By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
When weighing his options for 2014, Todd Auten put plenty of time and thought into his decision to not fish the FLW Tour. Instead, he opted to compete in two divisions of the Bassmaster Opens (Southern and Northern) as well as two Rayovac Series divisions (Southeastern and Northern). At the time, he said the schedules and timing at certain lakes fit his preferences more than the six FLW Tour events.
It also meant he’d have two potential avenues to an Elite Series berth in 2015 if he fared well enough in the Opens. He likes to have as many options as possible. No longer does he have the financial wherewithal or significant sponsor backing to blindly register for a Tour season no matter the schedule.
The South Carolina native is being more prudent and deliberate in how he lays out his tournament plans. He has spent time on both tours, fished in three Bassmaster Classics, four Forrest Wood Cups and many different financial climates since the mid 1990s. He has no regrets about stepping away from tour-level competition for a season.
“I treat like it a business,” he said. “I have to go to where I know you can make money. That’s how I look at it.”
Results Justified Decision
As Auten looks back over the tournaments he fished this year, he came away satisfied that he did what he set out to do. He had a strong Southern Open season, highlighted by a runner-up finish at Lewis Smith Lake. He cashed checks in five of the six Opens he fished and he wound up third in the Southern Open points to earn an invitation to the Elite Series. He also finished 12th in points in the Northern Opens.
He also had money finishes in all four of the Rayovac Series events he entered (three Southeast, one Northern) and he used his 8th-place finish in points in the Southeast Division to earn a spot at the Rayovac Series Championship this fall, where he finished 4th and punched his ticket to next year’s Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita. Not to mention he competed at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork in the spring. All in all, 2014 was a successful campaign for Auten, no matter what circuit he competed on.
“It helped me out financially, too,” he said. “I didn’t take a big hit and I made some money and got back on my feet. I’m glad I did it that way. For me, it worked out perfect all year.”
He said he enjoys fishing the triple-A level tournaments, but he didn’t see the need to alter his preparation routine all that much from how he readies for a tour event.
“I wish there was an off-limits period for the lower circuits,” he said, “but for me, I put in 3 days and that’s plenty of time for me. Some of these guys go for a couple weeks. I can’t see doing that unless you’re trying to get away from the cold or something else.”
Plans Tour Return
When surveying the 2015 schedules, the FLW Tour lineup caught Auten’s attention. While he had an Elite Series berth in hand, he knew the looming West Coast swing and steep entry fees would be an obstacle for him and therefore he declined the invite.
“I did try to pursue a sponsor or two, but I didn’t want to pay out of pocket,” he said. “I wish you could qualify and then be exempt for 2 years or something like that so you have a chance to gain some support and then jump in. The timeframe is really tight the way it is.
“I would love to fish the Elites, but going to California, for me that’s going to be a crapshoot. I’d love to go and give it a try but I couldn’t see putting up that kind of money. If I qualify for the Elites down the road and the schedule fits my needs, I’ll surely jump in there.”
For now, he’s content returning to the FLW Tour in 2015 and filling in with a couple Open divisions and possibly a slate of Rayovac Series events.
“Financially, it makes more sense to go with the Tour,” he said. “I didn’t even have to fish the Tour because I’m already qualified for the Cup, but I felt like I needed to fish the Tour again for my sponsors. I like the schedule a lot as well, except for Beaver Lake. I was also wanting to be back up at that level, too.”
