COLUMN : NEWELL ’ S NOTES
capacity to multitask on both a micro and macro level . At any given moment , they ’ re processing a multitude of things mentally .
During period breaks at Bass Pro Tour events , it ’ s nothing for Neal to strip off his rain gear , eat a snack , retie a couple FG knots and do a live interview simultaneously . When a tournament day is over , Wheeler will be organizing tackle , doing a daily YouTube recap , eating dinner and playing cards – all while talking on the phone . The multifunctional pace these two anglers keep all day long in exceptional . I struggle to just keep up with carrying keys and a wallet at the same time .
Even on a larger scale , their multitasking abilities are amazing . In addition to tournament fishing , Wheeler is a husband and dedicated father of two , runs a successful YouTube channel , runs the Wheeler Fishing Foundation , is building a house , pre-practicing all over the country and still has time to attend social events with friends and family .
Outside of tournaments , Neal runs his Dayton Boat Dock and Grill establishment on Chickamauga , manages his Real Deal tackle shop and even farms , harvesting soybeans and corn in the offseason .
In addition , both pros are surrounded by a team of great people who help run their businesses . They rely on extensive support from family , friends and employees to hold down the fort so they can focus 100 percent on fishing .
Finally , both anglers are very fortunate to have parents who have provided unwavering moral support for their sons ’ careers , always believing they would be champions of the sport . This is a critical component to success in the rigors of this crazy business .
master strategists
No matter if it ’ s a five-fish limit or an every-fish-counts format , both Neal and Wheeler are amazingly clairvoyant in strategizing for the entire tournament . Mentally , they ’ re consumed with winning the event instead of just getting a check . They ’ re always thinking two or three days ahead . They have a knack for calculating the attrition caused by conditions , weather and fishing pressure to weave themselves through the cut days and be in a position to win on the final day .
That requires a lot of goal shifting during each hour of the event and constant fish and area management . Instead of running right to their best spots the first morning , they often pick low-hanging fruit early on in more communal areas and then deploy sneaky spots and conditional bite windows later in the event .
Their audacity to practice during competition days is also impressive . When they get ahead of the cut , they begin investing their tournament time into practice time , running new water or checking changing conditions . While other anglers who are well above the cut line continue to wail on their best areas in a format that cuts back to zero , Wheeler and Neal immediately lay off their fish and search out new windows that could open up later in the event . They ’ re both programmed to invest every extra minute in the end game .
pinpoint practice
Speaking of practice , even on official practice days , Wheeler and Neal process water differently than other anglers . In the old days of tournament fishing , pros practiced a few days to see what the lake had to offer . That convention still exists today and works for some , but these two already know how they want to catch bass before putting their boats in the water .
It ’ s an approach reminiscent of Kevin VanDam ’ s practice discipline . VanDam pioneered the concept of looking for fish that are set up the way he wants to catch them , primarily in line with his strengths . Neal and Wheeler have taken a page out of VanDam ’ s playbook in this respect . They always have a firm idea of how the fish should be set up given the lake type , time of year and conditions and match that to their strengths .
definitive decisions , excellent efficiency
Both Neal and Wheeler are in a league of their own when it comes to on-the-water moves . There is zero ambivalence in their decision making . I often see pros succumb to analysis paralysis when it comes to making a change in location . The indecision lull is like going OB on the golf course , costing them a stroke or two . They might verbalize the need to move , but 30 minutes later , they ’ re still grinding in the same spot .
Neal ’ s moves are absolutely definitive . There ’ s never wondering or hesitation about moving . He pulls the trolling motor up with pure conviction .
Wheeler ’ s moves are much the same . His sense of urgency on the water is like no other ; he ’ s always thinking two or three steps ahead . This is not as noticeable when he ’ s giving a live update for the cameras , but when the camera is removed , the talking stops and Wheeler is all business . His moves are also definitive , made with intentionality and purpose .
Both pros also have an in-boat efficiency that is remarkable . From the order rods are laid out on the deck to the accessibility of tools and soft plastics , there ’ s rarely any wasted movement or time lost looking for something . I ’ ve never seen Neal or Wheeler re-tie a line in competition . When they break off , they always have a duplicate rig already tied on and ready to go . This workflow intensifies when catching fish . It ’ s all about shortening the time between hooking up and weighing ( or culling ) and getting a lure back in the water .
There ’ s also no crying over spilled milk . Missed opportunities or lost fish are not drama stages for either angler . There ’ s no stomping around or bellyaching ; they simply check their lure , try to figure out what went wrong and get right back out there . This is especially true with Neal , who exhibits zero emotion over “ what could have been .” He knows generating the bite is half the battle and chooses to focus on that as victory instead of losing a fish as defeat . This , too , is reminiscent of VanDam : accepting it and putting it behind him as fast as possible . No angler in the sport has ever boated every single fish they ’ ve had on the line .
In all , that ’ s a very brief list of what separates these two tremendous pros from the rest of the pack . Yes , many other pros have some ( or most ) of these same attributes , but Neal and Wheeler seem to have all the boxes checked simultaneously – and have for quite some time .
20 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2022