The mentality of focusing on return
on investment is one Ebare thinks many
pros don’t consider, but that he believes
is imperative to his success.
strategy up north, too. Prior to com-
peting in the 2018 Series event on Lake
Champlain, he had never fished big
Northern waters for smallmouths, so
to grasp the associated foreign fishing
tactics, Ebare spent the summer on
Champlain honing his skills, which
paid dividends on repeat trips.
Then in 2019, he made his boldest
move toward success in professional
fishing through unwavering dedication
toward competition. By remaining
always in “tournament mode,” there’s
no time for him to adopt anything but a
“tournament mentality.”
“Making decisions; it’s what sepa-
rates the best from the rest,” he adds.
“Bryan Thrift is better at making deci-
sions than anyone else. The only way to
get a grasp on that is to go and do it.”
That’s why, in 2019 and 2020, all of
Ebare’s efforts have been dedicated
strictly to competition, unlike some of
his early “training” on Rayburn and
Champlain.
“Most pros travel to one, maybe two
events a month. I’m traveling to three,
so I need to be able to retain informa-
tion fast,” says Ebare, who believes such
a baptism by fire has forced him to
advance more quickly in the sport than
many other competitors. “I’ve come
very far in the last five years, due totally
to time on the water in competition.”
Return on (Fishing) Investment
Though ROI is usually measured
financially, Ebare argues the return can
also be one of knowledge, used later to
push farther ahead.
For instance, last season, Ebare com-
mitted to a grueling schedule, and he
came out the other side with a much
better game plan for handling vital
equipment preparation.
“Tackle management was one thing
that held me back; I learned that imme-
diately,” he says. “I found out through
trial and error how to do that better, and
be more prepared for anything, because
I had no extra time to prepare.
“I also learned how to be more effi-
cient, how to pack and how to be com-
fortable on the road.”
Ebare’s journey also taught him how
to operate within a manageable range of
techniques and tackle.
“I’ve worked hard to be as versatile
as I can be, but I found it’s important to
keep it simple,” he says. “Don’t over-
think it. You don’t need 12 colors of
every plastic in your boat.”
Another Marathon
During 2020, Ebare plans to continue
full steam ahead. His tentative schedule
includes 11 Toyota Series events in four
divisions, as well as the seven regular-
season stops on the Tackle Warehouse
Pro Circuit. He might even fish a couple
of Phoenix Bass Fishing League present-
ed by T-H Marine tournaments.
Does he ever tire of the non-stop
action? Whatever happened to kicking
back on the lake with buddies?
“I just love competing and challenging
myself,” says Ebare. “And anytime I have
the opportunity to do that, I will.”
An extended stay up
north helped Ebare
learn open-water
smallmouth fishing.
While fishing so many tournaments
might sound like a logistical nightmare,
according to Ebare, there’s actually a
logistical advantage: Bouncing from
tournament to tournament results in
less back-and-forth travel, and actually
reduces overall drive time. Ebare has a
handle on the planning.
“I look at the schedules and prepare
a flow chart for the most logical travel
from one event to the next,” he says.
Occasionally, an early-season event
will help Ebare prepare for a tourna-
ment scheduled for later in the season
on the same body of water, which was
the case last year at Lake Chickamauga,
where Ebare competed in both the
Series in late March and FLW Tour
in May.
Finally, Ebare’s system is one based
on business sense.
“I also need to pay my bills,” he says.
“If I go practice on a lake and don’t fish a
tournament, I have no chance to recover
my investment.”
Dealing with Logistics
APRIL-MAY 2020 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | FLWFISHING.COM
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