Interview with Larry Nixon

Mike Cork · August 29, 2012, 09:08:07 PM

I will be interviewing Larry Nixon tomorrow morning (30 Aug) at 10 am. If you have a question you would like to ask him please post it here.

As always I try to get answers and will post them to this thread after the interview. However, if they pertain to his win the answer may be in the interview.

mrshakeyhead · August 30, 2012, 06:17:48 AM

Sure thing. Ask him if he ever plans to have another fishing show. His was the best on the tube when it ran. Great teaching.

bassn1 · August 30, 2012, 06:53:57 AM

When he is practicing for Tx, How many rods does he have on his front deck? Does he concentrate more on presentation of the lure or the color? When he finds a pattern which is producing, will he see if that pattern is producing throughout the body of water or will he switch patterns to find another which will produce. In other words how many producing patterns will he need to find to be competitive in any Tx.

With the addition of the new electronics and the advances of their pinpoint accuracy and ability to break down structure, is pattern fishing still able to win tournaments consistently or does one absolutely need to rely on his electronics to be competitive?

Mike Cork · August 30, 2012, 08:57:48 AM

Great stuff guys. Still and hour to get another question or two in. I don't know how many I'll get to ask. Most anglers have plenty of time though and love talking fishing

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 10:43:20 AM

Larry Nixon's Interview is Published. Some great information and some great photo's as well. Check it out on the front page

www.ultimatebass.com

I have answers for the questions posted here but give me a couple minutes and I'll get them posted as well.

coldfront · August 31, 2012, 10:45:41 AM

might be one of your best interview articles yet Mike

loved the question about how he looked for/found off shore fish in a 'bowl'...I would have no idea where to even start.

bassn1 · August 31, 2012, 11:15:33 AM

Great Interview. Sounded as if Mr. Nixon was up front and eager to share his experience with all.
Thank You Mike

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 11:18:07 AM

UB: Many of our members talk about and enjoyed your TV show. Are there any plans to start a new Television Show?

Larry: No, I don't think so. While I enjoyed many aspects of the show, it was the teaching part I loved the most. Television gets way to 'political' and I wasn't able to teach anglers the things I wanted too. I always had to promote the next new lure. It was getting so bad that I had to remove all my tackle and make sure I only carried specific things. That just wasn't what I thought Television was going to be.

Bass fishing to me is Peace, quiet, and fishing; Television took all that away.

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 11:21:46 AM

UB: How many rods do you carry on deck ready to go when prefishing for a tournament?

Larry: Just 8, I'm really basic and I'm pretty prepared when I get to the water. Through research I already know what I expect to work. Now, I'll have 10-12 more in the rod box ready to go. Mostly they will be the same baits with different line or different sizes with a couple things mixed in for the unexpected. I really like my space, I don't want to be tripping over equipment when I'm fishing.

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 11:29:26 AM

UB: When it comes to baits, do you concentrate more on presentation versus color?

Larry: It's all part of it. However, the most important thing is using the right tool for the water. The first thing you have to do is determine how deep the bass are, then select baits that allow you to present a bait to those fish. When it comes to color, I keep it very simple. In the winter and spring I am using crawfish color baits and in the summer and fall I'm looking for shad colors. After I find the proper tool for the job I will use color to fine tune my presentation.

An example would be if I'm fishing muddy water, I'll select baits for the season but if it's a shad forage I'll add a little chartreuse, say by adding a chartreuse blade to a spinnerbait. But if I'm in a crawfish forage situation I'll add a little bit of orange to the belly of a crankbait.

When it comes to soft plastics I am also very basic. First I can't say enough about the Berkley Havac Bottom Hopper I use this bait all year long. I have four basic colors and use water clarity to help me decide. Watermelon Red, Green Pumpkin, June Bug, Black Emerald.

bassn1 · August 31, 2012, 12:16:35 PM

The man is not afraid to answer honestly. Maybe he should try a internet show. This way he could teach what he wanted without the distraction of sponsors.

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 01:34:21 PM

Quote from: bassn1 on August 31, 2012, 12:16:35 PM
The man is not afraid to answer honestly. Maybe he should try a internet show. This way he could teach what he wanted without the distraction of sponsors.

Even an internet show needs money, and money comes from the sponsors. A website, hosting, server, and the ability to stream live video is not cheap. Then you have a production crew....

I personally would be happy with a camera mounted on his boat that he turned on and off with a remote. Nothing fancy, just him fishing and telling us about it.

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 01:37:47 PM

UB: Once you find a pattern, do you try and reproduce it throughout the lake; or will you try to find another productive pattern?

Larry: I always work on a back up pattern. I've said for years, that you better have a worm or jig pattern to go with your reaction bait pattern in case it all goes south.

I like to find a pattern no one else likes and this usually means something that requires a lot of patience. Most of the younger anglers are in a hurry, running and gunning. I find myself in places with 4 or 5 other competitors but they are working fast. I like to find something that I can take my time and catch fish behind them.

Mike Cork · August 31, 2012, 01:44:16 PM

UB: With the advances in Electronics, GPS, Side scan and down imagining. Do you feel an angler can be competitive in tournament bass fishing simply relying on pattern fishing.

Larry: I absolutely would not have won the Detroit River tournament without my GPS. Those fish I found were 10 miles off shore. There was no way to line up shoreline targets. My only hope would have been to put a buoy out and hope I could find it the next day. The mapping systems are just to useful. I can run up and down a lake and stop and look at key areas. If I was trying to hold a map and find spots I had marked it would quadruple your search time. Finding and examining underwater contours is so fast. You still pattern fish but finding more water is extremely fast now.

Donald Garner · August 31, 2012, 07:41:53 PM

Mike,
This has to be one of your "Best Interviews"

I've been a big fan of Larry since I started bass fishing back in 73

I wish he was still fishing B.A.S.S.

Mike Cork · September 01, 2012, 10:15:47 AM

Thank you Donald. But all the credit goes to Larry on this one, great angler and fun to talk to!

OCBassman · September 01, 2012, 12:21:29 PM

Great Interview Mike. Looks Like its time for me to come out of the dark ages. Time for an updated Fishfinder with GPS. The stuff on my Boat is a little Old.

Mike Cork · September 01, 2012, 08:10:32 PM

It's been a long time since the called them LCR. But hey if it's still working for you run with it

SABasser · September 04, 2012, 09:31:58 AM

Well done Mike. That was an excellent article. I learnt alot from it. Sounds like He is a great guy.

Mike Cork · September 04, 2012, 11:34:43 AM

Fantastic guy and fun to talk with. Looking forward to the next opportunity to speak with him.