By Steve Graf    

I’ve always wondered what makes one athlete better than another. Why do some excel more than others? Is there a secret pill or an exercise regimen that makes them better? Well today we’ll ask the same questions about bass tournament anglers.

I’ve heard for years that no angler has learned anything without another angler telling them. While this might be true in a few cases, I’m not sure that’s the case with everyone.

So many of today’s anglers have learned so much through the internet and on YouTube. You can literally learn any technique and know when to use it simply by watching a YouTube channel.

Want to learn how to use your electronics? Watch YouTube! Want to learn about a drop-shot, Carolina Rig, or how to flip a jig? Watch YouTube! Want to understand how to fix an issue with your boat? Watch YouTube! It’s an endless resource of information.

But the older generation of anglers, like me, has learned through trial and error. We’ve learned from other anglers who came before us how to get better or how to fix an issue we’re having with our boats. We didn’t always have the internet as a resource. But there was one resource that came by mail once a month: Bassmaster Magazine!

This was my generation’s internet. Every issue in the mailbox addressed everything from different ways to catch bass, to how to replace a water pump or change the oil in the lower unit of the motor. Today, I’m still a subscriber to not only Bassmaster Magazine, but another publication called B.A.S.S. Times.

But just like great athletes, there’s something different about anglers who win more than others. The first thing I have noticed is their confidence level is usually high. They believe in what they are doing to catch bass and they understand bass behavior.

Another trait I’ve noticed is how the top anglers tend to think outside of the box. They don’t follow common trends or thought patterns other anglers do. Most of these winning anglers tend to do things a little differently.

I believe that the great anglers like Kevin Van Dam, Dustin Connell, Jacob Wheeler and the late Aaron Martens, each possess a sixth sense. They tend to think a little differently than the average bear. They don’t always follow traditional thinking when it comes to how they should be catching bass.

A phrase commonly used by these exceptional anglers is that “they let the fish tell them what and how they want the bait.” Saying this to the average angler means nothing, but to the great anglers, it explains a lot.

They don’t try to force a technique onto the bass. Every angler always has a game plan going into the tournament based on what and how they caught bass in practice. But on tournament day, the great anglers are not afraid to abandon that game plan and change their approach in the middle of the day.

I’ve also found that great anglers are really good at reading the water. To those who don’t bass fish, this is something that’s a gift that not all anglers have. They can literally walk up to the edge of the lake and tell you how they will catch them on that day just by looking at the water.

The great anglers have abilities just like great athletes. They have intangibles that make them special that some call the ‘it” factor. You can’t coach “it,” you’re born with “it.”

While all anglers can get better by spending time on the water, reading magazines or watching You Tube videos, there will always be those anglers who possess something that cannot be measured…God-given talent!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com