Entry 277-4
How to Win with James Niggemeyer
Editor’s Note: The famous line from “The Gambler” with country-music star Kenny Rogers, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em,” is especially true for professional bass fishermen. The Strike King Pros’ careers, in many cases, are based on the decisions they make on the water before and during a tournament. This week, we’ll look at how James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, member of Strike King’s National Pro Team, makes the critical decision of when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em to win a tournament.
Part 4: Deciding When to Fold ‘Em
Question: James, when you’re on the water, and the weather’s bad, such as snow, sleet, ice, rain, thunder and lightning, how do you make the decision to leave the water? Has weather ever run you off the water?
Niggemeyer: Yes, weather has chased me off the water. When you’re faced with a matter of safety, you have to leave the water.
Question: What determines a matter of safety?
Niggemeyer: If you feel like you’re out of your element, and you can’t handle the water or the weather conditions, you need to leave the water. As long as I feel I can make sound decisions, I’ll stay on the water.
Questions: Tell me about a time you’ve left the water.
Niggemeyer: I’ve never left the water during a tournament, but I have left the open water and moved into a cove, behind a break or into a protected area to fish. 
I may not be fishing in the best place on the lake during bad weather, but I want to stay in competition and keep my lure in the water in an area I hope will hold bass during bad weather.
Question: Have you ever pulled into a boathouse during bad weather?
Niggemeyer: Yes, I have. We had a BASS tournament on Oneida Lake this year, and lightning was striking all around me. So, I ran from that part of the lake to a section of the lake where the storm was breaking up, and there wasn’t as much lighting and thunder. I only stayed in the boathouse long enough to let the weather clear-up. Then, I returned to my game plan.
Question: James, probably the hardest day of any tournament is the last day when you have a chance to win. How do you avoid the pressure that comes with the potential for ultimate success and make good, solid decisions?
Niggemeyer: If you’re catching bass like you’ve thought about, there are no decisions to make. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. 
But if the water, the weather or the fishing conditions have changed, and you’re not catching the bass the same way you have been the first 3 days, then you may want to change either the section of water you’re fishing, or the lures you’re using. I always pretend I’m behind the 8-ball, and I’ve got to produce bass to win. I fish aggressively and hard, as though I’m behind, even if I’m be in the lead. Bass fishing is a game of decision-making and problem-solving. The better you learn how to solve problems and make right decisions at the right time, the more consistently you’ll fish, and the higher you’ll place in any fishing tournament.
Next: The Woman Behind the Man
Contents:
- Part 1: How to Decide to Make a Long Run or Fish Close
- Part 2: When to Change Lures
- Part 3: When to Leave Fish that Are Biting
- Part 4: Deciding When to Fold ‘Em
- Part 5: The Woman Behind the Man
