02-21-2008, 08:10 PM
Beginning Friday, Todd Auten will fish the biggest bass tournament on the planet. Earlier this month, he took me out for a while on his home waters of Lake Wylie.
Ever wonder how a big time pro gears up for the Bassmaster Classic? I did.
"I'm ready, I guess," said Auten, who will fish his third career Classic, but first since 2003. "Hopefully I won't be as nervous."
In 1999 and 2003 -- both in New Orleans -- Auten fished the event to finishes of 34th and 13th, respectively. This time around Auten hopes for more.
"You got there just as good as they did," he said, of qualifying to fish with the biggest pros in the business. "Then it was like I was just trying to catch fish. Now, I'm going trying to win."
Home waters
But long before Auten dreamed of a Classic only two hours away -- on Lake Hartwell in Greenville this year -- he was just another Gastonia boy growing up fishing Wylie. Auten's brothers, some fishing the area on occasion, still call him on the water to find out where the bites are.
Even marrying his wife Susan years ago couldn't keep Auten off the water.
"She said she'd never marry a fisherman, but she did," he said.
Neither did adding children. After having son Nick, 13, and daughter Grace, 8, the Autens moved to Lake Wylie with grandparents on both sides of the family. Now, Auten even fishes some with his father-in-law.
"They all support me," Auten said of his family. "They all want me to do good, of course. My daughter says, 'I want you to win, I want you to win. I want the money.'"
That support even helps Auten make it through tournament seasons that keep him away from home on weekends.
"I know my wife, she handles a lot of stuff for me like soccer games and things like that," Auten said. "The good thing is, if I'm gone a week or two, I'm usually home a week or two after that. I don't miss all of them. I miss half of them."
Career decisions
Auten's fishing career, like many on the pro level, has as many ups and downs as Lake Wylie itself. He began fishing BASS series events in 1997, entering 84 tournaments since and fishing two Classics. Auten finished second in a tournament three times.
In 2004, when the Classic was held on Lake Wylie, Auten just missed qualifying and watched Lake Wylie resident Jason Quinn fish for his dream.
"I missed it by one position," Auten said. "Really it kills you, but there's nothing you can do but put it behind you and focus on the next one. Of course I'd like to see someone from this area win. Anything like that is good for the community."
In 2006, Auten gave up fishing BASS tournaments and fished the FLW Series. High costs of entry fees and a hard time finding corporate sponsors made fishing on the highest level difficult. After qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2008 through finishes in open tournaments last year, Auten had to decide whether to try and fish BASS or return to FLW.
"I like the opportunities a little better because you can get more exposure on BASS," he said. "FLW, you make the cut and you don't even get to wear your own shirt."
After deciding to give the Elite Series a go -- alongside Lake Wylie's other angling sons, Jason Quinn and Britt Myers -- Auten is hoping his latest decision is a good one.
"This time I've had no calls as far as people wanting to sponsor, to come on just for the Classic," Auten said, noting the economy is tough on anglers right now. "The last thing on their mind's paying somebody to go fishing."
Casting deep
Talk with Todd Auten, and the last word to come to mind would be "celebrity." He keeps his talk the way he keeps his fishing -- simple. Ask him what it's like returning to competition against world-famous anglers and "it's just going back to fish against the same old guys." Ask him what's in the water of Lake Wylie, why so small an area would have three world class anglers and others nearby, and he says, "People around here, they like to fish."
But ask Auten, who earned about $100,000 last year fishing FLW and BASS opens, about his passion for fishing and you'll understand just how complicated the sport can be.
"A lot of people think this is going out and cracking open a beer and catching a bass," he said. "You wouldn't believe how many people think that."
As Auten throws his final practice casts this week, the fishing gears in his mind will be turning faster than most people could understand. He wants to win, to show himself and his sport what he can do. But that little boy from Gastonia, the one with the fishing pole on a summer afternoon, won't let the pull of pro fishing tarnish the luster of the sport.
