Thomas Larrabee has always been a fishing enthusiast. Not only does he enjoy the wide open waters, but he also finds fishing exciting, peaceful, and full of adventure. He enjoys bringing his sons out on the boat, and teaching them all he knows about fishing so they can someday enter in tournaments and enjoy the wonderful water life. He has fished for quite a number of kinds of fish. With each fish he has a different approach to catching them. One of his favorites is the Wedge Plus Series 375 Chart Shad NI/G 1/2 oz. Double Willow which is his go to bait of choice from Stanley Jigs. In 2010 he finished 22nd on Oneida Lake in a BFL Weekend Tournament using the above mentioned spinner bait. In 2008 he would have finished in the top 20 using the same spinner bait, fishing as a co angler, but was 8 minutes late so finished 74th.

Some of the most used moves that Thomas does to catch walleye are simple based on the time of the year that he is fishing in. Of course, bass seem to be trickier and pickier when it comes to the jigs and lures that he uses. One of the favorites is a blue and silver rattle bait that catches the fish every time. They seem to favor this little guy. Another favorite is the Wedge Plus 205 Golden Bream Orange Accent 3/8 to 1/2 oz. Double Willow from Stanley Jigs. This bait looks a lot like a Sunfish or Perch which is a great bait fish for large and small mouth bass. This was found out in 2006 during his first Bassmaster Weekend Tournament on Oneida Lake. He finished 20th with over 18 pounds of small mouth bass as a co angler using this same spinner bait. Both of Tom’s favorite spinner baits are his favorite and his go to and always use baits during all tournaments, and can be found at the Stanley Jigs website at www.fishstanley.com.

The bass normally hide in the shallow waters throughout the weeds, and he feels that this is the best place to use frogs and other small fish like lures to catch bass. This is where they normally hang out and feed, and this is where he finds the best sized one. Always check the weeds in shallow, warm waters for the best results.

These are some of the best to use, and provide the most when it comes to catching only the largest walleyes in the water. “I tend to have more fun when it comes to fishing, and less worrying about technique. It makes the experience much more enjoyable,” he states. “I enjoy just being out here, and catching what I catch. Don’t get me wrong though, I can be very competitive when it comes to the competition that I have come across over the years.” Even though he uses a number of different tips and tricks, it all boils down to whether or not he catches the big fish. Pickerel are one of the fish that he catches the most, and becomes pretty frustrated with over time. He unhooks them and throws them back and keeps at it.

“It is frustrating to be out on the boat all day long, and not get a single bass in, but most of the time you have to take a deep breath and tell yourself it will happen.” Frustration is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to fishing. You have to have patience. Tom Larrabee has the patience, although a lot of times it might not seem like it. Thomas is also prepared when it comes to the right fishing gear and wear. He gets all of his fishing clothing from www.bassfury.com, they have some of the best prices and the perfect clothing for all of your fishing needs during each and every tournament. Fishing with him has been an enjoyable experience and it provided me with an in depth look into one of the fishermen out there. Not only have I learned so much about fishing, but I also had a great time catching sun, catching fish, and catching good conversation on the bass boat. Do you think he will be the next BASS Pro Tournament winner? He would like to think so, but only the future can let us in on this answer.

Interview and Article by: Samantha Andrus