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Glenn: Hi, I'm Glenn May with BassResource.com, and I'm here with elite angler, Brian Snowden.
Brian, good to have you on today.
Brian Snowden: Well, thank you.
Glenn: Hey, Brian, when you're preparing for a tournament, how far in advance do you start
prepping and planning?
Brian: Well, for an event like the Classic, you've got a long off limits period, so it
was last December when we were down here scouting around and doing research. So, you'll prepare
two or three weeks for an event like this.
Glenn: How about for the rest of the Elite schedule? How far do you start looking in
advance?
Brian: It's always about 30 days to 45 days to just due the off limits and things like
that. So, if you're going to go scout a body of water, you've got to get there before the
off limits, and then I'll always check online resources to see what the fishing reports,
what the water temperature is and things like that when I get to a body of water, two or
three days beforehand.
Glenn: What types of things are you looking for?
Brian: I like to see tournament results to see what the weights are, especially if they
have any articles on locations of where they were catching these fish and water temperature,
water clarity, that kind of stuff.
Glenn: Are you looking for any specific techniques or anything like that, maybe the predominant
baits that win the tournaments?
Brian: Oh, of course. If they have good information, the tournaments are the best place to find
it, whether they're flipping, cranking or things like that. So, that will give you a
head start. When you go to prepare, you'll know what's kind of working.
Glenn: Okay. Okay. Now, let me ask you this. When you became a pro, what was one of the
most surprising things to you, something that you weren't expecting?
Brian: How good these guys catch them. You think you've had an awesome day, and someone
still comes in with a better day. Even when you have everything go perfect, it seems like,
it's amazing how well these guys find fish and how fast they find it.
Glenn: So, when you're fishing like that, everybody asks it, how is it fishing against
KVD?
Brian: He's beatable but not very often. It makes us all better. You just keep pushing
yourself and pushing yourself to improve, and that's what it's all about.
Glenn: When it comes to tournament anglers, especially the Elite Series, what do you think
tournaments can use the most these days?
Brian: As far as . . .?
Glenn: Well, do you think, maybe some new rules or, maybe new venues or better media
coverage? What do you think would serve this sport really well?
Brian: We definitely need some more YouTube videos, that kind of stuff, to get the younger
generation involved. We need more media online, and that's one thing that's growing right
now in fishing. That will really bring in the youth. We definitely need some new venues.
We've been going to similar lakes over and over again, so we need to mix it up some.
Glenn: Now that you've reached the Elite level, here at the Bassmaster Classic, what are you
doing differently today that you weren't doing when you first started?
Brian: Well, you get to do a lot of interviews like this. When I first started, we didn't
get to very many of these. So, yeah, you work with the media a lot more, and you work with
your sponsors a lot more. During the off season I'm busy with Bass Pro Shops doing shows,
traveling all over the United States. I'm definitely more involved with that side of
it, and that takes away from some of your time on the water.
Glenn: Here's what I want to know. Who is your favorite fishing hero?
Brian: I grew up really idolizing Rick Clunn just because he was so far ahead of his time.
Back in the 80s and stuff, he was just a dominant figure, and he thinks outside the box which
is cool. He's not doing the same thing over and over again..
Glenn: What do you think about folks that may be looking to you as a role model? How
does that make you feel?
Brian: It's good, and hopefully I treat and do things that are respectful, so hopefully
if a young kid is emulating me, he'll turn out to be a good guy in the end.
Glenn: What's the most important single piece of advice you could give a young angler who's
wanting to come up and reach the Elite level?
Brian: Well, my first words of wisdom would be go to college, but instead . . . I have
a degree in biology which helps some, but get a marketing degree because that's all
this is. To get good sponsors, you have to market yourself well.
Glenn: Now, what I want to do here is what I call your shameless plug moment. You can
say anything you want. If you want to talk about your sponsors, you can do that. Give
a shout out to your friends or to your family or whatever you'd like to do. The floor is
yours; whatever you want to talk about.
Brian: First of all, I'd really like to thank my father and my mother. My dad always had
time to take me fishing when I was growing up, and without his support and through the
years my mom helped me tremendously, too, none of this would have been possible. My
wife at home is always taking care of business when I'm away. Of course, all my great sponsors.
I've been with them years and years, and it just keeps getting better and better.
Glenn: Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Brian Snowden. I'm Glenn May
with BassResource.com.