Many competitive anglers understand the importance of focusing on the positives and eliminating distractions, but veteran tour pro Randy Blaukat has taken the mental aspects of the game to a higher level.

His search for an advantage was borne out of necessity, he said, due to the fact he decided relatively late in life to become a professional fisherman. In the two decades since he turned pro, he's become convinced he can gain control over his fishing if he unfetters his instinct and applies his intellect so they can do what they're capable of doing.

"The thing that strikes me more than anything else as I look back on the start of my career was that I started focusing on my mental attitude," he said. "What has evolved is a process that involves creating scenarios in my mind, preventing distractions and building my awareness about what's going on around me."

Creating Scenarios

Blaukat said he learned from Albert Einstein. "(Einstein) said, 'Your imagination is more important than your knowledge.'"

His preparation for fishing begins with imagining the situations he'll encounter on the water. "What Einstein meant was that before we can have a successful physical experience, we have to imagine it. I prepare by creating a positive environment in my mind."

That can be difficult, he said, given the enormity of the field of variables nature presents to anglers.

"Say you have a cold front and bluebird skies. You can start thinking how you won't be able to catch fish. Or you can say, 'The wind is blowing 25 mph from the north, how can I use that to my advantage?' I'll say the wind will allow for a spinnerbait bite and I'll go catch them on a spinnerbait."

Once he's in a positive frame of mind, he seeks to stay there and convert his dream to reality.

"You have to play mental games. If you lose a 10-pounder, you can get depressed and be bummed out. Or you can say, 'I'm doing the right thing because I just hooked a 10-pounder.'"

Blocking Distractions

He ingrains his scenarios by keeping them constantly in his head.

"I try to imagine my first spot and how a fish will strike my spinnerbait as it goes past a laydown.

"It takes a lot of mental focus because it's so easy to get distracted. You've got bills to pay at home or you only have two fish at 2 p.m. You've just got to block out all the external distractions."

He noted his approach is not as complicated as it may appear. "The whole key is to return to the mind of the child. Imagine scenarios without fear and doubt."

He also acknowledged that it's not easy to create and maintain positive scenarios. "Nobody has a handle on this completely," he said.

Elevating Awareness

Success comes after Blaukat has created scenarios, blocked distractions and elevated his awareness. "I've learned from the Native Americans," he said. "They had to be completely in-tune with nature or die."

Nature's variables are too numerous to build a comprehensive list, but examples he cited include temperature, wind, humidity, light intensity, soil composition, the angle of the bank, the angle of the cast and the place in which a fish is hooked. They all tell him something.

"Everything we experience – directly or indirectly – we need to be aware of and use as part of our information highway."

His three keys cannot work independently of each other.

"For every successful angler, this is happening, whether they acknowledge it or not," he said. "Whether you acknowledge this depends on your belief system, but it's definitely there.

"The obstacle is in your head. Anglers have to really want to pursue this – the things that allow us to catch fish – after mastering the basic skills and tools. To step up to the next level, you have to want to go there. The difference is some people are very aware of what's taking place out there while others are oblivious to it."

Some might call Blaukat's approach eccentric.

"To be a top pro like Kevin VanDam, you have to be different," he said. "Kevin can't fish the way he does without something else in his life taking a back seat. To be a superstar in any sport, you can hardly lead a balanced life, and most people seek balance in their lives."

Notable

> Blaukat's enjoying the off-season working on projects around home in Missouri as well as investing an hour or two each day organizing tackle. He and his wife also planned to vacation in Mexico with Aaron Martens and his wife.