PHOTO BY JOSH GASSMANN
“ I ’ m fishing for me ,” Reese says . “ I ’ ve accomplished a lot in my career , and I ’ ve learned that one tournament does not define me .”
In the past , Reese has been vocal about his pursuit of perfection through attitude . There ’ s only so much an angler can control .
“ I focus on the process of each tournament – not the outcome ,” he adds . “ I can only control the process .”
Part of the process is the use of lures and techniques that fit his style , regardless of tournament location . “ All strengths and no fear ,” as Reese puts it . He enters each event with no preconceived notions or forced patterns . Everything is wide open from the opening bell . Neal concurs , to some degree . “ I ’ m going to fish the way I want to , so that ’ s all the tackle I keep in my boat ,” he explains . “ I try to fish on instinct .”
Neal insists on a principle he terms “ no no-confidence baits .” In other words , there ’ s no place in his repertoire for unproven lures or unfamiliar methods .
Of interest , however , is Neal ’ s removal from fishing when he ’ s not on the tournament trail .
“ When I ’ m home , I don ’ t fish ; I try not to even think about fishing ,” he admits .
We ’ ve heard this before from other pros , most notably Andy Morgan . Neal feels his routine puts him in a higher gear once he ’ s on location and helps keep his strategy manageable . “ Too much prep equals too much in my head ,” he admits . It ’ s true . Attitude can be everything . Just ask Reese . “ Life , in general , can be a mindset ,” he says . “ It ’ s easy to get caught up in the negativity . I realized it doesn ’ t have to be that way . Just because I lost a fish , let ’ s say , doesn ’ t mean my career is over . The key is to get back to focus ; to regain control .” Neal seems to always be in control from the start . “ I ’ m pretty laid back ,” he says . “ I hardly ever get frustrated on the water , but I ’ m a lot more open now than ever , in terms of fishing .”
PHOTO BY COBI PELLERITO
Undoubtedly , Neal ’ s open attitude has helped . Case in point : At the season ’ s final event , Neal had discovered a rock pile pattern that kept him in contention . In between spots , however , he found a grass line that held enough fish for a strong finish . In the past , Neal insists he never would have been open to trying new things with so much on the line .
Staying flexible is the key to dissecting each new fishery . Just like Reese , Neal is immediately focused once practice begins . He moves quickly .
“ I don ’ t need to be flipping . I need to be winding ,” Neal says . “ Everywhere we go , there ’ s an area where I can fish that way – even in Florida .”
Of particular interest , both Neal and Reese are quick to credit their no-holds-barred fishing approach to competition on the Bass Pro Tour .
“ The BPT forces you to practice on the fly , constantly expanding ,” Neal says . “ There are no slack times .”
“ You have to be always catching fish – always ,” Reese says . “ I ’ ve learned that if you keep catching fish of any size , quality fish will come with them .”
Even in other formats , like the five-fish-limit format on the Pro Circuit , Reese ’ s plan is to keep on catching .
As the sport progresses , so too does the level of competition . Angler of the Year races get tighter , requiring nearly flawless performances at each stop to be in contention . Top pros like Reese and Neal , who compete on multiple circuits , see venue changes weekly . They have no choice but to fly by the seat of their pants .
This open approach allows competitors to fish without history , running patterns as they develop . We ’ re seeing now how beneficial this approach can be to competitors who fearlessly stick to the plan . In the long run , we ’ d all surely benefit from the same practice .
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 27