they learn how to fish? What's the next level? Should they get a boat? If so, would you suggest they get a johnboat, or would you suggest they go a step up?

Dearman: I would say what size boat someone buys depends on the size of the body of water that you plan to fish. If he or she plans to fish big, open bodies of water, you need good, safe equipment so you don't want to go out there in a little johnboat. Now if they plan to fish small lakes and ponds, they can get away with fishing out of smaller boats.

The boat is not going to catch the fish. But, I sure wouldn't tell somebody to go out in Lake Erie in a johnboat. They don't have to have all the whistles and bells on their boats. There will be days that you can fish some of the bigger lakes in a smaller boat, but don't let the weather get you in trouble.
 

© 1996-2008 Strike King Lure Company