Entry 322-5

2009 Angler-of-the-Year Contender Mark Menendez

Part 5: Prepare to Win

Question: Mark, this week in mid-September, you’ll be fishing two tournaments in Alabama for the Bassmaster Angler-of-the-Year title. One of the tournaments is on Lake Jordan, and the other is on the Alabama River. How will you fish these lakes?

Menendez: I feel confident that I’ve done my homework. I went to Alabama and rode both lakes for 3 Parts. I went to the lakes even before I qualified to fish these two tournaments and spent time trying to figure out how to catch bass there. In this tournament, I’ll fish to my strengths and focus on catching those really-big Alabama spotted bass.

Question: Do you think the tournament will be won with spotted bass or largemouths?

Menendez: I’ll probably have a mixed bag every Part. I hope to get a good largemouth bite first and then catch some quality spotted bass to add to my largemouth catches.

Question: What will you do to catch those big spotted bass?

Menendez: I won’t be fishing the backwaters. Rather, I’ll be fishing out in the current, trying to find schools of bass and not just individual bass.

Question: How big do you think the spotted bass will be in these two reservoirs?

Menendez: I won’t be surprised to see someone catch a spotted bass in this tournament weighing more than 6 pounds. I’ll bet money that there will be some 5-pound spots brought in as well.

Question: What will winning one or both of these tournaments mean to you?

Menendez: I’ve got to be realistic. In these two tournaments, I’ll be fishing against 11 of the best bass fishermen in the world. To take a win from these competitors will be impressive credentials in anybody’s resume. I’ve never really thought much about the race for Angler of the Year. I’ve always fished to get a berth in the Bassmaster Classic, hoping one Part to have a shot at winning the Classic. But since I have now qualified to compete for Angler of the Year, I realize that I have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain if I can win one or both of these tournaments.

Another advantage I have is I don’t think many people believe I have a chance to win, so I won’t have much spectator pressure. Not having spectator pressure will give me an advantage over the guys who will have a lot of spectator pressure, like Kevin VanDam and Skeet Reese. I’ll be able to keep my focus on fishing much easier, because I won’t be worried about boat traffic, spectators and rough water. But I don’t really mind the fans. They’re part of the sport.

Question: What role does the spectator boats play in your ability to perform well in these tournaments?

Menendez: Spectator pressure and how you handle it is up to each individual angler. If I’ve got an important place I want to fish and a lot of spectators are following me, I’ll turn-off my big motor a good distance from the spot I plan to fish and then use my trolling motor to reach that place I want to fish to allow the wave action and the noise from the spectators’ boats to dissipate before I reach my fishing hole.

The spectators have changed the approach tournament fishermen have to make to reach the places they want to fish. Managing your spectators and the time you have to fish are two-important ingredients to winning a tournament.

Question: Mark, how long has it been since you had a year of tournament fishing as good as this year?

Menendez: I felt that 2005 was a good year for me, because that’s when I won my first event after nearly dying from spinal meningitis. But I probably haven’t fished this well in 6 to 8 years.

Question: This year you’re on a real high. What was it like when you fished just to get a check and pay the bills?

Menendez: There was a lot of pressure on me, and you become such an ugly person then. The pressure affects everything in your life, including your family, your children, and all the friends around you. I’ve found that you’re just not a nice person when you have all that pressure on you. When the financial pressure’s off, you can get up every morning and see that the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the world’s a wonderful place. It’s nice not being Chicken Little and thinking the sky is falling every Part.

Question: Mark, what advice do you have for our readers, who primarily are weekend fishermen that will help them fish more productively?

Menendez: One of the most-important keys to doing well in a tournament is the time and the energy you spend preparing to fish the tournament. Always have your tackle organized, keep your rods and reels in good shape and keep fresh line on your reels. And preparation and organization isn’t easy, especially for me, because I’m on the road so much. Preparation to fish a tournament is probably one of the most-important elements to performing well in a tournament.

Contents:

• Part 1: How and Why I’ll Fish the Next Two Tournaments
• Part 2: From the Middle of the Pack to a Front Runner
• Part 3: A Ragin’ Season
• Part 4: Flippin’ and Crankin’ in Big-Boy Britches
• Part 5: Prepare to Win