Brauer and JVD

We had a friend in the camera boat on Jonathon day two. Just a part of the sport from our inside angle, not encroachment.

From reading all the gossip sites, According to JVD, he had also practiced in the area. Now was he there on day one when he blanked? I have no idea. According to Mr. Brauer, on day 2 a new competitor (JVD) moved into his area and proceeded to whack them, as well as Brandon Palunik, Brandon not wanting to encroach on the leaders water realized his mistake and talked with Denny this AM about it, and said he would not come in there again.Kuddos to Mr. Palinuk, you gained alot of resepect in my book.As for JVD if in fact he did fish there in practice and located some areas to fish, then so be it, Hes just in a beter part of the creek then Denny is, whether its 100 yards away or 1/2 mile away. And it is quite possible JVD found some better fish in practice and choose to ride that area on day 1 and zeroed and then went to this as his backup spot on day 2…this is possible, as there are a few others fishing in the same 1 mile stretch according to basstrak on bassmaster. Also these are not the only two in this oxbow off the river.JVD has stated he also found these fish in practice, also states that Denny has been running other competitors out of the area and he is holding his ground and not giving in,he does not see what Denny is upset about, denny is dropping a marker buoy and hes staying within two cast length of Denny. Now 2 casts lengths could be anywhere in the range of 40 yards-80 yards (120-240 feet…unlikely) So yes he may be a little close, but i would say no closer then alot of other competitior in any other event this year, and sure enough not cloe like a grass filled guntersville or Potomac event is. The main issue seems to be was JVD there on Day 1 and zero or did he only come in there after zeroing on day one and knowing what Denny had caught? Either way if he practiced there and found some fish then so be it, as long as their not casting over each other or intos each others boats, then they should find a way to rotate the spots between them.Dont forget this same thing happened on the Harris chain, i believe it was Grant Goldbeck (thanks) left after not catching any fish the 1st hour and then came back on day two after seeing what Grigsby caught in that same canal, he went on to finish second behind Shaw. The both were there on day 1 and both knew each other found the same fish. Both anglers worked effectivley and shared the same “pocket” not encroaching on others waters.Last edited by JSLAW on June 12th, 2011, 3:19 pm, edited 4 times in total.

