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Tournament Angler Guide
abt.org.au
Butler serves up stellar season Simon Goldsmith
There’s no greater attribute to have as a tournament angler than consistency. The ability to deliver fish to the scales regardless of time, tide, and year, it’s what sets the great anglers apart from the truly great. As a measure of this consistency there’s nothing greater than the Angler of Year crown. The ultimate reward and gauge of angler consistency it’s a title that’s coveted by many but won by only a select few. For 2014 Power-Pole BREAM Angler of Year Scott Butler, bream season 2014 was one punctuated by podium finishes, event victories and ultimate consistency that saw him hold the AOY trophy aloft at the end of the four event qualifying round season. TIME FOR A CHANGE The 2014 champ’s ascendancy to the top of the pile didn’t come through luck or chance though, but was the result of hard work and developments both on and off the water, as Scott Butler explains.
“In 2014 I really worked on the non-fishing side of my fishing such as my preparation and fitness. I cleaned up my diet and started to really watch what I ate, and in the process lost around 30 kilos”. Trimmed down, fishing fit and ready for the start of the tournament season Butler also went to work on his preparation, meticulously organized his tackle, his
boat, and researching and planning thoroughly before hitting the water. “I didn’t want to leave a stone unturned, so I tried to control and improve every element of my fishing regardless of how big or small it was,” added Butler. PLAY TO YOU STRENGTHS Lean and mean and game ready for the start of the season, Butler kicked
off his year at round one on Sydney Harbour in March armed with a new game plan. A plan that would see him do what he did best and fish to his strengths. “I’ve made the mistake in the past were I did what I thought I needed to win rather than do what I do best. So in 2014 I decided to fished to my strengths and not follow patterns and techniques that are
Cashing in was the name of the game for Scott in 2014.
Scott’s win in the final round on the Gold Coast cemented his AOY title win for 2014.
TOURNAMENT RODS FOR ALL ANGLERS
considered the norm for each venue. Rather than battle with a pack of guys all doing the same thing I did what I enjoy, threw the lures that I like, and used the techniques that I’m good at and enjoy the most. For most part this saw me twitching and pausing my beloved crankbaits,” explained Butler. Butler’s plan paid off, with his clear and streamline approach to the season delivering him a result no worse than a 5th (R3
Clarence River 26-27 July), and at its best a 1st (R4 Gold Coast 27-28 September). IT TAKES TIME While 2014 was in many ways a breakthrough year for Butler, a season that saw him claim his biggest title to date, it was year that was predated by a steady, and ever increasing number of podium finishes. “My results have improved with each successive year. From being outside the top ten, to breaking into the top ten, then the top three, followed by an event win, and now the AOY title,” explained Butler. A text book case of angler evolution and the pursuit of success, it’s an evolution that didn’t come easy and didn’t come over night. “I’ve been fishing bream events for over seven years and I learnt early on to learn from your mistakes. If something didn’t work or I failed at something I tried to draw a positive out of it
and in-turn identify what I could have done correctly instead,” explained Butler. Putting this thinking into process and into time on the water Butler tries to fish as much as he can. “Time on the water is very important, and every time you head out on the water, whether it be social or in a tournament I try and learn something, no matter how small it may be. It could be an important thing to have up your sleeve down the track. Never stop learning and never dismiss anything that happens on the water,” explained Butler. BACK YOURSELF A trademark of all elite anglers is confidence and Scott Butler is no different. Armed with an expansive repository of bream knowledge Scott taps into this confidence and backs his knowledge and his experience, and uses it to go out and do his own thing without fear of, failure, or what others are doing. To page 56
m + 61 (0)411 037 418 e steve@duffrods.com.au w kustomfishingtools.com.au Butler heads off on a gloomy tournament morning focused and ready for battle. 8
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