Why Canada’s top bass anglers keep winning—and what the rest of us can learn from them

DAVE CHONG

Dave Chong is one of Canada’s most recognized anglers, not just for his wealth of tournament experience, but also for the time he gives back to the sport. He spends countless hours sharing his years of experience to get more people involved in fishing, including competitively.

“Once an angler reaches a certain level of proficiency, the biggest factors that determine success are pre-tournament preparation, time on the water and decision-making,” Chong says, “I’ve noticed that when I don’t—or can’t—pay the necessary attention to those factors, it rarely turns out well. At that point, you’re just hoping to get lucky, which may work for some people, but not for me.”

According to Chong, pre-tournament prep involves several key steps, starting with researching the body of water you’ll be fishing. Next comes preparing your equipment—from changing lines and retying leaders to swapping out hooks—and ensuring your boat is in top condition and ready for the weather and water conditions at hand.

As for time on the water, Chong says that means putting in the necessary pre-fishing hours to test new techniques and presentations. Decision-making, meanwhile, is perhaps the toughest factor to master, he says, especially when it comes to knowing when to change your game plan, and how to manage your time effectively.

“For anglers who consistently win or place, luck is rarely a factor,” Chong adds. “Of course, we’d take a little luck any day, but chance favours the prepared angler.”