Series regular Mike McClelland returns to ProPatterns Exposed Season 4 as he takes on Lake Dardanelle during the third practice day leading up to the 2014 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle last May. The seven-time champion has appeared on every season of Exposed since the series began filming five years ago. McClelland took the time to speak with ProPatterns while travelling the west coast swing, a series of tournaments taking place on the west coast this month.
McClelland, who has appeared at ten Classics, won seven tournaments, and taken home 28 top ten finishes with a second place finish just last month at Sabine, joked about the upcoming episode, telling ProPatterns that fans will learn “what not to do.”
McClelland explained that on the third day of practice he went farther out from shore to fish deeper water. While the day was rainy and rather miserable, he still got some good bites. He explained, “A big rain came in that night, which stopped any fish trying to move out from shore.” He adjusted and recovered on the second day of the tournament, but didn’t finish the tournament how he wanted.
McClelland didn’t consider the tournament a loss and explained the key to long-term success on the trail. “The biggest thing for me is my versatility. A lot of the tournaments where I’m successful, I’m fishing by the seat of my pants. Looking back, fifty percent of my success has been about my ability to be versatile and change.”
The challenge of fishing a body of water like Dardanelle during this tournament, he explained, was really about the fluctuations in the river system due to heavy rains and river control. “Fans will get to see what it takes to fish a river system like Dardanelle in post-spawn conditions.”
McClelland also pointed out that planning and research play a major factor in tournament success. Before I fish a tournament, I study that body of water and see what kind of weight it takes to win. What might have been a winning weight a few years ago could have changed due to a number of factors. If you do that kind of research before going into a tournament, you’ll know what to expect and be able to adjust to what’s happening on the water at that time of year.”
For recreational and amateur anglers, he recommends “going with the flow and not getting locked into a particular way to fish.” Pro Patterns Season 4
McClelland goes on to say, “a series like Exposed really offers fans the ability to get inside so many pros’ heads. ProPatterns Exposed shows fans how to not just fish off the bank but to really go out break down a body of water and find patterns, put those patterns together, and really understand what you need to look for to have success. The information available now is so much better when I was just starting out, which means the level of fishing just keeps getting better and better every year.”
ProPatterns Exposed with champion angler Mike McClelland premiers on at ProPatterns.com. Fans new to the series can watch the episode for a nominal pay-per-view fee. Fans who sign up for an ELITE membership with ProPatterns.com gain access to all of Exposed Season 4, live video interviews with Exposed pros coming this summer, fantasy fishing, multimedia personal profile creation for showcasing your own knowledge and experience to the angling community, as well as a wealth of other membership benefits throughout the year.