In pro bass fishing, there's always the chance for error, as well as redemption. Six-year pro Brian Snowden knows both sides of that boat. For instance, he strung together five solid Bassmaster finishes
this year, then tanked at Table Rock. That dropped him from 13th to 27th in the Bassmaster Tour points.
Not the end of the world, since he still qualified for the 2005 Bassmaster Classic through the Tour points. But the big disappointment is he blew his chance for a guaranteed berth in the 2006 Classic.
And a similar pattern occurred in the 2004 season, when he had four Top 40 finishes, but stumbled at Table Rock (92nd) and Eufaula (106th).
This year, his redemption came at the Lewisville Bassmaster Elite 50, when he entered the final day of competition in 2nd. But then error struck once again. He only weighed two fish the final day and finished 1-12 behind winner Kevin VanDam.
A Few Mistakes
"I've had a real good season except for Table Rock Lake," Snowden said. "I made some mistakes, and it's my home lake. I couldn't figure things out. I ran around too much. That was a really disappointing tournament. It not only cost me a lot of money, but I could have wrapped up a spot in the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.
"I had a chance to move into the Top 10, at least, with a good finish there. Instead I started 13th on the points list and fell to the 27th spot."
He guides on Table Rock, but didn't beat a straight path home after he missed the cut. He went to school.
"I was so frustrated that I went and watched the Top 12 just so I could see what I did wrong," he said. "I definitely had the right ideas and the right bait, but the key was the way you retrieve the bait, which is what triggers the bite, and I learned a lot from watching them.
"It wasn't easy to get beyond that tournament this year – not at all," he added. "I've gone 2 years now where I haven't done anything there. This year I would have (had) a chance to (cash a check) in every tournament I entered if I had (checked) in Table Rock. And that's something I've always wanted to do.
"It really took me about 3 days before I even talked to my buddies about (Table Rock). That lake has been a thorn in my side the last couple of years. I'd like a chance to redeem myself at that lake. I guide on it and fish it a lot. I can usually catch (them) pretty consistently."
Bad To Good
Two months after his Table Rock disaster, Snowden found himself 2nd at the Lewisville E50. His first tour-level victory eluded him though when VanDam edged him by a single fish.
"It was exciting," Snowden said. "I thought I had a great opportunity to win at Lake Lewisville. There were quality fish, and even though there weren't a lot of them, I felt good going into the final day. I felt real comfortable.
"But then the wind blew and that affected me. I couldn't get any bites on the crankbait. It was one of those days that, by the end, it was frustrating.
"It was pretty amazing talking to Kevin (VanDam), and (figuring) out how he adjusted to the wind and moved shallow. I stayed with what I'd done for 3 days, and that's definitely why he won it.
"I'm getting consistently better," he added. "I feel like I've definitely been more consistent and I put myself in a place to win. I've found some winning patterns, only to lose a fish or a couple of fish."
Grass Improvement
"I'm real happy with this year," Snowden said. "I've been steadily getting better the last 2 years. A lot of it's getting a little bit of confidence, and just being able to relax with the sponsor support that I have. Anytime there's less stress about money coming in, it helps.
"Another reason why I feel I fished pretty well this year was the lakes we went to. I finally found a way to catch some fish in Florida. It was hard my first couple of years at the Florida lakes, but I've learned how to fish them. And there (were) more rock lakes (this year), which are similar to where I grew up in California and now in Missouri."
Rocky waters played to his strengths – crankbaits and jigs.
"Those are the things I like to do and I do well when that type of bite is on," he said. "I like to fish a little deeper than most. Growing up on the West Coast, you tend to fish that way out there. The Florida lakes are so shallow – except for Harris Chain of Lakes, (where) I've done well. At Okeechobee and Toho, the fish don't seem to relate to the change in water depth."
But his grass fishing has improved. "Being from an area lacking grass – Missouri has hardly any and California has very little – now I understand more about the grass and how to fish those lakes. That, and I've gotten better at fishing hydrilla and shoreline cracks."
Wants To Win
BassFans might not know that Snowden has a degree in fisheries management from Southwest Missouri State University. But he wants to earn his living from pro fishing instead.
"All I want to do is make living out of something I love to do," he said. "I've been steadily improving, and that's what I want to do. I still love to do it. I'm passionate about fishing. The rest of it that comes along with it – I'm not the type of person who needs a lot of attention. I would do this without the money. I just enjoy figuring out the fish.
"I like to do a good job for my sponsors, especially since I've been with the same group for my entire career. The added pressure is good for me, because it helps me move higher on the ladder, and it helps them sell more product. I know I'll never be Kevin VanDam, but I want to do what I love, and be as good as I can possibly be at it. I still have a long ways to go."
A tour-level win would put him a lot closer to that goal.
"I definitely need to win a major event," he said. "That's my goal no. I'm done concerning myself with points. I really need to get a win. Seconds are nice, but they're not the same as winning. And it's not the money – it's the prestige of having that title on tour."
His tour friends include Tim Carroll, Edwin Evers, Matt Reed and Terry Butcher. "And they've all won. I'm the only one left in the group that hasn't won."
