By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
Brent Chapman was the first angler to pull his boat into the parking area backstage at the Bassmaster Elite Series weigh-in site Saturday. It was anticipated he’d be the first to cross the stage.
Then, B.A.S.S. officials informed him he’d be the last of the 49 anglers to weigh in.
He’d waited his whole pro career – all 17 years – for this day to come. What’s another hour, right? Turns out, it was well worth the wait.
So while the rest of his competitors toted their fish up on stage and spoke briefly about the day on the water or their experiences this week, Chapman got to chill out on his boat with his wife and son and daughter. He checked the online leaderboard on his phone while making sure his fish survived.
“It was actually kind of nice to get back there and take a breather and soak it in a little,” he said. “But I still didn’t know, so it was hard. I had an idea, but I didn’t know for sure. People were walking by and congratulating me and I said, ‘Until they hand me the trophy, I haven’t got it.’”
Once the other 48 pros had weighed in, Chapman was finally summoned to the bump tanks and then to the stage. That’s when he planted a 13-07 bag of Oneida Lake bass on the scale, which was more than enough to hold off Ott DeFoe’s last-gasp charge and punctuate his spectacular season with the Toyota Tundra B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year (AOY) title.
When Elite Series emcee Dave Mercer called the weight, the crowd erupted and Chapman threw his right hand in the air and immediately dug into the bag to show off some of his catch.
It was an emotional end to a years-long quest to achieve this goal.
“It’s a huge relief,” he said. “It’s like a huge weight has been taken off my back. When you achieve a lifetime goal – I’ve never done that before so it’s probably going to take several days before it sinks in. It’s just truly unbelievable.”
Last year, he spent the final day of the season finale driving home to Kansas not knowing if he’d collected enough points to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. That’s not a concern this time around. He’s considered a triple qualifier for next year’s Classic at Grand Lake, thanks to his 1st-place finish in points to go along with his Elite Series win at Toledo Bend and his Central Open victory at Lewisville Lake.
Speaking of Grand, he was quick to point out that while he may not get his mail in Oklahoma and hasn’t been mentioned much, if at all, as one of the (very) early favorites there next February, he considered it one of his home lakes and is already licking his chops.
For as long as he gets asked about this season in the years to come, he will always point to his victory at the Lewisville Lake Central Open in February as the flashpoint for his success this year.
That victory gave him a ticket to next year’s Classic more than a year in advance and allowed him to go into the Elite Series season with a more aggressive mindset. Making cuts and checks wasn’t the goal all of a sudden. Kicker fish and 12-cuts were the focus. He took more calculated risks than usual and they often paid off.
“That got the momentum and flow going and from there I’ve had nothing to lose and everything to gain and it made a big difference,” he said.
He also credited his improved physical condition as a reason he was able to withstand the wear and tear of spending up to 14 hours a day on the boat sometimes.
“That’s truly made a big difference for me,” he said, referring to an exercise therapist he’d met back home in Kansas who also happens to be a fisherman, “so he’s familiar with the rigors of being on the water for lengthy periods of time and the physical demands that puts on the body.
“He put together a workout routine for me that would benefit me and keep my back in shape and my shoulders to where I could fish the 12- to 14-hour days in practice and then fish the days of the tournament without pain because if you’re in pain when you’re fishing, you’re not focusing on fishing.”
With his mind clear of the pressure he’s felt in previous seasons and his body in optimal condition, what obstacles were left to overcome this year?
“My own confidence,” he said. “That’s the hardest part. This is such a mental game. It’s not even funny. With my faith in God and my family and by putting priorities right, it’s really made a big difference. When I realized that fishing isn’t here [reaching way up with hand], it’s made a world of difference.”