The room an angler expects is quite ranging and the types of water, as JSLaw points out, is quite different in those expectations. Everyone who has ever competed against these anglers knows the “stare” and the encroachment threats of some older anglers. There are a few that have a reputation for feeling as if they own a body of water. Of course there are also local anglers which compress those areas while trying to jackpot or fun fish and that is borderline unethical when these guys are feeding their families, though the expectation of others to totally leave an an area alone by Elite anmglers is perhaps unrealistic also. There has been encroachment and it is not illegal in regard to the rules. We are reminded of a certain Bassmasters Classic where Bo Dowden was leading and on the second day was joined by Paul Elias for the “kneeling and reeling” technique to become famous. In this case Editorial and Bassmasters television made a story out of it which made Paul Elias famous and stripped a potential crown from Bo Dowden. Bo is a quiet and non threatening person who may still feel that he was encroached on. His thoughts are he never saw Paul in there until that second day, nor in practice. It made Paul famous and stripped Bo of that prize. That portion of the story was never told and was only brushed on once. We are also reminded of a particular incident in those original Invitational draw events, in the early career of a KVD. Here he drew out with a Professional we knew in the top five (5), and went toe to toe on the front deck pitching deep grass all day in Lake of the Isle. And yes shoulder to shoulder as I saw them. The wind and the constant challenge for pitching the grass when those holes were found wound up moving the then young KVD way up the leader board, and moving the other angler well to the rear. He did not back off a potential winner, moving to the back deck, and letting this angler potentially win what would have been his second BASS win in those days. And it seems this would have been an easy task after the event and the results. Had the angler been Denny that day, then there would have been tyranny or a walking the plank so to speak. It may have breached ethics, though it was not illegal. Usually, no one is going to back off the angler in 20th place after day one, who may have a legitimate shot at winning the event and day one did not go as well on boating fish that bit. Though reasonable space should be afforded any angler, no matter their position in any event. The leader of any event is not granted space from others to make a layup, catch a pass, finish second on the last lap, or in this case sit back and watch while quality water goes unfished, or fished by others. This does not condone being unethical in those stances and believe that unless you legitimately found that water while prefishing for this particular event you have no right to fish it and challenge those there first. This happens often on local waters where anglers may know an entire body of water and the “I fished this bank too” or “I fished this bank when you were in diapers” mentality shows your true character. If you prefished it that week and intended on fishing it, then go ahead. Though if someone told you they were there, it is not yours, or if you fished it 6 months, or 6 weeks, ago it is not your bank either. If you did prefish it that prior seven days with intent to use it, go ahead. Though the local rashing will ensue and expected.In the pro level events where these anglers travel repetitively to year after year a rock pile, shell bed or stump row can have a feeling of possession for an angler who has competed on a single body of water before or many times. And this may not be the case here, though it is in some situations. We have seen confrontations over rock piles at the Potomac, humps on Guntersville, shell beds in Kentucky Lake, roock islands on the Saint Lawrence and more. A new angler has no idea that an established professional has annually depended on a rock pile for a finish and a check at every event. Seldom did you see a Rick Clunn, Guido Hibdon, Larry Nixon, Shaw Grigsby, or Hank Parker feel he had that area through seniority. They would seek another area to establish themselves and improve. Sometimes returning to the area they had previous success, though knowing it would be a fight for that. Jay Yelas David Fritts, and Gary Klein has such “spots” on the Potomac which always presented a challenge for water. Then you have the challenge at K Lake which never was and after the event tussle between two very established professionals. Those things seem to have passed the last fifteen years and there is less encroachment being discussed till now. Many of you know I have competed briefly at this Elite level and I have both challenged an established professional, and succumbed to allow boat use, angling areas and more. I also have challenged those anglers in a few cases and for reasons of a boat companies reputation early on learned some would tarnish our reputation in the bass fishing industry in aspects. Of course the time restraints and running a company took me out of the Top 100 level. On one situation my good friend Guido Hibdon stood behind me as to whether I was competing in an area, and whether I had caught them in practice as we had an agreement going in that he would allow me room in a certain area. The angler I drew was not easy and was one of few confrontations I had in BASS. I did not give in, mostly due to their insistence and being a bit headstrong myself, and thus had to face the Wrath of Kahn at the next event, with established professionals actually telling me how wrong I had done person A. Where Guido jumped in and offered his characteristic “let me tell you boys something”, which he proceeded to do. Though after that I never placed myself in that position again. And yes backing off did cost me significantly at each of these reservoirs from memory Guntersville, Lanier, Saint Johns, Chickamagua, Potomac, Ontario, Bull Shoals, Murray, Norfork, Truman, Beaver, Grand Lake, Kentucky and more. And perhaps even cost me two wins at Lake Okeechobee and Lake Texoma as on day one I traveled to another anglers fish to preserve that reputation on day one and chose to do that to preserve reputation. Those were my best shots at a win, while my best finish was Santee Cooper and perhaps encroachment on my areas may have cost that event, though my friend Kevin Wirth had the prime spot just around the corner and we both respected each others water. His area was more protectable than mine and when you find fish in an open visible community area, you just suck it up and live with it. Of course obviously that is a matter of personal preference. New anglers have no idea what bank an established pro fished last year or ten years ago and there is no right to possession on those banks. Hopefully ethical actions and thought will prevail and everyone will just agree to share in sections. Though in this matter we dont know if JVD is right, or Denny Brauer is wrong. And yes we do know the camera boat driver on day two and we are privy to portions of the conversations. We call this all just a part of the sport like any other. Rick PierceLast edited by Rick Pierce on June 13th, 2011, 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I bet those tussles at KY Lake in the last 10 yrs involved the same person( from Camden,TN ) . Last edited by FTDoo7 on June 12th, 2011, 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hey Schodack-Very well put Brother!