Entry 121-1

All About Emily Shaffer

Why Do You Fish the FLW

Editor's Note: In 2004, Strike King pro Emily Shaffer finished 5th in the Women's Bass Fishing Association (WBFA) and fished the FLW tour, one of the two largest national professional bass-fishing tournaments, for the first time. Emily, one of two ladies fishing FLW, laughed and said, "I caught bass in every FLW tournament. The only problem I had is everyone else caught more bass that I did." Emily is one of only two ladies fishing the FLW tournament, which is one of the two largest national professional bass tournaments.

SK: Why did you decide to start fishing an all-male tournament circuit?

Shaffer: I purely made a business decision. I've been fishing on the women's circuit for 15 years now, and some of my sponsors asked me to branch out and fish the FLW. I'm not crusading or trying to make any kind of political or gender statement. I'm just trying to meet the requests of my sponsors.

SK: How have you been accepted on the FLW?

Shaffer: I am an angler, and the fish don't really know the difference between me and the other anglers. As far as the fishermen, I haven't had any problems and have been treated with the utmost respect. I've been fortunate because I've worked consumer and manufacturer shows for years and know many fishermen, and they know me. I haven't had any uncomfortable moments, and hopefully they haven't either. I consider myself just one of the guys, and I believe they think of me the same way.

SK: How did you finish in the FLW this year?

Shaffer: I think I finished 197th. Like I said, I caught bass in every tournament. I just didn't catch enough fish to place really high. But this year was my first to fish the FLW, and I'm still learning.

SK: What did you learn this year while fishing the FLW circuit?

Shaffer: The main thing I've learned is how to fish a lot of different types of water in many different areas in the country. I've also learned how this tournament trail functions, how to go through their system of weigh-ins and many other mechanical aspects of the tournament trail. I think this year I got my feet wet on the FLW circuit, and hopefully next year, I'll do much better. I didn't find the fishing on the FLW circuit to be any different than it is on the women's circuit.

SK: Did you see that the men were fishing any different from you?

Shaffer: Not really, although they have many different techniques that I don't use. However, I have a lot of different techniques from theirs, but fishing is fishing.

SK: Did you learn anything new fishing the FLW this year?

Shaffer: Yes, I did. I've learned that I have to become a better dropshot fisherman. Dropshotting is a very good technique, and I have to learn how to use it more effectively.

SK: What were your most-productive techniques this year?

Shaffer: I did well flipping a jig and a tube or with a Carolina rig.

SK: Which tube do you like the best?

Shaffer: I really like the Denny Brauer tube with the solid head because it stays on the hook well, and I've caught a lot of bass on it."

SK: Why do you like the tube better than the jig?

Shaffer: I think that the fish see a lot of jigs, but I don't think they see as many tubes as they do jigs. That's why I think the tube is more effective. My two favorite tubes to throw are black-and-blue and black neon.

Next: How I Flip




 

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