"It does, but once you get out there in the tournament and you get dialed in, it can get real fun," Auten said. "You can still make a good day of it."
Ever wonder how a big time pro gears up for the Bassmaster Classic? I did.
"I'm ready, I guess," said Auten, who will fish his third career Classic, but first since 2003. "Hopefully I won't be as nervous."
In 1999 and 2003 -- both in New Orleans -- Auten fished the event to finishes of 34th and 13th, respectively. This time around Auten hopes for more.
"You got there just as good as they did," he said, of qualifying to fish with the biggest pros in the business. "Then it was like I was just trying to catch fish. Now, I'm going trying to win."
Home waters
But long before Auten dreamed of a Classic only two hours away -- on Lake Hartwell in Greenville this year -- he was just another Gastonia boy growing up fishing Wylie. Auten's brothers, some fishing the area on occasion, still call him on the water to find out where the bites are.
Even marrying his wife Susan years ago couldn't keep Auten off the water.
"She said she'd never marry a fisherman, but she did," he said.
Neither did adding children. After having son Nick, 13, and daughter Grace, 8, the Autens moved to Lake Wylie with grandparents on both sides of the family. Now, Auten even fishes some with his father-in-law.
"They all support me," Auten said of his family. "They all want me to do good, of course. My daughter says, 'I want you to win, I want you to win. I want the money.'"
That support even helps Auten make it through tournament seasons that keep him away from home on weekends.
"I know my wife, she handles a lot of stuff for me like soccer games and things like that," Auten said. "The good thing is, if I'm gone a week or two, I'm usually home a week or two after that. I don't miss all of them. I miss half of them."
Career decisions
Auten's fishing career, like many on the pro level, has as many ups and downs as Lake Wylie itself. He began fishing BASS series events in 1997, entering 84 tournaments since and fishing two Classics. Auten finished second in a tournament three times.
In 2004, when the Classic was held on Lake Wylie, Auten just missed qualifying and watched Lake Wylie resident Jason Quinn fish for his dream.
"I missed it by one position," Auten said. "Really it kills you, but there's nothing you can do but put it behind you and focus on the next one. Of course I'd like to see someone from this area win. Anything like that is good for the community."
In 2006, Auten gave up fishing BASS tournaments and fished the FLW Series. High costs of entry fees and a hard time finding corporate sponsors made fishing on the highest level difficult. After qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2008 through finishes in open tournaments last year, Auten had to decide whether to try and fish BASS or return to FLW.
"I like the opportunities a little better because you can get more exposure on BASS," he said. "FLW, you make the cut and you don't even get to wear your own shirt."
After deciding to give the Elite Series a go -- alongside Lake Wylie's other angling sons, Jason Quinn and Britt Myers -- Auten is hoping his latest decision is a good one.
"This time I've had no calls as far as people wanting to sponsor, to come on just for the Classic," Auten said, noting the economy is tough on anglers right now. "The last thing on their mind's paying somebody to go fishing."
Casting deep
Talk with Todd Auten, and the last word to come to mind would be "celebrity." He keeps his talk the way he keeps his fishing -- simple. Ask him what it's like returning to competition against world-famous anglers and "it's just going back to fish against the same old guys." Ask him what's in the water of Lake Wylie, why so small an area would have three world class anglers and others nearby, and he says, "People around here, they like to fish."
But ask Auten, who earned about $100,000 last year fishing FLW and BASS opens, about his passion for fishing and you'll understand just how complicated the sport can be.
"A lot of people think this is going out and cracking open a beer and catching a bass," he said. "You wouldn't believe how many people think that."
As Auten throws his final practice casts this week, the fishing gears in his mind will be turning faster than most people could understand. He wants to win, to show himself and his sport what he can do. But that little boy from Gastonia, the one with the fishing pole on a summer afternoon, won't let the pull of pro fishing tarnish the luster of the sport.
"It does, but once you get out there in the tournament and you get dialed in, it can get real fun," Auten said. "You can still make a good day of it."