Entry 296-3

James Niggemeyer – Bassmaster Champ in March, 2009 on Toledo Bend

Part 3: The Second Day of Competition

Question: James, because the first day of competition was cancelled, the second day you fished was really the last day of competition. What was your game plan?

Niggemeyer: I was in 8th place and knew I’d fished well the first day. I decided that if I continued my strategy from the previous day, I had a chance to win. I really needed to be able to see bigger bass and use the tactics I’d learned the first day to get those bass to bite on the second day. However, by 11:00 am, I only had two bass.

Question: Why didn’t you panic at 11:00 am when you only had two bass going into the final competition day?

Niggemeyer: I’ve learned over the years that to sight-fish for bass effectively, you have to make an all-day commitment to that style of fishing. You can go from a goat to a hero by finding one big bass that will bite. When I’m sight-fishing, I spend most of my time on the water looking for bass instead of trying to catch bass. Over the years, I’ve seen on many occasions that successful sight-fishing takes patience. Sight-fishing isn’t a safe tactic because you may show-up at the weigh-in with very-few fish. If you’re successful, oftentimes you’ll have the opportunity to do well in a tournament. But if you’re not successful, you really can lose big. However, I have a lot of confidence in sight-fishing because I’ve spent years on Lake Fork in Texas practicing this technique and being successful with it.

Question: Most sight fishermen depend heavily on their sunglasses. How critical were sunglasses to you, and what sunglasses did you wear in this tournament?

Niggemeyer: I wore the brand-new Strike King Twilight sunglasses.

Question: Why did you choose those sunglasses?

Niggemeyer: A sight-fisherman wants bright, bluebird days, so he can see the fish. That kind of day was exactly the opposite of the day we had at Toledo Bend. The area had wind and was overcast with brief periods where the sun would peek between the clouds, and the wind would die. But for the most part, the week was challenging for a sight-fisherman. Those Twilight sunglasses, with a light, amber yellow tint, allowed me to see in those low-light conditions, and they brightened-up the water and the bass, so I could see them better. Those sunglasses played a major role in my ability to win.

Question: What was your biggest bass?

Niggemeyer: My biggest bass weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces. I spent an hour trying to catch that bass. At certain points during that period, I said to myself, “I don’t know if I can catch this bass.” I started to leave the bass two or three times, but I kept thinking I could make that bass bite. Finally, I was able to draw a reaction strike out of that bass with Strike King’s Rage Lizard by allowing the bass to swim right up to the bait and then letting the bait drop right in front of the bass’s nose.

Question: How many pounds did you have at the end of competition?

Niggemeyer: I had 19 pounds, 10 ounces, and I was tied for first place.

Next: It's a Tie!

Contents:

• Part 1: The Game Plan
• Part 2: First Day of a Now 2-Day Tournament
• Part 3: The Second Day of Competition
• Part 4: It's a Tie!
• Part 5: The Last-Day Fish-Off