Everyone has that one tournament that they would like a “Do Over”. It’s the one that you barely missed the technique or just dialed it in too late. It’s the one that you would give anything to Do It All Over. It haunts you today and will haunt you for life. Not in a negative way but in a way that its hard not to revisit. I have several, but like everyone there is the one that sticks out most.
If you are an Elite Series Angler you can pretty much multiply that emotion by 1000. I posed that question to Fred Roumbanis recently and he did not hesitate to shout an answer. One event, one miscue, one moment in time Fred would give anything to relive. Fred’s just happened to come on the first tournament under the new Elite Series format. The “Battle on the Border” Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas was the event.
“My practice went excellent and I knew that this was my time and my chance to make a statement right away. Day four of the event was unfolding exactly the way I wanted and I had 28.12 pounds in my live well by late day. It’s funny how you have a 6th sense throughout the day know exactly what you need to win. I knew that I needed a big cull. I needed a four-pound cull to be exact to have a chance. The afternoon was setting up perfect and the bass had moved up on the shallow flat points as the water warmed. It seemed like every cast, I would catch one on my swim bait. I was going to put it to them West Coast Style. Never in my mind did I think that cull would not come. With 5 minutes left I was still confident. At the 5-minute mark it happened. As soon as she choked my swim bait I knew she was the winning bass. No doubt she was over 9 pounds. I fought here just like the hundreds of others that I wrestled with throughout the week. I lay down to lip her and for some reason chose to let her tire for one more second. Right then in front of my eyes she surged under the boat and wrapped in the only visible tree. Time was out. I could see here but I did not have time to get her out. Snapping that line was the hardest on the water decision I’ve had to make. I was crushed. I’m still crushed. With that bass I would have won. It would have been a 5-pound cull. Ordinarily and second place and $31,000 dollars would be something to get excited about. To this day, all I can think about is the regret. Never again will a bass get a second chance at being lipped.”
Ish Monroe went on to win and was a great Champion.
In Fred’s case it was the proverbial “One that got away”. Over the next few months I will get some other perspectives from other anglers that would like a Do Over.
This is the first part of an ongoing series by Bass East contributor Gene Eisenmann.
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