Entry 174-5

Shaw Grigsby at Table Rock

Day 5: Mentally Preparing for the Next Tournament

Editor’s Note: When fishing gets tough, the tough get fishing. They don’t panic, and they don’t get in a frenzy. They know the techniques that should catch bass, and they also realize that you can have a perfect day of fishing and strike out. Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Florida, just completed the B.A.S.S. Legends Tournament in August 2006 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Out of a field of 50 of the best bass fishermen in the nation, he came in fourth and won $23,000. But the story of what he did, and why he did it has lessons to teach us all. And this week, we’ll let Grigsby explain what to do when fishing gets tough.

I’m going into the next tournament really excited for these reasons.

• I’ve fished against 50 of the best bass fishermen in the nation.
• I finished the first two days of competition in 12th place and made the cut to six.
• I led the tournament for a day.
• I caught big fish for a day.
• I finished fourth against 50 of the best anglers in the nation.
• I went home with a $23,000 paycheck.

When you look at the tournament in the light of these facts, I had an extremely-good tournament, even though I didn’t win. Looking at the cup half full instead of half empty is what helps me get up for the next tournament. If I fish and finish in the top 15 in this tournament, I’ll make the Bassmaster Classic. So I’m very excited about this next tournament. I wished I could’ve left Little Rock immediately after the tournament was over, driven to Table Rock that night and started competing the next day. But since we’ve got a couple of weeks off, I’ve got to film two TV shows. My focus will be on television and not tournament bass fishing. But as soon as we finish these TV shows, I’m headed to Table Rock, and I’ll be trying to get my head back into tournament fishing to carry the momentum that I got from this great tournament at Little Rock into my next tournament.

Although I didn’t catch a fish on the last day, and I finished in fourth rather than first place, I still carried home a $23,000 paycheck and led the tournament for one day. Even though I had a bad day on the last day, the rest of the tournament was very positive for me. So I believe I have positive momentum going into the next tournament. I’m never happy that I lose, or that I didn’t win, but I’m a realist. I understand I’m fishing against the best bass fishermen in the world. And when you’re fishing at that level of competition and on a lake as tough as what we fished, I feel really proud to have finished fourth. And I’m going to take that enthusiasm into the next tournament.

I’m often asked how I get up for a tournament, even after 34 years of active competition. And my answer is really simple. I have a passion for the sport of tournament bass fishing. I really love it. The hardest part for me is to stay focused on my fishing. As soon as I get off the water from a day of tournament fishing, I’ve got to think about television, contacts, sponsors, the Bassmaster Classic, my family, etc. – and that’s if none of my equipment breaks down. So getting focused and staying focused is hard when I’m in competition. The more things I’m doing, the more difficult it becomes to stay focused on my fishing. But to win a tournament, I must stay focused, stay immersed in the tournament and try to not let outside distractions creep in when you’re fishing.

Contents:

• Part 1: The Tournament Begins
• Part 2: The Next Days of the Tournament
• Part 3: The Last Day of the Tournament
• Part 4: Did I Win or Lose?
• Part 5: Mentally Preparing for the Next Tournament