Recharging During the Off-Season

Brian Latimer sets off on an unconventional fishing adventure

(The writer's opinions and observations expressed here are his own, and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, policies or positions of FLW.)

Since the last Walmart FLW Tour stop in June, I’ve spent some much needed time on the water. I know that probably sounds awkward considering that I just completed my first season as a professional angler on Tour. And it’s true that I probably spent more time on the water during the six months on Tour than I have any other year in my entire life. However, often there is a level of stress and conservation during practice and competition that’s just not present when I fish for fun.

Now that the season is over I’ve scratched a few things off my fishing bucket list, and I’ve really had time to indulge myself in some of the types of recreational outings that sparked my love for competition in the beginning.

This summer I’ve had the opportunity to do some river wading for smallmouths. I’ve experienced the excitement of landing smallmouths in big water, but it’s even more of a joy landing a feisty smallmouth on foot in moving water. It’s the purest form of fishing an angler can experience.

Fishing rivers out of small crafts is an arena of the art of bass fishing that I’m super passionate about as well. I spent my teens in a 12-foot aluminum boat on the Saluda River in South Carolina. During my downtime I’ve had a chance to explore parts of that river that I’ve never seen before, and I’m certain that the bass in those areas had never seen a man- made lure before I got there.

There has been no pressure, no time restraints, no practice period. I literally study Google Earth, find an area that looks interesting and figure out how to dump my boat in that particular area. That’s fishing!

Fortunately, through my sponsor relationships, I’ll have a chance to dive into the saltwater arena in Venice, La., to fish for bull reds. That opportunity has literally cost me sleep at night due to the excitement of it all. I have very little experience with tidal water and almost none with any saltwater species. The opportunity to gain some knowledge is endless.

All in all I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable off-season. I’m a fisherman at my core. While I do occasionally hunt and have other hobbies that catch my interest, fishing plays a role in nearly every aspect of my being. In a perfect world I could possibly sharpen a skill or two by learning some other species and experiencing different bodies of water, but for now I’m content with just enjoying it all and catching as many fish as I can while the opportunity presents itself.

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