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"FISHING HAS NEVER LET ME
DOWN..."
NAFC Interview with Chuck
Bauer
 Chuck Bauer is a
noted Big Bass Specialist who has been recognized many times by
various organizations, including Bassin' Magazine, Texas Fish
& Game, North American Fisherman Magazine, Outdoor Life, Texas
Hunting and Fishing News, The Dallas Morning News, and
Texas Outdoor Times Magazine. Chuck is a Professional
Member of the National Speakers Association and he is on Pro Staff
for Kick-n-Bass.
Chuck also does FREE
fishin' seminars in and around the Dallas/Ft.Worth Metroplex. You
may find out more information about Chuck at
www.chuckbauer.com or www.worldrecordbass.com
NAFC -- HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN
ANGLER?
CB -- I have
been fishing for 36 years.
NAFC -- DESCRIBE YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON
CATCH AND RELEASE? HAVE YOU ALWAYS PRACTICED IT?
CB -- For many
years, I was a trout fisherman and really didn't practice "catch
and release" (C&R). In 1985, I switched to bass fishing and
didn't really know anything about it. In studying and reading many
magazines, I became familiar with C&R. At first, it was
difficult to throw fish back. After a while, it became very easy;
especially considering the long-term, positive effects that catch
and release has on any fishery. The NAFC "Catch and Release
Contest" taught me how easy it is to document your catches and
release them. Most anglers, for some reason, will not carry a
camera, measuring tape, and scale with them. So, when those
opportune times show up, they miss their chance of documenting the
catch and, most importantly, releasing it. Best of all, it is such
a rush to release big fish, especially in front of young children
or other fisherman. You set an example; especially for the kids. I
fish every couple weeks with my good friend, Jeff, and his three
young boys. I remember two years ago starting to fish with them --
the boys always wanted to keep their fish. Now, it's catch,
document, and release all the way. Heck, these boys even talk
about "Catch & Release" at school and church! A true form of
how one small positive thing you do has such a ripple effect!
NAFC -- FAVORITE METHODS FOR BASS
FISHING?
CB -- I have three favorite methods for fishing:
1ST, I use live bait. Yes, I know, many fishermen are against
using live bait, however I learned, a few years back, that in
order to catch BIG BASS on a consistent basis, you must get out of
the small-fish box and into the big-fish box. Paul Duclos and Bob
Crupi both asked me, "Would you rather have a real steak or a
rubber steak?" Same applies to catching big bass. Bluegill,
waterdogs, and crawdads are my rule of thumb. With live bait, I am
very SLOW and methodical when fishing. I stay deep and am very
patient. Bob Crupi, who has the 2nd largest bass on the books,
told me that with that particular fish, he cast a crawdad out and
let it sit for quite some time, not even touching his pole, before
the big female hit it.
2ND, I'm prepared mentally. To catch big bass, you have to get
mentally into the big-fish box. Your mental state and belief has
so much to do with catching big fish, and is just as important as
using live bait. I know, each time I go out to fish, that I will
catch a bass over 22-inches, and I have to do things different
than most fisherman to accomplish that. Being mentally prepared
means going against the current; i.e., when others are beating the
bank for a 3-pound bass, I want to be deep and sitting on spots
where the big bass are most likely to congregate. Mental toughness
also means sometimes fishing by yourself. Many of my fishin'
buddies like to catch numbers or do the opposite of what it will
take to catch a BIG fish. I tend to plan out my strategy and place
the advantage to me when it comes to finding that big fish. I do
not fish for numbers. I do what it's going to take to catch big
fish. That means staying away from normal strategies and going
against-the-grain, in most cases. Stealth is such a big factor, as
an example. In some cases, I will shut down the big motor and
drift over to a spot over 50 yards away. There are reasons why a
bass gets big, so you have to do everything in your power to turn
the advantage to you.
3RD, I use big plugs. Big fish hit big
baits. Often, I will use a Castaic Trout, AC Plug, or even big
saltwater plugs to fool big bass. In the summertime, one of my
favorite techniques is to use a big saltwater pole with lead core
line and run a plug 40-50 feet deep in selected areas of my home
lake. Back in February of 1998, I caught a 25-inch 9-pound bass on
the Castaic Trout right out of a small pond in Dallas. You just
never know.
NAFC -- HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A
MEMBER OF THE NAFC (NORTH AMERICAN FISHING CLUB)?
CB -- Four
years. (Note: Chuck is a life member of NAFC.)
NAFC -- BEST PLACE TO CATCH BASS IN
YOUR STATE?
CB -- Two places for me are the best in
Texas. First off, there are a variety of tank ponds and even city
ponds that hold big bass. It amazes me, when I pull a six-
or seven-pound bass out of a neighborhood pond, how it will shock
people -- again, the belief cycle at work. I even carry my
poles, camera, tape, and scale with me in my Suburban -- just in case
I come across a pond that I haven't fished before. I've had women pushing
a baby strollers come by and take pictures and witness for me --
and they cannot believe the size of the fish -- and when they tell
their husbands, they think their wives have gone waco. Beyond
that, Lake Ray Roberts just northeast of Dallas is my favorite
lake. I truly believe that Roberts holds a number of 14-pound bass
and bigger, and in the next few years some huge bass will be
caught there. Additionally, Ray Roberts does not receive the
pressure that Fork gets. I had one day last year at Ray Roberts
that I had four bass with a total weight of 34 pounds!
NAFC -- WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO FISH?
CB -- My Dad.
Since I was four-years-old, he always took the time to take me out
fishing in the ocean off Southern California and every once in a
while we fished little Irvine Lake. Dad had me tying my own knots
by the age of four. I am so thankful for his time and effort; he
put into me and fishing -- kept me out of trouble in my later
years. NAFC member, Paul Duclos, who has been a fishin' mentor for
me ever since he caught his 24-pounder back in March of 1997, has
been exemplary in teaching and coaching me on big fish -- Paul got
me out of the "Little Fish Box" and into the "BIG Fish Box."
NAFC -- ANY AWARDS, RECOGNITION, ETC., FOR "CATCH AND RELEASE"?
CB -- My "catch and releases" have been recognized many
times by various organizations, including "Bassin' Magazine,"
"Texas Fish & Game Magazine," "North American Fisherman
Magazine," "Outdoor Life," the "Dallas Morning News," "National
Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame," "Texas Hunting and Fishing
News," and "Texas Outdoor Times Magazine." I am on pro staff for
Kick-N-Bass Fish Attractant. I have also received a special award
from the "National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame" for a
33-pound, 45-inch long channel catfish I caught in August of 1998.
NAFC -- ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT
MEMBERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
CB -- I owe a great deal to this wonderful sport of
fishing. Many times, we as humans are challenged with different or
difficult things, and I can say that, through my whole life,
fishing has never let me down. Outside of my love for fishing, I
am a professional business coach, public speaker, and small
business consultant. I have a web-site for my professional
services and another web-site with
information on fishing; including photographs and stories.
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