The only thing consistent about Fred Roumbanis' 2006 season was that he finished in 156th place in three FLW Tour events. He ended up 130th in that circuit's Angler of the Year (AOY) race.
On the Bassmaster Elite Series, he started the year with a 2nd at Amistad, concluded it with a 93rd at Table Rock, and was all over the standings in between. He was 69th in the final points tally.
The native Californian is fishing only the Elite Series this year, and he's logged 19th-, 21st- and 20th-place finishes at the first three stops. He's currently 6th in the points.
Sure, all of the tournaments thus far have been held on venues with which he's familiar and that suit his style (he's a swimbait expert, and he used them to catch most of his weigh-in fish at all three events). But the 28-year-old's life has undergone some big changes over the past year, and he thinks those will help
him achieve the consistency he's lacked in the past.
Narrowed Focus
As a two-tour pro in '06, Roumbanis bounced from one tournament to the next, and was rarely prepared to compete against the top anglers in the world. Unlike some others who doubled up, he lacked experience on many of the lakes on the respective schedules.
"A lot of them I was going to for the first time, not knowing what to expect," he said. "There were times when I was exhausted, and it was a bit overwhelming."
The Elite Series and FLW Tour schedules overlap at several junctures this year, and that mandated that anglers pick one or the other. He chose the Elites because he felt they offered more opportunities to promote himself and his sponsors. Then he undertook the process of educating himself about each lake on the '07 Elite slate.
There were several he'd never been to, and he visited all but one during the offseason.
"I spent a lot of that time traveling around and preparing for this season because I wanted to slow down and focus on each tournament day one at a time. I tried to really do my homework.
"The only one I haven't been to now is Erie, but I've fished it from the Detroit side (the Elite Series event will launch out of Buffalo, N.Y.). I know what I need to do there – I just need to find the fish."
Changes at Home
Roumbanis didn't come close to qualifying for this year's Bassmaster Classic, but that weekend in late February was a big one for him nonetheless. He got married in Broken Arrow, Okla. and is in the process of becoming a full-time resident of the Sooner State.
He's set to become a father in just a few months.
"It's definitely settled me down, and my mind's now more at ease," he said. "With the baby on the way, it gives me more incentive to work harder and more of a responsibility to catch fish.
"It's also more incentive to make the Classic because that would mean a free anniversary trip. That's been a lifelong dream, and I'd love to make it. I've gone there many times, working for sponsors, but I've never actually competed."
Roumbanis has a lot of incentives to keep catching big fish this year.
So Far, So Good
Even though he finished 2nd at Amistad last year and has a ton of experience at Clear Lake, he said he was somewhat surprised to notch Top 20s at those events.
"Those are both easy fisheries, and I was going against the best fishermen out there," he said. "Those could be very important (points-wise), and I do think I've gotten myself into a good frame of mind for the rest of the season."
One motivating factor for him to sustain his momentum is the rumor that BASS might invite only the Top 50 in the points back for 2008.
"That's a big scare. I don't know if it'll happen or not, but it's lit a flame under my butt."
A Poseidon Adventure
The swimbait that Roumbanis primarily relied on at Amistad, the California Delta and Clear Lake was the Reaction Strike Posedion, which he designed and named in honor of his Greek heritage (in Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the sea). It features a smaller profile than many lures in its category, and he thinks it'll be effective throughout the season.
"It's a 6-inch bait, so it's not just for big fish – maybe a little bit better than average fish," he said. "I'll definitely give it a shot everywhere we stop. It should work anywhere that a Senko works.
"I've caught smallmouth on it before, so it could be real good for the lakes that have them. I've also caught fish on it in Florida, where we go at the end of the season."
He anticipates that the upcoming event at Georgia's Clarks Hill will center around sight-fishing, along with some topwater action for post-spawners. The Poseidon might be relegated to a backup role, but he'll have it at the ready.
"It might not be much of a factor at the next couple of tournaments, but I'll always have one tied on."
Notable
> Roumbanis met his new wife, Julie, at last year's Grand Lake Elite Series. Broken Arrow is about an hour's drive from Grand.
> He said encouragement from friends and family, from both California and Oklahoma, has helped him persevere through his ups and downs. "They've helped me keep my confidence up, and I really have to thank all of them for that."
