Michael Murphy is an Indiana native done good. He is a former member of the Purdue Bass Fishing Club from whence he graduated. Following his years at Purdue, Michael went on to guide on Lake Lanier. He later became a lure designer and did promotions for the SPRO Corporation. Michael now fishes the FLW Tour, his rookie season coming in 2006. Michael currently resides in South Carolina and lives about 2 miles from Lake Murray. Big Indiana Bass reached Michael at his home before heading to Guntersville, AL for the season's first FLW Tour tournament.
1) Specialist vs. generalist? Do you see yourself as one style or the other technique wise?
MM - To fish on this level, you definitely need to know how to do everything or be willing to if the situation calls for it. However, you do need to have your niches at times to put you over the top that you are better than the rest at. So I say both Specialist and Generalist.
2) In practice, better to cover lots of water or learn an area intimately?
MM - Depends where you are at. This is the Pattern vs Maximizing your area theory. Kentucky Lake or Lake Murray for example you look for a pattern and cover water, but for instance Erie or Florida lakes, where fish really school up in specific areas, it's best to find the best area and just put the trolling motor down, maximize your area and don't pick the trolling motor back up until it is time to go in. It really depends on how well the fish are schooled up and where you are at.
3) How long do you try a pattern without a bite before abandoning it?
MM - It just depends how stubborn you are. You need to ask yourself is it the pattern that just isn't working, and the fish will eventually turn on (typical in Spring and Fall and peak feeding times at mid day), or did conditions change and do you need to adjust with the changing conditions? Sometimes I will change completely for a tournament and fish something I never even tried in practice if the situation calls for it, sometimes I will wait it out if I believe it will work.
4) Easier to win a local one day (BFL, etc.) or a 3-4 day regional/national?
MM - A one day local tournament. Every dog has its day, but you start adding more days, that luck factor goes away.
5) How much practice time do you believe is optimal for you to be able to compete effectively?
MM - I usually need at least two to be effective. If I have a mechanical problem that keeps me off of water during the official four day practice, I still feel I can accomplish what is needed on two days, I just make adjustments and focus my efforts on less techniques and simplify things, which at times I believe has helped. However, you can never beat time on the water, after three and definitely four, I feel extremely ready, almost bored with practice and ready for the tournament to start. I do believe sometimes you can have too much practice and give yourself too many options and just over think things too. It depends on the fishery and how quick you get on a pattern. I have had tournaments that I purposely did not practice the fourth day to keep me from getting frustrated or over thinking the tournament.
6) How critical is bite timing (i.e., finding "afternoon" fish, "morning" fish, etc.) versus fishing your fish all day -- don't leave fish to find fish?
MM - Very. This all comes with experience and is what I am learning the most, even today. Timing can be the main factor that can separate you from top of the field to dead last at times. You can be doing the right things at the right places but have it all wrong, because you are doing it at the wrong time. Timing is the one thing you can't learn in a book or by reading something. This takes experience and time on the water to perfect.
7) In practice do you stick'em or shake'em?
MM - Depends. Mostly Shake. Once you have them figured out, quit sticking them. If you are trying to see the size of the school of fish and have been bit multiple times, I will catch one just to see the size of the school, but then transport that caught fish elsewhere to not move or disrupt the school that is there. A released fish can disrupt the school, shut them down and move them out of the area entirely. It is better to remove the fish completely from the school, even if it is a quality fish.
8) Bank beating vs. structure fishing? Do you prefer to comb large amounts of shallow water or drag fewer specific deep spots?
MM - It all depends on time of year and location. You wouldn't ever find me fishing the bank at Erie, but you also wouldn't see me fishing the ledges either on Lake Okeechobee in February... There are none. It just depends on the time of year and the lake. If you can ever get a slightly deeper, more offshore pattern going, you'll always be better off, but sometimes, this just isn't possible.
9) Any thoughts on making daily adjustments to your fish patterns (how critical)?
MM - Absolutely. This goes in conjunction with timing. Very few days are exactly the same. There is constantly a front coming or going. Those who adjust the best win. That's the bottom line. At this level, everyone knows what to throw, how to cast, where to cast, etc., but the person that knows when and how to approach specific techniques is the person who excels.
10) Favorite big fish technique?
MM - Tabu Tackle Jig or Optimum Swimbait, depending where you are at and how clear the water is.
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