Entry 67-5
George Cochran On How He Started Professionally Fishing For Bass
Looking Back
Editor's Note: Fifty-three-year-old George Cochran has won two Bassmaster Classics in 1987 and 1996, more than a million dollars in tournament fishing and has finished first six times at BASS tournaments. Known as Gentleman George on the professional bass fishing circuit because of his quiet, courteous demeanor, he's as good as it gets when it comes to fishing. Cochran has had 47 top-10 finishes on the BASS tournament trail alone. This week we'll get up close and personal with the man known as Gentleman George.
Question: Do you look back at your career as a railroad man and wonder what life would've been like if you'd stayed on the railroad and not chased your dream to be a professional fisherman?
Cochran: It's actually funny. I keep in contact with all my railroad friends. Of the 15 friends that I keep up with, almost all of them have retired early or been rolled-back. The railroad is a hard life since you're on the road all the time. It's not a bad life for a young man, but when you get older the grind really gets to you. That's the reason most trainmen retire early.
Question: How long do you think you can stay in competitive fishing?
Cochran: I'm 53 now and feel good. I think I'm fishing better now than I ever have, even though my tournament winnings don't show it. When I first started fishing tournaments, there'd be 100 pros at the tournament. Realistically, you only competed against about 50 of those pros. In today's tournaments there are about 200 pros competing. Out of those 200, about 150 pros are extremely competitive.
I believe it's three times harder to do well in tournaments today than it was when I first started. The sport of bass fishing has more good young fishermen than ever. There is so much knowledge available to young fishermen on television, videos, seminars, in books and magazines that wasn't available 20 years ago. Young fishermen have a better chance of learning the sport faster than we did when we first started.
Technology also has gotten much better, too. With the increased competition and technology, I have to work harder and learn more to stay competitive. I'd like to think I could compete until I'm at least 65, and I don't think that's an impossible dream. The secret of bass fishing is staying competitive, not how young and strong you are. The important thing is the knowledge of where and how to catch bass. A pro angler can find and catch fish and earn a living in this sport as long as he stays mentally alert and can cast a rod.
Question: What would you like written on your tombstone at the end of your career and life?
Cochran: I've made a lot of friends fishing. I love what I do for a living, and I believe all fishermen are my friends. I don't knowingly have enemies. I've always tried to be as nice and polite as I can to everyone. I like the nickname that I've been given -- Gentleman George. That's what I'd like on my tombstone: Here Lies Gentleman George.
Contents:
- Part 1: From Choo-Choos To Bass Fishing
- Part 2: Moving Up The Ladder
- Part 3: The Big Decision
- Part 4: The Success Continues
- Part 5: Looking Back
