A lot has happened to Gerald Swindle since the last time he prepared to compete in a Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake in his home state of Alabama. The previous 3 years haven't been the best of times for the wisecracking, 40-year-old former Angler of the Year (AOY), but he says the struggles he's endured have made him a stronger person.
And because of that, he's now a better angler as well.
"I assure you those things have made me a better husband and father, and spiritually I'm a lot closer to where I want to be," he said. "Without doubt, from then to now, I have a different perspective on what I've achieved, who I am and who I want to be.
"If I had to really define what's different now, I'd say I'm more comfortable with myself. On the water, I'm a little more focused and a little less affected by the negative stuff. I know that I have a very simple job – catch fish and remain positive."
Another Big Opportunity
Swindle is on a lot of people's lists of favorites to win the Classic, just as he was when the sport's premier event last came to Lay in 2007. His hopes were dashed that year when he had to forfeit a solid day-2 bag as the penalty for driving on pad between a camera boat and several spectator rigs.
That evening he went onstage and described what happened to the weigh-in crowd, breaking down into tears several times during the process. But the real crusher was to come later that year, when older brother Tony was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Tony died in March 2008 at age 42.
He finished a lackluster 53rd in the '08 Elite Series AOY race and thus sat out the '09 Classic following six consecutive appearances. Then he rebounded last season with seven Top 40s in eight regular-season events, including three straight finishes of 11th or better to close the campaign. He earned a spot in the 12-angler postseason series and eventually landed at No. 9 on the final points list.
"That DQ at the Classic was a heartbreaker," he said. "It was a huge blow at the time and it really got me down. Then the loss of my brother – there's no way to describe that."
He can't turn back the clock and undo the things that have occurred since the start of the '07 Classic. His focus is entirely on the present and he admitted that he'll seek a measure of redemption at Lay this week.
"Most definitely, I'm looking forward to getting another chance here and making it right. A win would mean so many different things on so many different levels. When I started in this game my goals were to win the Angler of the Year and the Classic, and that second one's still hanging out there waiting to be achieved.
"With everything I've been through, a Classic win in Birmingham would be just huge emotionally, and it would also be a big confidence-builder for the rest of the season. It's been my dream since I was a boy, and I'm still dreaming."
Swindle said that for the first time ever, he feels no pressure heading into a Classic.
No Worries
As badly as Swindle wants to win the Classic in front of his home crowd, he said he feels no added pressure as the event approaches. Oddly, for the first time in his 10 Classic appearances, he feels no pressure at all.
"It's weird," he said. "Before I'd come to Classics and I'd definitely be feeling it, but there's absolutely nothing there. There's just a blank void where all that usually is. Maybe in the past I'd put too much pressure on myself.
"The adrenalin and the excitement are right where you want them to be and as a competitor, I'm itching to go. But I've never felt this kind of void before and I haven't been strung out for days on end. I'm going to go out and do what I do, the best I can do it and the best I've ever done it, and that's it."
Like the majority of the field, he endured a miserable 3-day pre-practice period marred by frigid air and water, getting just a bite or two each day. But he's taking an "it is what it is" attitude toward whatever conditions he'll face starting Friday.
He's no fan of chilly water, but he's one of the best junk-fishermen in the game and carries a lot of tools in his box – any one of which might prove beneficial this week.
"I'm not going to sweat it. It's shaping up to be a tough tournament and I usually like those.
"I'll push forward (during today's final practice) and try to find any little way I can come up with to catch some fish. It could turn out to be just that easy."
Notable
> Swindle said that divesting himself almost entirely from the politics of the sport has helped him maintain a positive frame of mind. "Even if I think something is 100% wrong, I need to disengage myself and just fish," he said. "It's hard to do because I have a lot of passion for the sport I make my living in, but I tend to see things in black and white and with my personality, I need to just stay out of it. At the end of the day, I get paid to catch fish and that's what my sponsors pay me for. I want things to get better, but I'm not sure that I'm the guy to lead the way. I think everybody's better off if I'm sitting out in the bullpen."
> When asked if he'd rather win another AOY (he captured that title in 2004) or this Classic, he responded, "I don't know if one outweighs the other, but this tournament is the No. 1 focus on my mind. It's all I'm looking at right now and I'm trying not to get too far out in front of myself."
