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Just before the payment was due, though, the bank that had taken over his wife’s previous employer offered her back her job. “We decided that we’d be able to pay our bills,” he concluded. “So instead of taking a step back I signed up for the Elites again.”
It’s a good thing, too. Vinson, who was in 42nd place in the Angler of the Year race after five events last year, currently sits in 10th, not only in the running for his first Bassmaster Classic appearance, but also for a spot in the post-season top twelve.
Something Old, Something New
The first five events of the year have been a mix of new venues and old standards for Vinson. He had minimal experience on the two California waters, but he’d been to Smith Mountain last year and the two TVA lakes were old hat.
“I went to California not necessarily with high expectations,” he said. “I was just hoping to survive knowing that I had no experience out there.” Despite those caveats, the two new waters produced his best finishes of the year – 13th at the Delta and 24th at Clear Lake. Both efforts, he explained, reflected experience on the tour and his maturation as an angler.
“Last year it seemed I’d always lose a key fish,” he said. “I haven’t been perfect (this year) by any means, but I’m making good decisions and catching those key fish. I got that first year under my belt and got over the terrors of being a rookie.”
While his two best finishes so far came to start the year, he wasn’t a slouch at the next three tournaments, finishing 30th and 25th to coast into the halfway mark, then earning another check via a 44th place finish at Guntersville.
No Sunday Cuts So Far
Vinson currently sits 122 points out of 2nd and only 22 ahead of the 13th place angler. He would have benefitted greatly under the weighted points system had he made it to Day Four once or twice. He thought he was around the fish to do so at both the Delta and Clear Lake. Indeed, at the Delta he ended Day Three in a tie for 12th with Denny Brauer, but Brauer won the tie-breaker and got to fish on. Still, Vinson sees mostly positives in his efforts.
“My consistency tells me how far I’ve come,” he said. “I’m preparing differently, preparing for three or hopefully four days and several times my weight has gone up on the second day.”
An example of that is his experience at the Delta. He only caught one fish in his primary area during practice, but “felt that it would improve during the tournament.” The second day he caught the big fish of the event there. “I was thinking ahead,” he recalled.”
While he admitted that hindsight is 20/20, he felt that he had similar good planning and similar opportunities at both Clear Lake and Pickwick. “Had I known then what I know now I might have done it,” he said.
Looking Forward and Back
Of the three remaining events, Vinson is most looking forward to the Kentucky Lake tournament, the seventh contest on the schedule. He did well there last year and believes that it’ll fish to his strengths. But he’s also looking beyond that tournament, even beyond the regular season. His current position in 10th place overall has given him license to think about making it to the two-event post-season.
“Now the pressure is on,” he said. “We’re over halfway through. I would love to have that opportunity back home. Those are two of the three lakes I fish the most.”
But while the August post-season and next February’s Bassmaster Classic are never far from his thoughts, he can’t help but think back to how close he came to sitting this Elite Series season out.
“I think about it all the time,” he said. “I feel like since I’ve started my professional fishing career, God has led me in the directions he wants me to go. He’s led me to where he wants me to be, so I have to give the credit to God.”
At the same time, Vinson doesn’t discount the sweat equity that he has put in on and off the water to get where he is today.
“I’ve worked really hard to do my part,” he said. “I wanted to come back. I felt that I could improve.”
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