But , it ’ s shoreline junk fishing where Lane excels . Keeping himself in the game . And while Lane utilized all of his fishing talents to stay in contention , it was his mindset that won the big one .
bobby beat the bank ( and the field )
First , we must consider the venue – specifically , the conditions . Grand Lake O ’ the Cherokees is never easy , and the lake did all it could do to beat a bank fisherman during REDCREST .
Grand is full of floating boat docks , to the point where fishing a stretch of shoreline can be a logistical nightmare . Anglers targeting shallow cover must go in , out and around so many docks that ’ s it ’ s feasible to spend more time trolling than casting . Such becomes quite the lesson in patience as the clock ticks down . The BPT format , with constant SCORETRACKER ® updates , just adds to the anxiety .
Couple this with the rising water greeting the 2022 RED- CREST field , which created two more obstacles : the inability for anglers to navigate under dock walkways and spend more time in productive areas , and an onslaught of dead leaves floating everywhere , fouling a high percentage of casts . Both worked against the bank beaters .
In all , this Grand Lake REDCREST may have been the most inefficient championship in history for a shallow-water angler . Lane wouldn ’ t let that bother him . Possibly credit to his Florida roots , Lane is used to cycling through long stretches of unproductive water in order to discover the juice . It ’ s a typical scenario in the Sunshine State . But once a Lane boy finds the zone , look out .
Lane was wired for this type of tournament , to some degree . He went in with the ability and the patience to challenge the vastly more efficient open-water anglers . In all , it ’ s likely that Lane ’ s lures were in front of the fewest bass of any top competitor in the finals . Yet , somehow , he caught the most weight .
But it almost didn ’ t happen , and may not have for any other angler .
bobby positive : overcoming a blunder
Midway through the final fishing day , Lane had a lapse of judgement . With a 4-pound bass securely hooked on his jig , Lane pressured the fish and tried a rushed boat flip , only to break his line . Fast forward about four hours , and Lane would find himself less than 2 pounds down with 10 minutes to go .
Surely , the earlier fish loss – one that Lane admitted was unquestionably preventable – weighed on his mind . He had let the championship slip away by his own hand .
“ I had to mentally block all of that out of my head . I tried to erase that , and I did ,” Lane said .
It ’ s a lesson in commitment . As a young man , Lane was nicknamed “ Bobby Humble ” by his dad . Through his father ’ s guidance , he was taught to remain centered and wait his turn . To “ be as humble as possible , no matter what situation you ’ re in .” He ’ d rely on that gameplan when he needed it most .
Lane had done the majority of his damage in Drowning Creek , specifically a stair-stepped section with deep-water access , allowing the bass to set up on a quick drop . Suckers for a crankbait , Lane had their number and could almost call his shot in earlier rounds .
PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE
But the final day brought a change . With warming conditions , the bass abandoned the hotspot and instead migrated shallower . Still patiently waiting , Lane took off after them . “ I knew I could still have a 20-pound third period in Drowning Creek ; I just had to figure out where to do that ,” Lane said .
Earlier in the week , Lane noted a few shallower docks in the area , but hadn ’ t investigated further . Open minded , he gave them a try , pitching his jig around any likely target , mostly in the shallowest section .
Moving quickly , Lane set into the fish that would essentially win the event for him , a surprise monster that ate his jig as he navigated around the back of a dock . An impossible fish to land ; line draped across two sections of steel cable , Lane stayed focused , took his time when he needed it most , and humbly lip-locked the 6-pound monster . A few minutes later , he would catch the 2-pound squeaker to overtake Jacob Wheeler .
Astute fans would note Lane ’ s message to the cameras in between the two fish catches , when he was still more than a pound down . “ We have six minutes to go . Plenty of time .” Thirty years of competition , heartache and near misses , comes down to six minutes . Six minutes for the biggest title of your life . One which should be in the bag , if not for a costly blunder .
Plenty of time for Bobby Humble .
JUNE-JULY 2022 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 23