For most amateur anglers, fishing is about going to that lucky spot on the lake or using that lucky lure that’s been in their tackle box forever.
But Oxford resident Bill Olson, 47, doesn’t see it that way.
‘Fishing is a science. Fishing isn’t luck,? said the 1979 Lake Orion High School graduate. ‘There are reasons why fish are where they’re at and do what they do.?
It’s safe to say Olson knows quite a bit more about fishing than the average guy who hangs around the bait shop given he’s competed in more than 100 bass tournaments around the state since 1991 and won about 20 percent of them.
The walls of Olson’s basement are lined with plaques commemorating his successes on the water. He estimated he’s won about $6,000 during his tournament career, all of which was used to cover his costs.
Like anything else in life, becoming a consistently successful fisherman requires lots of preparation.
‘It’s not just, ‘Hey, let’s go fishing today,?? Olson said.
A good fisherman will study many factors such as time of year, weather, wind speed, water temperature, depth, locations of bait fish and what lures to use in what conditions.
‘It’s almost like doing a huge math equation,? he said. ‘You come out with the right answer at the end and you’re going to catch fish.?
Olson noted he can fish Lake St. Clair in the early spring and catch 100 smallmouth by lunch. ‘If you get into the right area, you can catch 25 fish in a row,? he said.
The biggest thing is understanding and knowing the ‘patterns of fish,? meaning where they are and what they’re doing at different times of the year.
‘You’re not going to be fishing in the middle of the lake in 30-foot of water in June,? Olson said.
Why? Because the bass are spawning in the shallows.
A good fisherman will understand that on a sunny day, the bass are going to look for the ‘shady side of a weed.? And in late summer, they’re typically going to be in 8-12 feet of water during high sun.
But understanding the conditions and patterns aren’t enough, a fisherman must also be able to adapt.
‘Those people who learn how to change with the conditions they’re in, they’re the ones who are going to be successful,? Olson said.
‘You just can’t go out there and say you’re going to catch fish all the time in this one spot with this one lure,? he explained. ‘You have to adapt. You have to move with the fish and understand what they’re doing.?
That’s why Olson always brings about 11 bait-casting and spinning rods with him all strung up and ready to go, each with a different lure.
‘Those fish are always there, you’ve just got to find out what turns them on that day,? he said.
Olson’s standard arsenal of lures includes a jerk bait, crank bait, tube bait, rattling lure, spinner-bait and a twin tail hula grub, the latter of which he said is ‘one of the best (smallmouth) lures you can buy.?
‘Lures (and their colors) never go out of style. I think they always come back,? explained Olson, who has boxes and cabinets full of them. ‘Some lure that works this year, may turn off next year. Maybe three years later it’s back on. So, I never get rid of anything. I have hordes of them.?
Not only is it important to know the water’s depth in order to know the type of lure to use and how to present it, it’s also critical to know the water’s clarity.
‘If you’re fishing real clear water, you want to use lighter color, translucent baits,? Olson explained. ‘If it’s dirty water, you want to use more or less a dark lure or a bright lure.?
Sometimes lure color depends on the body of water that’s being fished.
‘My favorite color on Lake Orion is purple. But I won’t use purple on Cass Lake or any lake up north,? Olson said. ‘There’s something about purple on Lake Orion that seems to work.?
When it comes to his choice for rods and reels, Olson prefers using bait-casters because he likes the feel and they offer more control. But he always keeps a few spinning combos handy if he has to make an ‘exceptionally long cast.?
For those anglers reading this article hoping to glean some tips, Olson advised the best way to learn and improve as a fisherman is to join a club like he did when he became a member of Bass ‘n? Stars out of Walled Lake in 1991.
‘It’s amazing what you can learn once you get into a club,? he said. ‘You think you pretty much know a lot about fishing, but there’s so much to learn There’s always some little nuance or trick.?
It was Olson’s club membership that introduced him to the world of tournament fishing, the ‘competitive edge? of which helped fill a void in his life.
Competition had always been a part of Olson’s life. He played baseball through college and later switched to softball. But as he got older he kept looking for ‘that next competitive thing to do.?
‘Fishing just kind of fit the niche at that time,? he said. ‘It was exciting. It was something that was new.?
Well, the competitive part was new. The fishing wasn’t. Growing up in the Oxford/Lake Orion area, fishing had been a fun part of Olson’s childhood.
Some of his fondest memories involve using a cane pole and flies to catch pan fish in Davis Lake or having his mother drop him off at the Koenig Sand and Gravel property on Lakeville Rd. to fish in the water-filled pits.
‘There used to be a lot of bass in there,? Olson said.
Fishing in tournaments has afforded Olson the opportunity to test his skills in bodies of water beyond Oxford’s gravel pits.
Over the years, he’s enjoyed fishing and competing on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, Cass Lake, Saginaw Bay and Long Lake in Alpena.
Although he fishes for both smallmouth and largemouth, he prefers the former because they’re more challenging to catch and require ‘finesse baits.?
‘There’s a better fight to them,? Olson said. ‘Typically in Michigan, if you smallmouth fish, you’re going to get higher weights.? The biggest bass Olson ever caught was a 6?-pound smallmouth hooked in Saginaw Bay.
Pursuing smallmouth also means ‘you don’t have to contend with as many weeds? since they are usually found in deeper waters like Saginaw Bay and Lake St. Clair.
Going after largemouth typically involves fishing the shoreline, trolling weedlines and pitching to docks.
When going after smallmouth, Olson said it’s always good to fish a lake well-known for its walleye. Local fisherman will typically tell you where the bass are because they’re only interested in walleye.
Despite his knowledge, success and enjoyment of tournament fishing, Olson has no plans to leave his job as the launch coordinator for the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Jefferson North Plant and become a pro-fisherman.