Mueller Anxious For Elites, Second Classic

By Pete Robbins
Special to BassFan

A year ago, Paul Mueller was an unknown commodity in the world of tournament fishing. Sure, he had an avid following for his online instructional videos, but the ability to teach and the ability to perform on the sport’s biggest stage are two different skill sets.

A 32-pound, 5-ounce limit on the second day of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Guntersville changed all of that. Once you set a Classic five-bass limit record, there’s no such thing as anonymity. The only question was whether he’d end up an historical footnote or a long-term contender.

With his recent win at the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, which qualified him for a second Classic and an Elite Series berth, he has tilted the odds in favor of the latter option.

While he’s still not necessarily a household name, by no means will he fly under the radar until Day 2 as he did at Guntersville. The expectations are high, and while he had a compressed period to prepare for Lake Hartwell, no one will cut him any slack – in February or beyond.

Classic Return

While he noted that Hartwell, site of this year’s Classic, is “a totally different lake” than Guntersville, Mueller acknowledged that having previous Classic experience can’t help but benefit him.

“Now I know what to expect,” he said. “I know about all of the media extras and how to pace yourself. The National is actually good prep for the Bassmaster Classic because it also doesn’t give you much time to work on your tackle.”

He hopes to avoid the subpar first day of the tournament that doomed him in 2014. Had he landed another keeper – he weighed in three fish for 9-10 – it almost surely would’ve put him over the top. That will require not only a solid practice, but also a mind that remains open to changing conditions and different tactics. He believes that had he changed to a Chatterbait earlier last year, he would’ve won.

“You can’t wait until the second day to make those adjustments,” he said. “The guys that make it on the hour, that’s what wins tournaments. The official practice day could be totally different than the tournament. There always seems to be a warming trend or a cold front. You’re not going to be able to do the same thing day after day after day.”

The Business of Guiding

After coming so close at Guntersville and turning down an Elite Series invite, many fans would’ve expected Mueller to embark on a whirlwind tour of the country, fishing as many tournaments as possible to hone his skills in multiple-day events at the highest possible level. Mueller still fished his share of local events, but his professional forays were limited to three Bassmaster Northern Opens. He finished between 74th nd 80th n all of them and ended up 51st in the points race.

“After you make it (to the Classic), you expect to get there every year, but the reality is that it’s very hard,” he said. “Those guys didn’t get there by fluke. There are no weak links. I’m not going to make excuses. I had bad tournaments and I’m going to try to put them behind me.”

While his B.A.S.S. entries didn’t directly pan out, two other roles played a major factor in getting him back to the big show. First was the Nation schedule, which was back-loaded with a late divisional heading right into the National, allowing him to capitalize on his momentum. That momentum was built on the back of a heavy schedule of guiding closer to home, which he believes substantially replicates the pressures and rigors of high-level tournament competition.

“Guiding definitely helps,” he said. “You’re always making those adjustments. You have to produce. Things change and you have to consistently make the right adjustments. I guided more this year than I ever have.”

The hectic guiding schedule will also help his endurance and mental make-up, both of which he expects to be tested at the Elite level.

“At that level it’s so much more intense,” he said. “But I feel that I always do better when my back is against the wall. It’s not that I’m afraid of it, but positive fear motivates me to do well.”

Elite Finances

Mueller didn’t believe he was ready for the Elites last year, not only from a fishing perspective but also from a financial slant. The 2nd-place finish at Guntersville allowed him to cement deals with existing sponsors, but it didn’t substantially increase his portfolio.

“A lot of people said it would get me more,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that anyone’s come out of the woodwork. I’m not really surprised that they didn’t. When I won the Forrest Wood Cup as a co-angler, I thought it would change and it didn’t.

"I’ve learned to be content with whatever comes. I’m patient and I’m looking to build good long-term relationships. I’m blessed to work with some awesome companies.”

He’s still looking for a title sponsor for 2015, but the decision to commit to the Elite Series was made easier by help from B.A.S.S.

“They’re helping out a bit with my entry fees,” he said. “I didn’t know until the (National) that would be the case.”

He also won a certificate for a 19-foot Triton, the sale of which will provide additional financial cushion.

Year of Uncertainty

While he’s competed against the best of the best on the sport’s biggest stage, he doesn’t know what to expect when he’s dealing with them on a day-to-day basis. Do Elite Series rookies get treated differently than veterans? If so, is he a typical rookie?

“I don’t know,” he replied. “I’m looking forward to meeting and getting to know more of these guys, especially the ones I grew up watching on TV. Overall, I think they’re a good group of guys. I will treat people the way I want to be treated.”

His wife will travel with him and he said that he’s used to 15- to 20-hour drives alone from his days as an FLW co-angler, so the road warrior mentality is nothing new. That’s good, since there’s a western swing, but even the more central locales will be a longer drive for him than for the majority of the field. His wife’s presence will also allow him to continue to be active on social media and producing instructional videos.

Before he’ll allow himself to fully consider the rigors of the road, though, he’ll focus on his second Classic opportunity.

“I’m looking at the big one first,” he said. “It could change my career in one weekend. I’ve had some slumps and I’ve had some high points, but right now I have good momentum. I’m ready to get after it."

Notable

> Last year Mueller pre-practiced 12 days for Guntersville and plans to match or exceed that on Hartwell. “This opportunity doesn’t come around every day,” he said.

> He is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Stormr, Vexilar, Dobyns Rods, Gamma Line, Power-Pole, Reins, Lew’s, Ima, Zappu, Optimum Baits, Punisher, The Rod Glove and Reynolds Garage and Marine.

> Coby Carden and Jeff Lugar, who were also 2014 Classic qualifiers through the B.A.S.S. Nation ranks, also qualified for the 2015 Classic through that route once again.