Entry 285-5

How to Make Decisions That Help You Catch More Bass with Mark Menendez

Part 5: Leading the Last Day

Question: Mark, very rarely does an angler leading a tournament the last day win, and even fewer times does someone leading a tournament every day of the tournament win. If you’re leading on the last day, how do you make decisions that will help you clinch the win?

Menendez: To make the right choices on the last day if you’re in the lead, study carefully the days leading up to the last day to learn the reasons you’re in the lead. I determine if catching one or two key fish, being lucky or finding a really-good school of big bass every day of the tournament in one spot has been what’s catapulted me into the lead.

The two tournaments I won, I learned a solid pattern I felt would hold-up on the last day. I knew on the last day I should be able to catch the grade of fish I was catching throughout the tournament and win. If I see I’m on a pattern consistently producing the size and the number of bass I need to catch to win, I won’t abandon that pattern. However, if I’m having a consistent tournament, haven’t lost any fish, but I’m in the lead because I’ve caught one or two big bass, I’ll try to catch three or four keeper bass as quickly as I can. Then I’ll change tactics and fish for the bigger bass needed to win.

Too, you have to rely on the history of the lake. Determine if the lake you’re fishing has a history of producing a number of little bass, quality bass or big bass. I make my decision based on the history of the lake, the type of bass I need on the last day to win, the reason behind my lead position and the tactics I used. Based on that information, I’ll decide how to fish the last day.

Contents:

• Part 1: Stay Close or Run Far
• Part 2: Deciding to Change Lures
• Part 3: Why and When to Leave Biting Bass
• Part 4: I Don't Like Lightning
• Part 5: Leading the Last Day