Mike Mueller finishes 4th in the Northern Costa at Champlain
Today on Cco-Anglers.com we meet co-angler Mike Mueller. Mike’s day job allows him to travel the country which makes for great fishing experiences. Mike opens up and tells us about his career on and off the water. In addition, he gives us details about his most recent 4th place finish in the Northern Costa at Champlain.
Co-Anglers.com: What is your home town?
Mike Muller: No home town. I’m originally from the NW suburbs of Chicago, but my job as a Vice President in the casino business moves me every 2-3 years, I’m currently living outside of Boston. This allows me to fish all over in the country and having no “home lake” has definitely made me a better co-angler.
CA: What tournament trail do you fish?
MM: I only fish National circuit to better promote my sponsors. I fish the FLW Costa Series events in the BASS Opens.
CA: By what time of day did you have a limit?
MM:On days 1 & 3 we were fishing bedding fish, so out of professional courtesy, I didn’t make a cast until my boater had his limit. Even with that, I had my limit by 9:00 those days. On day 2 we were on a topwater bite. It started slow, but between 9:00-9:30 we had a flurry and we both caught our limits in that window.
CA: What brand of rod and reel did you use to catch your biggest fish?
MM:I only use Lews reels and Razr Rods. I’ve been on the Lews staff for 4 years now, and I’ve been with Razr Rods for 10 years.
CA: How did you catch your biggest fish?
MM: On day 2 during the 30-minute feeding frenzy, I caught one just under 4# on a Zara Spook. The were all prespawn smallmouth holding in 10-15′ outside of a spawning bay.
CA: What part of the lake did catch your biggest fish?
MM: It was in the “Inland Sea” section of Lake Champlain.
CA: Did you learn anything new from your pro?
MM: I always try to learn something every day on the water. My biggest takeaway from this event was learning how and where Northern smallmouth spawn on deep clear lakes. I’m used to spawners being shallow, but these fish were spawning in 6-10′. I learned how to spot the beds and what to look for.
CA: What or who inspires you as a co-angler?
MM: What inspires me as Co is trying to put the puzzle together, and to consistently catch fish. I’ve fished both the front and the back, but being a Co is the hardest thing in fishing. You have no say, and you never know what you’re going to be doing day-to-day. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to figure out how to do this consistently, and I’ve been pretty successful. I’ve only blanked one event since 2010, and that just happened this past May.
CA: What do you expect from tournament fishing?
MM: To put it simply, I expect to win every event I enter. You have to have this mindset if you’re going to fish at the highest levels. I also expect to make the year-end championship every year. Luckily I usually do – but the one event that has eluded me in my career is the FLW BFL All American.
CA: How long have you been a co-angler?
MM: I started tournament fishing in 1987, and although I’ve fished as a boater in the past, the majority has been spent as a Co-Angler. My job as a casino executive does not allow me the 1-2 weeks of practice one needs to effectively complete in these events, so I’ve just dedicated myself to become the best Co in the country.
CA: Which lake were you fishing for this tournament?
MM: Lake Champlain, NY
CA: Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?
MM: I’ve devoted my life to bass fishing, and I put 100% effort into my preparation, my fishing, and my sponsors. Most guys I’ve seen are not mentally where they need to be to be successful. They try to fish against the boater instead of fishing your own water. The other big mistake I see is guys who don’t know how to fish lakes outside of their home waters. They try to force their comfort zone on the fish instead of listening to what the fish and conditions are telling you.
Follow Mike on social media for more information about his tournament experiences and his sponsors.
Mike Mueller on FB / Mike Mueller – Tournament Angler / @MikeMuellerBass on Instagram / @MikeMuellerBass on Twitter
SPONSORS
5×3 Fishing
Lews
Razr Rods
Bite Club Soap
Bass Craft Crankbaits
Jewel Jigs
Bionic Fishing
Elite Rod Sleeves
Rudy Project Eyewear
XX2i Optics
Angler Hub
Tackle Tags
Snack Daddy Lures
BluewaterLED
Eco Pro Tungsten
The Pond Pro
We thank Mike for sharing his knowledge with Co-Anglers.com and hope to see him in the near feature fishing in one of his tournaments.
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