Editor’s Note: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, is probably one of the most-unusual yet successful tournament bass fishermen I’ve ever met. Arriving 10-years ago on the professional bass-fishing circuits at the age of 20, he’s earned more than $2.5 million in tournament winnings – not counting the income he’s also received from his sponsors. He’s currently ranked No. 1 world-wide on BassFan (http://www.bassfan.com/). Wheeler is the first tournament bass fisherman I’ve ever met who runs five different fish finders from three different companies on his boat. Wheeler’s wife is Alicia, and his 1-year old daughter is Olivia. To learn more, check out his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wheelerfishing/.

I believe that one advantage I have is my exceptional work ethic. I very seldom feel that another angler has worked harder to try and win than I have. I spend about five days a week on the water practicing and getting ready for a tournament. If I’m not on the water practicing, I’m in my garage preparing my tackle for the tournament that I’m about to fish. I also use Google Earth and aerial photos to analyze each lake. As soon as one event is over, I immediately go into work mode for the next. I tell myself that I’m only as good as my last event, and I would hate to lose a tournament because another angler outworked me getting ready for that event.

Another reason why I’m so successful is because I work with other bass pros and Rapala designers to develop lures that I’ll need for the next tournament. We had been working on the colors that I used on Lake Chickamauga for about a year or so, before I fished them in the tournament. I also used the Big Shad color during the MLF Bass Pro event, and this success helped us prove that these colors were good enough to catch big bass.

Several different factors have helped me become a successful bass fisherman. Time on the water and preparation for the tournament is hands-down the most-important factor to my success. Yes, there are times when I’ve shown up at a tournament and only used those three days to practice and still finished really well. However, preparation gives me a lot of confidence. My second most-important key to success is the tackle that I use, and fish finders are my third. I use electronics to their highest ability.

I’ve had quite a bit of success during these last two years of tournament fishing, and I believe that one of the best things you can do as a pro bass fisherman is have an open mind. When I get the chance, I try to learn all I can about new lures and how to fish the lures in my tackle box that I don’t like. That being said, I spend a lot of time working on techniques and fishing with lures that I don’t use very well. My worst tactic has to be fishing lures in the grass, and my best is fishing top-water lures. The only way to get better with a lure that you don’t enjoy fishing is by practicing with it.

When people ask me what’s in my future, the only future I’m really concerned with at this point in my life is how to win the next tournament that I’m going to fish.

To learn more about bass fishing, check out John E. Phillip’s book, “Catch the Biggest and the Most Bass in Any Lake,” at http://amzn.to/Xd7qez, available in Kindle and print versions, and

Click here for the Audible link.