Tommy Yates
 2000
 Angler of the Year

 

 

Personal Stats:
Fishing since 1989
10384 Sandra Lynn
Dallas, TX  75228   
214-793-0171
tyates@ticnet.com

 Occupation:  
Alamo/Inwood Glass and Mirror 
25 years
Office Manager/Sales Rep
Accomplishments:
1971-1988 - Fast Pitch Softball Tournament Player
Member of two State Championship Teams
1971 All-State Selection
1976 Nat'l Championship Qualifier, Hamilton, Ohio

Fishing Accomplishments:

2000

1999

1997

1996

1995

1994

2001: Qualified for B.A.S.S. Federation Top Six State Tournament - Lake Amistad
Reelected Secretary, Century Bass Club

Other:
6 Century Bass Club Tournament Victories to date

Other Tournament Trails Fished:
Red Man, Media Bass, B.A.S.S. Federation, Challenge Bass, Lone Star Anglers

The five most important things that have made me a better fisherman:

Time On The Water:  The more time I send on the water running my boat, motor and trolling motor, in all sorts of weather conditions, the more comfortable I become - especially in bad conditions. This in turn has improved my focus and performance, regardless of the conditions.
Set Goals:  When I started setting goals, and then started fishing to reach those goals, I began to see improvement in all areas of my fishing. I began to fish harder to reach my goals and in turn became much more competitive. Set Goals!
Develop Confidence:  I used to go to the lake and hope to catch fish. I now go to the lake fully expecting to catch fish. This confidence, developed over time and with a lot of focus and hard work, paid off in a big way in October of 2000. With an hour to go, in our last club tournament of the year, I still needed a keeper fish to assure myself the Angler of the Year title. I knew I had what it would take to somehow figure those fish out. So, after pausing to reconsider the seasonal pattern, weather conditions and my past experience in similar situations, I set out to salvage the day in the last hour I had left. A very short time later I had put three keepers in the boat, had won 2nd place in the tournament and I had captured the Angler of the Year title. (read more at http://www.bassclubs.net/clubpages/centurybassclub/oct2000.htm)
Take Notice:  Every day on the the water is not a tournament day. So on those fun days or those practice days take a little time to notice your surrounding while on the water. Get in tune with nature. Look at the trees, watch a Bald Eagle fly by, slow down to watch an alligator sunning on the bank or an otter running down the shoreline. Occasionally you might even catch sight of deer looking back at you from the shadows of a timbered shoreline. These are things that get me excited. Listen to the beautiful symphony of nature all around you. Notice these natural things around you and realize that just like the fish you're trying to catch, you too are a part of nature.
The Man:   Last, but certainly not least. By putting my burdens in the hands of the "Man Upstairs", I have been able to eliminate a lot of the stress and grief I used to feel on and off the water. He will help you cope with the bad times, and give you the serenity to more fully to appreciate the good times. (Ps. 55:22, Mt. 12:28)

 

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