Reel Chat with BRENT EHRLER
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Welcome to FLW Live Reel Chat. Today we’re joined by bass pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif.
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With 23 top-10 finishes, a 2006 Forrest Wood Cup title and 14 top-10 finishes at FLW Tour and FLW Series events since 2008, Brent Ehrler also boasts two FLW Tour victories during 2010 season – including his most recent win at Lake Ouachita last week. Ehrler, who began fishing with FLW Outdoors in 2003, has amassed over $1.5 million in career earnings.
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In addition, with his recent win at Lake Ouachita, Ehrler currently sits in second place overall in the 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year standings – a mere 21 points behind Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C. – with one event remaining.
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Today Brent Ehrler is here to take questions from you, the fans. So, without further delay, let’s get started.
Q: Which was harder to accomplish: Winning the Table Rock Lake event or winning the Lake Ouachita event?
— Jon Stebbins (San Diego, Calif.)
A: No question Lake Ouachita was harder. On Table Rock I had one spot and it was the best spot on the entire lake. The fish were biting there so it was pretty easy. Ouachita was very tough because I developed the pattern as the tournament was going on so I was running new water every day.
Q: How does it feel to join the select group of anglers (David Fritts in 1997, Rick Clunn in 2000, Shinichi Fukae in 2006 and Michael Bennett in 2008) who have won two or more FLW Tour events in one season?
— Patrick Zak (Oakland, Calif.)
A: It feels pretty amazing and it’s completely unexpected. I’m just thankful for every fish I’ve caught to get me to that point.
Q: Awesome win Brent, you are doing the West Coast proud! Can you talk about the Gunfish, the equipment and line you throw it on. What are some keys to consider when presenting this lure?
— Joel Alinen (Everett, Wash.)
A: One of the keys I thought for getting better hookup ratios was running Sunline PE braid to a 19-pound machine gun cast monofilament. The reason why this was a big deal was because I could cast it much father than if I had straight mono. The neat thing about that was that I had a lot of bites at the end of my cast. And with braid you have zero stretch. For that reason, I had a better hookup ratio. I had two big bites and those both came on the very end of my cast. They were way out there and if I had straight mono I probably wouldn’t have been able to get those fish in the boat.
Q: Why do you think the Western guys had such success on Lake Ouachita?
— Matt Cassidy (Anchorage, Alaska)
A: I think the Western anglers are just very good at adapting. Most aren’t a specialist at any one technique but they’re good at a variety of approaches.
Q: On the Day 3 Reeltime Report you mentioned three key little things you needed to do to locate those “wolf pack” bass. Can you elaborate on what you were looking for on Ouachita?
— Greg (Helena, Mont.)
A: It was a combination of a couple things. There had to be a certain type of grass growing – in about 3 to 6 feet of water. There also had to be very few shoreline bushes on the bank – no bushes was even better. And plenty of bluegills swimming up and down the bank. Basically I could look at an area, make a couple of casts, see that the bank wasn’t very bushy and then if you saw a bluegill come out, you’d get a bite any second. It just seemed like if that grass wasn’t around, I wouldn’t get a bite. I hadn’t seen that kind of grass before. It wasn’t hydrilla or milfoil; it was more of a shoreline grass.
Q: What bait from Brian’s Bees were you throwing? Also, what tackle presentation did you throw it with, and why do you think it was effective for you on Ouachita?
— Kayal (Boston, Mass.)
A: I was throwing a B-3 prop bait in baby bream color. It didn’t play a role until the third and fourth day of the tournament. I was running it on the same rig as the Gunfish, with the braided line and 19-pound mono leader. Both were on a Lucky Craft Sammy top-water rod and a Revo Premier reel. The prop bait was effective when I got into an area that was really calm where I wanted to make an exact cast. I could also fish it slower. The Gunfish was more of a search tool although I did get two of my biggest bites on them. But when it was calm, I used the prop bait.
Q: Did it surprise you that top-water baits were so successful on Lake Ouachita?
— Matt Hunt (San Diego, Calif.)
A: It did, especially later in the day. It really surprised me that the fish would bite on a topwater all day. And I didn’t figure that out until the third day.
Q: Are the Lucky Craft baits worth the money? Is there anywhere you can buy them second-hand?
— Matt (Fayetteville, Ark.)
A: Yes, they’re worth the money. With most hard baits, you don’t lose them. I still have baits in my box from 10 years ago. The baits are so good out of the package that you really don’t need to change the hooks, etc. They’ll last a long time and are worth the money. As far as second-hand places, I really don’t know.
Q: What do you think your chances are of winning the 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year title?
— Thomas Suk (Minnetonka, Minn.)
A: It’s not out of reach. I’m behind but it’s definitely doable. Having said that Bryan Thrift is an amazing fisherman and it’s going to be very hard to do.
