Man, am I bored!
I find December to be one of the slowest months of the year. All regular-season tournaments have been over since September and all regional championships for weekend tours like the BFLs are completely over by November, at the latest. Also, the fall semester usually ends the first week of December, and though I don’t consider school very much fun, it keeps me occupied.
I still get out on the water at least 3 days a week. But I guess once you’re addicted to tournament fishing, life seems pretty bland if you don’t get your “competitive fix.”
Money Matters
Other than plain boredom, December also poses another problem for a self-proclaimed bass bum like myself – lack of income.
Sonar has been having some fun with the Alabama Rig this fall.
The truth is that working at Red Lobster isn’t all that lucrative right now for some reason. More than likely it's because people aren’t spending money on expensive meals, but rather saving up for the delight of their loved ones for the holidays.
To add to my cash woes, for Thanksgiving, I went along with some of my family to Las Vegas. Let’s just say that I won’t be trading in my fishing gear for a career at the blackjack tables. Even though I set aside money just for that trip to “Sin City,” it wasn’t easy to see it go.
The biggest reason December is always hard for me financially is because there are no tournaments. I find myself still fishing 2 to 4 days a week, but the difference is right now I am just spending and spending and not making any money catching those slimy little suckers.
The last event I fished was the Triton Owner’s Tournament held on Lake Toho right before Thanksgiving, and though I finished 4th in that one and made some good money, it didn’t last very long.
Unfortunately the tournament season starts in just 1 month, so I need to work hard to catch up on this month’s bills in order to start paying my entry fees for the coming months.
I guess in the end, I will just need to cut some expenses in order to get back on track, And when you're a bass bum, the question isn’t how much you can afford to fish, but rather how much you can afford to eat.
No Idle Time
Despite the lack of tournaments in December, it is a pretty key period for me when it comes to experimenting with techniques I normally don’t get to try during the tournament season.
Traditionally I'll mainly fish about three different bodies of water during the season – the Kissimmee Chain, the Harris Chain and Lake Okeechobee. Generally, the techniques used to catch fish on all of these are pretty similar, and needless to say, a fisherman can suffer from such monotony. December poses a unique opportunity for me to explore some of the lakes that I normally don’t visit.
Lately I've been fishing several of the “sinkhole” chains of lakes in the Orlando area, which feature deep, clear water, that's far different from what you would see in other Florida lakes. These lakes feature great offshore fishing and provide an excellent opportunity to stay sharp with such techniques as dropshotting, spooning, jerkbaiting and other clear-water presentations. Those are invaluable when I go to some of the deep-water impoundments out of state.
I even have been able to experiment with the newly famed Alabama Rig, which is the most addictive fishing method on the planet as far as I’m concerned, and no doubt will soon be the leading cause of shoulder injuries amongst bass anglers.
Between lobbing that thing around and reeling in the monster bass it catches, I'm either going to have to have surgery or start wearing tank-tops in order to show off my newly developed biceps. Now if only they could make a rig that requires you to do a sit-up to cast it, then I would have that six-pack I've always wanted, too.
But seriously, having the opportunity to disconnect yourself from your seasonal comfort zones and brush up on some new or less-utilized techniques is a very important part of becoming a well-rounded angler. Part of me is thankful I have this off-time to mess around with them.
Excited About 2012
Next year looks to be an exciting year for me, which is another reason I’d like to rush through the final stretch of 2011. On top of the BFLs and other regional tournaments I plan to fish, this will be my last year fishing the college circuits and I look forward to putting forth my greatest effort yet to make sure I leave my mark.
I also have some other possibilities that, if they work out, will give me an even more extensive fishing schedule, and I'll be loving every minute of it.
In the meantime, I plan on enjoying the holidays with my friends (including the bass) and my family, and I hope that every one of you has a great holiday season filled with joy, happiness and a stocking full of A-Rigs.
Miles "Sonar" Burghoff is a student at the University of Central Florida and the winner of the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. He's an aspiring professional angler who writes a regular column for BassFan. To visit his website, click here.
