Dave's total, as of Sept. 29, is 176.55, compared to Rob's total of 164.50. Dave already has eclipsed the AOY record set in 2014, when Mark London finished the year with a total of 168.35 points, and he's done it while fishing one less tournament to date than Mark in the process.
I consider it a distinct privilege to be able to fish with one of the best and most consistent anglers around. Simply put, he knows how to put fish in the boat. What makes him so special is the fact that he's not a braggadocio. Instead, he goes about his business in a matter-of-fact way and lets his success speak for itself.
Although I've only been fishing with Dave a few weeks now, one thing that has become obvious to me is the smoothness in the way he handles a rod. He's nothing like some fellas I've fished with over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about--guys who literally rock the boat whenever they set the hook on a fish.
That's not Dave. There are times when I'm fishing with my back to him, and I won't even have a clue he has caught a fish until I hear it splashing. The boat never moves.
During our last couple of trips, I've paid particular attention to how Dave fishes his soft plastics. On some occasions, when I've happened to see Dave's line jump and start moving off, I've stopped and watched him do what he does so well. He drops his rod, reels up the slack, then just comes back with a firm and steady hand. It's the same kind of motion I learned to use with Slider worms when this light-line technique first appeared on the scene.
Dave misses a few fish, but only a few. And watching him throughout a day on the water is comparable to watching a clinic in motion.
Well done, my friend, and good luck this coming Saturday as we close out the season qualifiers.
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