By David A. Brown
Special to BassFan


We've all heard the tales of a guy nabbing his tournament weight in a dozen casts. Maybe it was that specific tidal stage on the ideal grass point or that perfect little ledge indentation; but more often than not, experienced anglers aren't staking their fortunes on these unpredictable windows of "magic time."

Rather, the most consistent anglers know that the more casts they can make, or the more thoroughly they can fish a sweet spot, the greater the likelihood of a successful and productive day on the water. That could be accessory-related or process-driven; in any case, these refinement points offer a clear path to time management.

By minimizing downtime, they maximize fishing time – often to the benefit of their day's productivity.

High on the list for Bassmaster Elite Series pro Randall Tharp is trolling motor maintenance – specifically, through a TH Marine accessory called the G-Force Eliminator Prop Nut. Built with cooling ports, the nut reduces heat and thereby extends battery and trolling-motor life. It also reduces noise and vibration while allowing for quick, tool-free removal in the event of line fouling.

“I like the fact that I can quickly remove the trolling motor prop with my hand,” he said. “I can literally take it off, remove fishing line, grass, or anything that gets caught in there and then put it back on in less than a minute. With a (lock nut design), it would take me a minute to find a pair of pliers.”

Other key points of Tharp’s time-management effort include:

> Rod Order — Tharp’s admittedly fanatical about quick and efficient access to his rods. That explains a proactive boat modification, as well as a daily habit that keeps the show running smoothly.

“I put a rod sock on every rod that’s in my boat because I cannot stand for fishing line to be tangled up (between rods),” he said. “I get my boat built without any rod tubes in it and that allows me to store more rods. There’s a lot more room in there and I don’t like my rod tips jammed up in a tube.

“I think these are crucial time-management steps because I’m not untangling my line between two rods and I can just throw a rod in the rod box; I don’t have to line up anything.”

Notably, Tharp uses his port and starboard rod boxes to separate his rods by lengths, while he uses the passenger-side rod box for his spinning rods.

“I don’t want those spinning rods contaminating my baitcasters, so I keep them segregated,” he joked.

> Line it Up – Line identification on the fly might take a few seconds and even such short delays add up over the course of a day. Tharp’s Lew’s reels feature a Speed Dial line indicator, which provides instant recognition of line type and size.

“Again, that’s another feature that saves me a lot of time,” he said, “I don’t have to label what’s on each reel. It’s just a quick adjustment on a dial.”

> Culling System – Like most, Tharp knows that a culling beam offers the best way to ensure you toss back the right one, but he’s all about blending accuracy with expedience. His G-Force Cull System pairs a super-sensitive balance beam with floating cull tags designed with looped ends, which neatly fit over the beam’s notches.

“I keep six floats in my boat, so when I catch my sixth fish, I put a tag on that fish and then I hang the fish on the beam,” Tharp said. “There’s no guesswork; the balance beam doesn’t lie.



David A. Brown
Photo: David A. Brown

The built-in line indicator on Tharp's Lew's reels eliminates confusion regarding pound-test.

“If I have six fish in there that are all the same size, I can go through all six fish in less than a minute and that’s extremely efficient. There’s just not a lot of time wasted in that process.”

> Instant ID – Common is the case when the heat of the moment demands instantaneous terminal tackle location. Hooks, weights, swivels; Tharp can’t afford missed opportunities that fizzle amid the chaotic search for ill-placed tackle. His remedy: strips of blue painter's tape with tray contents written in permanent marker.

“If it’s low-light conditions, I don’t have to pick up 10 boxes to find my box of weights,” Tharp said. “It’s clearly labeled and well-organized. I always put up any spare tackle in the boxes at the end of the day so I don’t have a big mess.

“The painter’s tape never comes off; some of those labels have been on my boxes for 5 years. Over the course of a season, there’s no telling how much time just labeling my boxes saves me.”

Fellow Elite pro Matt Lee’s also a fan of labeling. Not only does he use adhesive labels to identify the contents of the tackle trays stacked inside his center storage box, he goes a step further and marks the lid of his terminal tackle trays to quickly identify hook and sinker sizes.

At the end of the day, tournaments are won by weight, but it’s often an angler's prudent use of the clock that most influences opportunities. Combining proactive thought with the right tools will tilt the odds in your favor.