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Camdenton,
Mo. – Denny Brauer. After a career that includes 272 entries spanning back to 1978, 16 BASS tournament wins, ten 2nd place finishes, 72 top 10 finishes, a Bassmaster Classic Championship in 1998 a Bassmaster Angler of the Year title as well as an FLW Tour Angler of the Year title. The sum of all of these finishes is $2,218,901.80 in BASS winnings, and an additional $130,350 in career FLW earnings; the name is synonymous with winning.
With a career steeped in success and as he is looking to begin his 29th year of competitive fishing, Brauer is facing some difficulties, some expected, some not. However, despite the trials, he is looking at the start of 2008 with the demeanor of a veteran pro, focused on the task at hand.
He recently spent some time with The BASS ZONE and discussed his challenges this off-season, his boat choice for the season, his boat and tow vehicle graphics, and the pride of a father.
The Pain of the Off-Season
As the fishing world has learned in the recent past in articles by Steve Price for the PAA, and other fishing industry media outlets, the 58-year-old pro recently underwent knee replacement surgery as a result of an old high school football injury.
“The operation went well, but the recovery has been incredibly painful,” Brauer told The BASS ZONE. “I’ve had five back operations in the past few years, and I would trade this one knee surgery for all five of those any day.”
He said that the pain has been because of the strenuous rehabilitation schedule that his doctor has prescribed. “I go every other day, and by the time my knee starts to feel better the day after, I have to start all over again.” He said he has been walking and lifting weights, and that he feels the experience will help him be more effective as an angler.
“The whole routine has helped me get into better shape,” he said. “I had to suspend my walking last year because of the knee, and I gained some weight because of it, and am now losing some weight and strengthening muscles I had forgotten to use in the past. I feel pretty good about my conditioning right now, and am looking forward to getting back into fishing shape as well.”
The other ‘pain’ in his life involves the dissolution of his relationship with Daiwa. “That was quite a shock and a real disappointment to get that notification,” Brauer said. “I had been with them for 20 years and had always felt that I had done a good job for them, I am a little dumfounded right now.”
Brauer said that from what he had been able to gather the decision was made at a corporate level. “Somebody overseas apparently made the decision to let me go without consulting with anyone from the U.S. Division,” he said. “I’m still processing what it all means right now, but I have been so busy working on the knee, that I’ve not yet puzzled it all out yet.”
2008 Boat and Graphics
Brauer will still be running a Ranger Z520 this year powered by an Evinrude 250 E-TEC engine and Minn Kota MaxxumPro 101 trolling motor. “I have been hearing really good things about the Z520, and am looking forward to running it this year,” Brauer said. “I am also excited about the 250 E-TEC; Evinrude has done a great job with that motor.”
Brauer’s wrap will also feature the Strike King theme that has been on his Ranger for each of the last two seasons, but he said that the layout will be a much simpler version than the last two. “The last two have featured complex designs and textures, but this year Gemini did a great job of making it pop without losing the message of the wrap,” he said. “I really like it.”
Todd Hammill, Chief Operating Officer of Gemini Sports Marketing said that Brauer’s characterization of the job is exactly what he was looking for. “We wanted the brand to be the focal point, so we focused on getting the most out of the color scheme without being too complex.”
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On Son Chad’s Return to Competition
Chad Brauer, Denny and Shirley’s son recently made a return to tournament fishing after taking a year off to focus on his television show, and his return was a 28th place finish at the FLW Series Eastern Division opener at Lake Okeechobee.
“He had the fish to do better after his practice round, but to come back with a 28th place finish is a really neat thing,” Denny said of his son. “I am really proud of the moves he has made, he’s put his family first, and has worked hard at the television side, but I was really happy to see him do well at Okeechobee, he’s as good as anybody else out there.”
Brauer will be traveling the road with all of his Elite Series counterparts in 2008, and without a doubt, he will remain a threat to win any of the events; even after all these years. |
For more about Denny Brauer and his sponsors visit:
www.brauerbass.com
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