(Editor's note: This is the fifth and final installment in a series titled Cup Q&A. These interviews focus on pros who qualified for this week's Forrest Wood Cup, to be held in Hot Springs, Ark. at Lake Ouachita.)
Ron Shuffield captured his "big" victory at Lake Ouachita. It was a Ray Cooper Outdoors/Evinrude-sponsored tournament in October 1976.
"That was the one that gave me the drive to do more of this," said the 51-year-old former steelworker.
He went on to post seven victories and make 15 Bassmaster Classic appearances in a 21-year career with BASS. He switched to the FLW side at the beginning of
2006 and will compete in his first championship on that circuit (the Forrest Wood Cup at Ouachita) beginning Thursday.
Before this season began, he made it clear that his one and only goal was to qualify for this tournament. He finished 5th in the season opener at Travis, turned in a couple of other Top 50s and ultimately landed in the No. 21 slot in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race.
As an added bonus, his 18-year-old son is in the Cup field as well. Spencer Shuffield graduated from high school a semester early in December and fished the full season on the co-angler side, and ended up 2nd in the points.
The elder Shuffield spent a few minutes with BassFan this week and talked about his history at Ouachita, changing leagues and his expectations for the Cup.
BassFan: How excited are to be making your initial Cup appearance at Ouachita?
Shuffield: It's really a big thing to me to have the opportunity to fish for $1 million on a lake I know a little bit about. It's an indescribable opportunity, and I'm really excited to have this chance.
What would a win here mean to you at this point in your career?
It's hard to describe what winning the Forrest Wood Cup would mean to me. It would put the exclamation point on my career that's currently lacking. I've won a lot of things, but I've never won a major championship.
It wouldn't only be the money, but also the title. Having that title would just be unbelievable.
Would you consider yourself as knowledgeable about the lake as, say, a Scott Suggs, who grew up on Ouachita, or a Mark Davis, who guided here for years?
I probably fish it 6 or 7 days a year nowadays. I fished it a lot more when I was first learning the ropes – it was a major stop on all of the (regional) trails.
I've won my share of events here, but I don't know it as intimately as Davis or Suggs.
How much more significance does this tournament carry for you with your son also competing?
It's one of the greatest things about it. In all honesty, it's been really wonderful having him out here to practice with me, and just having his companionship.
I've know for a long time that he has a future in this sport. He'll probably be a pro himself in 4 to 6 years or so. He has the desire to do it.
You finished 3rd in the 2006 Classic, but then struggled on the FLW Series and in a couple of FLW Tour events last year. Are you fishing as well now as you were 18 months ago?
I'm probably fishing better than I was at that point because I've had to try to elevate my skills a little more to compete out here. With a 200-boat field that includes the best locals everywhere we go, it's the toughest competition I've ever faced.
You have to be really good to be consistent, and even a great angler is going to have a hard time winning. It's the next level and I'm still learning what it takes, but I'm enjoying it.
I miss BASS to a point, but I'm glad I'm over here. I can go in the direction I want to go and I get a chance to watch my son blossom. It was definitely the right decision.
What type of bite do you expect once the tournament gets under way?
The dropping water is really going to affect the fish and the way they relate to the cover. I expect it to be a really challenging event, and for the most part there won't be a lot of fish caught.
It might only take 16-18 pounds (over the first 2 days) to make the Top 10 cut. But I'm just glad to be here and to have a chance to do this.
