John's Journal...

Boyd Duckett's Keys to Winning Bass Tournaments

Set Future Goals

Click to enlargeEditor’s Note: At the end of August, 2007, the 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion, Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Alabama, won the B.A.S.S. Legends tournament and $250,000 at Arkansas’ Lake Dardanelle, bringing his total winnings in bass tournaments during 2007 to nearly $1 million. Never before has a tournament bass fisherman won as much money in as short a time on the B.A.S.S. circuit as Duckett. Besides fClick to enlargeinishing in the top-10 in eight, 2007 B.A.S.S. tournaments, Duckett also won the Ultimate Match Fishing Tournament, earning $76,000, and the Bassmaster Classic, earning $500,000. “I’ve won about another $115,000 this year in Bassmaster Tour Elite events,” Duckett says. At this writing, Duckett has won a total of $961,000 for 2007 and still has one tournament left to fish before the end of the year to possibly break the $1 million mark in one year from tournamentwinnings. He’s also currently in 10th place for Angler of the Year, which will pay about $20,000.

Question: Moving forward, what more do you want to achieve?
Duckett: As long as I can stay healthy in age and body, I plan to continue to compete on the B.A.S.S. Elite Series, which in my opinion, is the highest competition in bass fishing. I believe I can continue to compete and be competitive for at least 7- or 8-more years.

Question: What do you expect to accomplish in the next 7 or 8 years of tournament bass fishing?
Duckett: Tournament bass fishermen always dream of two triumphs –Click to enlarge winning the Bassmaster Classic, which I’ve already done, and winning the Angler-of-the-Year award. Winning the Angler-of-the-Year title means the most to bass fishermen, because they’re competing against the best 150-bassClick to enlarge fishermen in the nation and possibly in the world. When you total the most points for the entire season against the best of the best, that’s the highest mark you can make in any sport. So, I’d like to win Angler of the Year.

Question: Boyd, how have you come from relative obscurity in bass fishing to win the Bassmaster Classic the first time you’ve ever competed in it and possibly win $1 million in one year fishing for bass? How have you accomplished in 2 years of tournament fishing what most people never accomplish in alifetime in this sport?
Duckett: I have a very-obsessive personality. I have the ability to really focus, concentrate and be single-minded. A lot of the media portrays me asa rookie, but there’s a big difference between me and most of the other competitors on the B.A.S.S. circuit. Most of the pros come into tournament bass fishing when they’re 22-, 23- or 24-years old. They truly are rookies. They don’t have the time invested or the experience of fishing tournaments for 20 or 30 years before they start. They’re not accustomed to the stress level of the travel, the crowds, the media and the competition. All those different pressures are a lot for anyone to have to deal with, but I’ve come to the tournament circuit with more than 25 years of that kind of experience. I’ve been fishing tournaments all my life before I turned pro. I’m obviously a slow learner, but I’ve really worked hard at learning the sport of tournament bass fishing practically my whole life. But I’ve needed a long time just to win at the state level and realize what’s required to win.

Tomorrow: Decide to Win


Check back each day this week for more about "Boyd Duckett's Keys to Winning Bass Tournaments"

Day 1: Making the Commitment
Day 2: Balancing Family and Business
Day 3: Set Future Goals
Day 4: Decide to Win
Day 5: Research Makes the Difference

 

 

Entry 421, Day 3