Q & A

By Gabe Bolivar

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BW: I’ve heard that your favorite lake is Lake Mead, can that really be true?

GB: Yeah that really is true. It’s definitely not the fishing that makes me love this place, it’s the memories I have of it. When I was a kid I used to fish weekend tournaments with my dad, but the lakes we fished in San Diego didn’t have the feel of a real lake. Every year the TOC’s for the tournament trails would be at Lake Mead so that was my first look at what I though real fishing was. When you get out on Lake Mead its like you’re on the moon, out there with rough water, some wind, big rocks, and the best sunrise I think I have ever seen, its unreal.

BW: What’s a normal off-season like for you?

GB: Well usually in the off season I try not to fish too much, I like to go hunting. I usually take a couple trips a year out of state just to do something different, and have some fun, it’s really relaxing. But, its not all fun and games, I do a lot of work for my sponsors and I get all my finances in order for the next season. I’ll do some trade shows, and things like that, I have some really good sponsors who are easy to work with and help me out a lot. Last year I didn’t pick up a rod the entire off-season and that was really a mistake. When I went to go fish my first tournament of the year it felt foreign to me, I was lost. So this year I will go out and do some early practice for the Amistad fish off and make sure I’m ready when the official practice period begins.

BW: How do you manage living in the west when all the lakes you fish are back east?

GB: When I first started in this sport I used to truly believe you couldn’t live out west and make it in the world of pro bass fishing. All the lakes were too far, you had to tow your boat back and fourth, it just didn’t seem feasible. Then I started meeting some anglers that allowed me to park my truck and boat at their house and fly home for a couple weeks so the drives were manageable and I got to spend more time at home. I actually believe that a key to my success has been the ability to maintain my lifestyle without having to move everything across the country. When I go home I get to be back to normal for that time, and I don’t let bad finishes or pressure follow me.

BW: As a pro you’ve had two successful seasons already finishing in the top ten in AOY points twice. Are there still things you can do to get better? Where do you go from here?

GB: That’s something that drives me everyday; I am obsessed with getting better every day I fish. I always feel like I learn something, good finish or bad finish I try and analyze my performance, and see where I can improve. Another thing I do, is talk to every angler I can and ask them what they were using. It doesn’t matter if the guy finished above or below me because I want to understand why they did that, how come they thought that was a good pattern. All the guys out here have something you can pick up and learn from them, and most of the time they are willing to share it with you.

BW: Are there any techniques you had to learn to fish the eastern lakes?

GB: Oh yeah, I had a really tough time learning how to fish docks. It is amazing how these guys will dissect a dock. The guys are skipping worms 20 feet back under a dock that has a 6 inch gap over the water, its something I’m trying to get better at. Actually, most of the time when I go out and practice, I try and fish techniques I’m uncomfortable with. If you’re out practicing every day throwing your confidence baits, you will never be a versatile angler, and on the tour that’s exactly what it take, versatility.

BW: How does a weekend angler get to where you are now?

GB: For guys that are having local team tournament success I suggest that at first they continue with those team tournaments, and go fish as a co-angler or an amateur in some local pro ams or the in the FLW Stren or National Guard series. The amount of information you can learn from the pro is unmatched, there is nothing that compares to fishing with 2 or 3 different pro’s at the biggest tournament venues. Even if you get a bad draw, and yeah I’ve had those, you will be able to learn something. The days when the pro is struggling you should think about what you would do differently, or observe how the pro goes about finding fish. Sometimes while riding down the lake you’ll see some other guys fishing and you can take a mental note of where they are and why they would be fishing that area. Soak everything up. After a couple years of fishing as an amateur, you can make the transition to the front in those same Pro-ams you were fishing and eventually the FLW stuff. Its just like a stairway, you can’t skip steps; it’s about establishing yourself at each level before moving up to the next.

BW: Gabe you have some great sponsors how did you go about finding them?

GB: I used to have a lot of local sponsors before I was out on the tour. Those sponsors came about through good finishes, and making sure I met everyone I could at every event. I knew that it would pay off someday. My big break came when I finished 2nd at Pickwick Lake in the Stren series championship, that was the turning point. Tylenol approached me and gave me the opportunity to fish on the national level, with that opportunity other sponsors were easier to get.

BW: What are your expectations for next season? What do you want to accomplish?

GB: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to win the AOY. I have had two top 10 finishes in the points, but now I think since I’ve seen most of the lakes before and I’ve gotten used to the travel; this year will give me the best chance at doing that. I would like to fish on the last day of at least 3 of the tournaments this year. If you look back at the history of the AOY, the angler who wins usually has 3 last day appearances. I am actually pretty excited for the Amistad east west fish off. I’ve been told Amistad is like Lake Mead on steroids with the same type of structure and water clarity. If all goes well at Amistad I could earn a spot in the Forrest Wood Cup, and heading into the season I would have a lot less pressure on good consistent finishes, and could swing for the fences at some of these events, throw a swimbait around all day or something.

BW: Anything else new for this year?

GB: I actually just got a new sponsor, Pringles Mini’s. I’m pretty excited to be representing such a great brand.