Q: What would it mean to you to win the 2010 AOY crown?
— Jon Pageler (New York, N.Y.)
A: I’ve been close before (2008) and I never really felt that it was something in the cards for me until that one year. I never really had that as a goal until that happened. And that added fuel to the fire and made me realize it’s something I really want to do. If I accomplished that it would really make my career complete. I was leading in the points last year going into the final tournament but (Clark) Wendlandt beat me out. When you get that close you just want to accomplish that goal more and more.
Q: As a relatively young guy, did you envision having this much success fishing against such a high level of competition this quickly?
— Bill Mague (Minneapolis, Minn.)
A: No, not at all. I kind of stumbled into doing this full-time. I actually never thought I’d be fishing full time as my job. So to have the success I’ve had, it’s been unexpected. I set my goals high but at the same time you never know what to expect. Originally I was looking at getting my contractor’s license – so I could build spec homes and do other contracting work to make some additional money so I could fish more.
Q: I’m thinking about fishing as a co-angler. How many rods should I bring? Are two bait-casters and a spinning outfit too much?
— Justin Lee (Bakersfield, Calif.)
A: No. Most co-anglers will run with anywhere from three to six rods. Rarely do co-anglers show up with less than five rods. Bring whatever you feel comfortable with, something you have confidence in. Don’t go out and try to copy what the pro is doing. Throw what you feel comfortable throwing.
Q: With a guaranteed spot in this year’s Forrest Wood Cup, what do you think are your chances of winning the whole thing? Also, what type of fishery is Lake Lanier, the site of this year’s Cup?
— Jim Interlandi (Chicago, Ill.)
A: I think Lanier is primarily a spotted bass lake. Supposedly the fish school a lot there so it could be pretty difficult. If you’re in the right spot, you can catch them pretty quickly. But if you’re not it could be hard. I like the fact that it’s going to be a little deeper bite which is something I might be able to do okay in. But I’ve never been there so I don’t know exactly what to expect.
Q: How do you plan to approach Guntersville? Do you think it will be won flipping, working offshore stuff or on top over the mats?
— Rick (Decatur, Ala.)
A: Yes (laughs). I think they could all play a role. It could be similar to the Ouachita event in that you can kind of pick your poison. I don’t think any one thing will win out. But I’ve also not been there this time of year so I don’t know exactly what to expect.
Q: Where do you get these nail weights that you put in your Senkos? How does the nail weight change the Senko’s action?
— Chris (Sacramento, Calif.)
A: The nail weight is made by Lunker City and if you can’t find them in a local tackle store go to thehookuptackle.com. You can fish the Senko deeper with the weight. With that weight in the nose of the bait it will spiral and fall fast. With the nail weight, the Senko has a completely different type of action. The pull-point of the worm, wacky rigged, is at the center of the bait. Then the two ends fold at the top, they fold away when you pull it and spring back again. It has a completely different action in the water. Typically the wacky rig worm is fished shallow but with the nail weight you can fish it deeper. That will allow you to get the worm to the bottom and still fish like a normal wacky-rigged worm.
Q: With having so much success this year, in your opinion, what are some of the things you still would like to improve upon?
— Joe (Dodgeville, Wis.)
A: I would like to improve upon having more confidence in the water and what I’ve found – basically learn to trust my instincts better.
Q: How big of an impact do co-anglers have on your fishing?
— John Nehls (Rhinelander, Wis.)
A: Sometimes it’s harder to fish with a co-angler because we get paired with really good co-anglers. And if you overlook anything they’ll catch the fish behind you. But as far as choosing locations and strategy, co-anglers really don’t have an impact.
Q: Brent, would you consider fishing the Elite Series in the future?
— Greg (Tampa, Fla.)
A: I don’t know the answer to that question. I’ve staked my claim with FLW. If there was a way to fish both I might consider it. My career has been totally based on FLW, I enjoy fishing with them and would love to continue fishing with them.
Q: Brent, what advice would you give to guys just getting out of college who want to chase their dreams and be in your shoes one day?
— Joey (Upton, Mass.)
A: Have a job, have a career, finish school and try to work somewhere where you can fish on the side. Do not dive in head first. Get a degree and then start fishing the BFLs and American Fishing Series. FLW Outdoors has all of the right stepping stones to allow you to do that. And that’s exactly what I did. Treat it as a hobby in the beginning and if it becomes a job, great. But finish school – no question.
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Unfortunately, fishing fans, that’s all the time we have to chat with Brent today. Thanks to all who tuned in and participated in today’s Reel Chat. And a special thanks to Brent Ehrler, the recent FLW Tour winner at Lake Ouachita, for giving us his time and insights into bass fishing. Check back shortly for a complete transcript of today’s FLW Live Reel Chat.