Entry 339-1
Ways I Hate to Fish with Denny Brauer
Editor’s Note: One of the most-versatile and most-successful fisherman on the BASS circuit is Denny Brauer of Camdenton, Missouri, who has earned more than $3 million in tournament winnings from fishing BASS and other tournament circuits, not including his endorsements and sponsors. Although he’s tagged as a flipper and a pitcher, Brauer primarily fishes the jigging spoon, one of his favorite tactics, and also is deadly with the drop-shot.
Brauer also is noted for his quick wit and his love of aggravating the press. When asked about the five ways he hates to fish, he smiled and said, “There’s no way I don’t like to fish. I love to fish every tactic and every lure, and I love every body of water where I tournament fish.” When you see the twinkle in Brauer’s eye and a smile as big as a Cheshire cat on his face after this type of statement, you instantly know he’s hooked you again. He finishes with the words, “I have no negative thoughts at all about fishing.” Then finally, with a big smile he says, “Okay, I’ll throw you some bread crumbs.” This week, we’ll learn Brauer’s five ways he hates to fish, and how we can use this wisdom to become better bass fishermen.
Part 1: I Hate Gin-Clear Water
Many times on the BASS circuit we’ll fish lakes where you can see down 20- or 30-feet deep. The main reason I hate that clear water is because I’m so limited in the number of techniques I can use to catch bass under these conditions. When we arrive at a lake this clear, such as Lake Mead in Nevada, I know I’ll have to leave most of my favorite lures and tackle in my rod locker. To be competitive on these type lakes, I’ll have to fish with tactics and lures I don’t consider my strong suits. I’ll have to put down my flipping stick and baitcasting rod, pick up a spinning rod with 6- to 8-pound-test line and downsize my lures to crappie-fishing-sized lures.
Too, I don’t like clear water because I don’t fish under these conditions enough to like to fish in that kind of water. I don’t think downsized lures and finesse fishing will win many tournaments, except in extremely-clear lakes. 
There are so few lakes in the U.S. where you find water you can see 20- to 30-feet deep. If you study the sport of bass fishing, you won’t see finesse fishing winning many tournaments. Finesse fishing may play a role in some tournaments and cause you to bring some bass to the scales, but rarely, if ever, will a tournament be won strictly on finesse fishing.
Most tournaments are won by power fishing with jigs, spinner baits and crankbaits. When I’m forced to finesse fish on one of those clear lakes, I feel like I’ve gone fishing, but not like I’m fishing to win, which is primarily my focus. I don’t like fishing for second place or to try to get a check. When I enter a tournament, I plan to win.
Next: Going Down the Highway
Contents:
- Part 1: I Hate Gin-Clear Water
- Part 2: Going Down the Highway
- Part 3: I Hate the Things I Can't Control
- Part 4: How to Control Out-of-Control
- Part 5: I Hate Growing Up and Bad Weather
