In 2005, everything aligned perfectly enough for Berry to finally fish out East. And so far, it is clear that his first full season on the FLW Tour has been an undeniable success. Although the season is still young, Berry has already secured a spot on the Skippy pro fishing team and is currently ranked 26th overall in points after only three events. But while conquering the East Coast could be the ticket to making Art Berry a star, he will always give credit to his Western roots.
"There are great fishermen all over the country, but I have to give a shout out to the guys out West because there aren't a lot that get the chance to go out East," he said. "The competition is incredible. You're only as good as the people you compete against, and it forces you to become better. I give a tremendous amount of credit to the guys out West because they have made me better. I will never forget where I came from no matter how much I fish back East."
Indeed, Berry is proud of what he calls "619," the California area code that has produced so many exceptional bass fishermen. To him, it's the fishing capital of the world, and its waterways full of 20-plus-pound fish are widely believed to hold the next world-record bass.
"My whole life they've known me for catching big ones," he said. "My dream victory would be to pull the last one out and tell the guy that's how they do it in 619."
Hooked on a feeling
Western roots aside, Berry is no doubt having the time of his life on the FLW Tour this season. In fact, describing him as excited is nothing short of a tremendous understatement. His positive attitude and hyperactive personality are a perfect match for the carnival-like atmosphere of the FLW Tour. An environment full of energy 'and cameras 'is one that Art Berry cannot resist, a situation he witnessed firsthand when he made the top-10 cut on Lake Toho last February.
"It's great to go out there and compete and take first, but the things that go along with it and the excitement that overcomes your body when you're on the water the final day 'there is no other feeling in the world like that when there are helicopters above you and you've got cameras here and cameras there," he said. "Everything else is great, but the feeling in a tournament of that magnitude is priceless. Winning the money is great, but you can put that aside for the feeling you have."
Berry's enthusiasm for the sport of bass fishing translates well into his assumed role of ambassador for the sport, a job he greatly desires and pursues with all of his abundant energy. Learning from the example set by his father, it is just as important to Berry to be a good promoter as it is to be a good angler.
"I want to be the best role model for the sport," he said. "I want to be able to talk about the sport, promote the sport and be a well-rounded angler. Ultimately I say that I want to be the best because I want to win. The "W'is what I want to achieve. But I think there's more to it than just that. Being a good person and a good promoter of the sport and being friends with every single person on tour is a huge goal to me. I love to spread enthusiasm about the sport."
Watching people like Steve Irwin, otherwise known as the Crocodile Hunter, has proven to Berry that there is no substitute for enthusiasm when it comes to promotion. His own effusive personality and obvious excitement about the sport has prompted some to suggest an alternate career.
"Over the last five or six years, people just go, "Art Berry, you should be on camera. You should have your own TV show,'" he said. "That is so cool! I love it. It's almost to me like Steve Irwin. That guy's crazy, but it's amazing because he is so excited about it. Excitement sells. That's the most important part. Every morning I wake up and I am excited about fishing."
All in your mind
Not everything has been quite so easy for Berry, however. When he leaves his California home to head out East to pursue his fishing dreams, he leaves behind two sons, ages 4 and 7, who are his biggest fans.
"I think that's the toughest part for me," he said. "Ever since they were born, they knew that Daddy was a pro fisherman. They want Daddy to be world champion. They called me up on the phone when one of the shows was on, and they go, "Dad, all they're showing is you catching them all the time!'"
The boys 'Weston and Dalton 'share their father's love of fishing. "They're fishing fools," he said. "When I came home this weekend that's all they wanted to do on spring break. They catch them every time, just like Daddy."
No doubt Berry will instill in them the same positive attitude that has served him so well as a pro fisherman. While he maintains that attitude is everything, the term "attitude" casts a much wider net than enthusiasm alone. Berry counts confidence and faith as two other key contributors to his success.
"You have to stay confident with every cast no matter what happens," he said. "If not, another guy named Rick Clunn will. They feed on people that have things happen to them. I think a lot of the same things happen to different people throughout the day; it's how people adjust to it. A lot of guys are at the same talent level; the common knowledge of bass fishing at this level is very widespread. The people who succeed are the people who are mentally confident and overcome objectives.
"If you think they're not biting, just show up at weigh-in. Every single day they're always biting. Always."
Berry sees a common thread among the anglers who continually find themselves at the top of the heap, year after year, and that shared distinction is the mental advantage. According to Berry, even when conditions are terrible, these pros fish for 25 pounds while others are merely looking for a couple of bites to get them through.
You can see a lot of the same guys at the top because those guys have it together in their head," he said. "I think things like (all his second-place finishes) help you overcome. There are no worries. Stay positive and confident in what you do. That will take you way farther than finding out what the secret lure is."
Berry also believes that fishermen make their own luck based on their attitude at tournament time. While skill is certainly tantamount to success, skill coupled with a positive attitude equals luck.
And ignoring the dock talk doesn't hurt either.
"If you've got a frown on your face you ain't going to get lucky," he said. "You're going to have three or four misses, but you've got to believe that there's an equal and opposite reaction to every action that happens to you.
"The No. 1 detour is the mind. Dock talk kills people. The ego of a bass fisherman is that we know the bass, where they live and how they're going to bite. We know it all 'until tournament day. That's when they humble you instantly because there are no two days that are the same."
Destiny
When FLW Outdoors.com spoke to Berry, he was on his way to practice for the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake, a venue he was looking forward to fishing because of its similarity to Western lakes. His ultimate goal, however, is the same as most everybody else's: to advance to the 2005 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship. Should he qualify and win, it would be the culmination of a lifetime spent in search of the big ones.
"My nickname my whole life has been Fish Berry," he said. "That's just what I'm about. For me to go out there and catch bass, that's just what I do. I'm just a fishing guy. I'm just excited about the sport." |
