Entry 287-3
Denny Brauer Predicts How the Strike King Pros Will Do in the 2009 Classic
Editor’s Note: With the 2009 Bassmaster Classic only a few weeks away in Shreveport, Louisiana, on the Red River, Strike King asked its pro Denny Brauer to analyze the conditions that the four Strike King Pros, who will be fishing the Classic – Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Florida; Mark Davis of Mt. Ida, Arkansas; and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, Louisiana – will face. A professional angler for 28 years, Brauer has fished with and against these pros during their careers. Brauer, who has participated in 19 Bassmaster Classics since 1980 and took home first place in 1998, was also named Angler of the Year in 1987.
Part 3: Mark Davis
Question: How do you think Mark Davis will perform in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic?
Brauer: Mark lives closer to the Red River than either Kevin VanDam or Shaw Grigsby. Too, he may have fished regional tournaments or fun-fished on the Red River in years past. Mark won the 1995 Classic, so he won’t be wowed by the crowd, the media or the event. Mark is primarily known as a deep-water fisherman, and that’s where he fishes best. If Mark fishes the Carolina rig or his deep-diving crankbait, he’s a threat to win any event he enters. But what some people don’t know about Mark is that he’s a master of Strike King’s Red Eye Shad and Series 3 crankbait.
If the Red River region has cold-water conditions, Mark really can do well at the Classic. 
Mark knows how to fish slowly, take cover apart and get a bass to bite by making repeated casts to the same target.I think bad weather and water conditions will play more to Mark’s strengths than good weather and water conditions will.
Question: How will Mark deal with the spectator pressure?
Brauer: Mark’s a very-quiet guy who talks slowly but thinks a lot. He knows how to position his boat and deal with spectators to minimize the effects they will have on his fishing. I don’t think Mark will be shy about speaking-up if a spectator pulls into an area he’s planning on fishing. I don’t think Mark will allow spectators to mess-up his fishing water or break-up his concentration. Mark will take control of the situation with the spectators, and that’s exactly what you have to do as a tournament pro. You can’t be shy at the Bassmaster Classic when you’re competing for $1/2 million. You have to take control of a crowd. If spectators are entering an area you’re about to fish, you have to let them know that. Hopefully, Mark will have a camera crew following him around, and the camera crews usually take care of that type of situation.
Question: What other lures will Mark likely use in the Classic?
Brauer: I think the Red Eye Shad will not only be important to Mark but to all the competitors. Mark also will fish a jig when he needs to, and he’s very effective with it. But if the water’s a little dirty, I’ll be looking for Mark to be fishing with a Strike King Series 3 or Series 4 crankbait, and maybe even a Series 5 crankbait.
Next: Greg Hackney
Contents:
- Part 1: Kevin VanDam
- Part 2: Shaw Grigsby
- Part 3: Mark Davis
- Part 4: Greg Hackney
- Part 5: Denny Brauer on Classic Pressures
