Week 46– Brent Ehrler
Pack Man 11/14/2005

Photo: Lucky Craft

Brent Ehrler said he took too much tackle last year – he'll go lighter this January.

All of the recent controversy and excitement surrounding the Bassmaster Elite Series and the new FLW Series have not impacted Team Lucky Craft pro Brent Ehrler.

Nope, he fishes the FLW Tour and isn't directly influenced by what BASS does. In fact, right now, he spends his time with his family at home. He's hardly put in any time on the water. With the tour season still a couple of months away, though, he's already packed and ready to hit the road when the time comes.

Bow Man

Ehrler has put down his crankbait stick in favor of a bow this fall. He feels it's important for his assimilation into the ranks of the majority of the FLW Tour pros.

"I haven't fished much at all since the Lucky Craft writers' conference a few months ago," he said. "I think I've fished twice. I certainly haven't fished any tournaments. There are a lot of team events here in California, but I'm just not in the tournament mode right now.

"I'd rather spend time with my family at home right now. I like to just hang out and enjoy my life with them.

"I did buy a bow this year and I'm learning how to use it," he added. "I figured I'd better learn how to hunt with it to fit in with all of the anglers back east. Almost all of them hunt. I enjoy learning how to use it."

The Kitchen Sink

Like many rookie pros, Ehrler packed almost every piece of gear he owned to compete in his first year on the FLW Tour.

"I really took way more with me than I needed," he said. "Before I left, I went to Wal-Mart and bought three huge bins for my tackle. I packed all of them with my lures and terminal tackle. I filled one side of my Yukon with the bins and oil and spare props.

"On the other side, I put a sleeping bag," he noted. "You just never know when you may have to sleep in your truck."

This year he has a system in place to minimize the tackle he carries in his boat.

"One thing I started to do at the end of last season was stuff about 12 boxes full of Lucky Craft lures into the back of my Ranger and then fill one of the front compartments with them," he said. "Then in practice, I knew I'd have everything covered and would whittle it down to the baits I needed. I put the rest in my truck."

Less Is Best

Tour pros are known for their stockpiles of hot lures, but Ehrler feels he doesn't need to have every lure ever made along for the ride.

"I definitely have been using less tackle," he said. "I mean, I have a lot of gear and every Lucky Craft lure I need, but I now know what I definitely need."

His lure selection is basic: Plenty of Lucky Craft BDS and RC 1.5 crankbaits, Lucky Craft jerkbaits, jigs, Sweet Beavers, spinnerbaits and finesse worms.

"My list of must-have lures is not huge, but it does cover the bases," he said. "As long as you have them along, you can pretty much catch fish on all of the bodies of water we fish on tour. The only thing you need to add is a few of the local hot baits and you're set."

Packed Up

One step Ehrler has made for the 2006 season is to not unpack his gear from the 2005 campaign.

"I'm sure it sounds a little bit lazy, but I'm already packed," he said. "My gear is stowed away and ready to be loaded up for next year. I'll start going over what I'll need after Thanksgiving. Other than that, and getting my new boat, I'm ready to go."

Notable

> Ehrler's wrapped up again. "My new Ranger Z20 will be wrapped with Lucky Craft art again," he said. "I'm also going to have the new Mercury 225 Optimax XS on the back with a 10-inch jackplate. It's a real nice ride."