commented, “I have always said that the deci- sions on the water are what separate anglers. I can have all the best tackle in the world, but using the tools to produce is another monster. Once you get to the point where you are successful fish- ing to win, then the trick is to keep it going. The confidence factor in our sport is fragile, maybe more fragile than in any other sport. You can see it year after year on both tours. There are very few anglers that are able to keep that level of prepara- tion and self-confidence at a level to be successful fishing to win.”
Dudley believes some decision making can be taught, “I have now started taking trips where I can coach anglers to prepare their minds for the water situations. The trip is not at all about catch- ing fish, but it is about teaching anglers to realize the things that they don’t know they are doing wrong, or the way they look at a pattern. I help anglers to recognize what they may be missing. To learn more, go to daviddudley.com.
In tournaments from club level events up to the FLW Cup, you’ll see an angler who wins an event and never again makes a top ten, or rarely does. Dudley states, “Most one tournament wins take place on a single hole where anglers are not forced to make decisions on the water, but just cast to one hole for four straight days. That doesn’t mean they are not good fishermen, but stumbling across holes like that doesn’t happen very often in a career. For me, I won’t be satisfied, ever, until I win them all. I know that’s not realis- tic, but it’s my goal. That is exactly why my motto is ‘Never be Satisfied’. Because there is always room for improvement, in a single day, a full event or a full season, you can always get better.”
Make no mistake, David Dudley lives by his words and has been successful doing it. Not only is he FLW’s leading money winner of all time, as of press time, he is also the current BassFan.com and BassRankings.com number one ranked an- gler in the world. So don’t send David Dudley any congratulation Facebook messages should he get second in the near future. As you now know, he’s not out to collect second place trophies. In his words, non-first place trophies are bragging about how you lost!! BWU
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Summer 2012