David Walker:
"I Never Wanted To Go Back"
The day after David Walker graduated from high school, he went to work in a factory in Michigan. A few years later Walker moved to Kentucky and ... went to work for a factory. In fact, for the last 15 years, Walker, in one capacity or another, has worked in a factory. All that time he knew that there had to be a better way. He wanted more out of life, a career that was more engaging.
Walker discovered competitive bass fishing at the ripe age of 20 when he fished a small pot tournament. From that moment on, with the patience of a wading heron, Walker began plotting a new career. He joined a bass club, fished as a co-angler and read everything about bass fishing.
Then Walker began the long climb up the tournament ladder, starting with the Red Man Tournament Trail. He joined the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in 1996 and quickly became a perennial top-10 qualifier. After racking up seven top-10 finishes in just two years on the tour, the Kentucky angler felt the time was right to make his move to full-time bass fishing.
In the fall of 1998 he turned in his resignation as a punch press operator and never looked back. "When I quit that job I knew, without a doubt, that I never wanted to go back," says Walker with an undeniable tone of determination. That determination has instilled an extreme work ethic in Walker that is unequivocal.
Walker entered Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart, and B.A.S.S. tournaments in 1999. "I fully committed to it," he says. "It was not a matter of - well, I will see how I do in the first couple tournaments. I had to make this work because there was no safety net between fishing and the factory."
The 35-year-old bass pro brought his white-hot desire for a new career out on the road and put it to work finding fish. And he found fish: enough fish for two top-10 finishes in the EverStart Series, enough fish for a birth into the B.A.S.S Top 150 circuit, and enough fish to win the Wal-Mart FLW Tour's Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year title. To date, Walker has claimed 11 Wal-Mart FLW Tour top-10 trophies.
Despite his success, Walker has not let up on his intensity. He is well aware of the competition that is banging on the door. Whenever he needs motivation, he briefly thinks about 15 years of factory work, and he fishes just a little harder.
For the best shot at a check, most of the time David Walker opts for a heavy jig.
David Walker Jig-n-Pig Tips
Across America the jig-and-chunk has gained a well-deserved reputation as a big- fish bait, and without question is called on more times for a kicker fish than any other lure. And even though new baits continue to be developed and touted, the old reliable jig-n-pig continues to be a mainstay on the BASSMASTER and FLW tours.
One of the foremost jigging experts on tour is David Walker, and in the following he shares a few insights about his main lure.
"The jig is my go-to bait, and I really try to keep my selection simple," he says. "I basically look at 3 colors: black, brown and black/blue. These colors seem to work well across the country, and rather than spending time trying to figure out what color they'll bite, I spend my time fishing." He notes that a jig "is a pretty simple thing. You just put it in front of them, and they bite it."
"I've found that fishing for shallow-water, heavy-cover bass means I need to go heavy," he says. "I use 20-30 pound line, a 3/4- to 1-ounce Lake Fork Tackle Mega-Weight Jig. The density of the Mega-Weight Jig allows me to use a smaller-profile bait without losing the weight I like. The trailer is usually plastic. I used to use pork, but it seems to dry out really fast even on a short run, and taking off that half-dried greasy glob of leather can be a real pain. Large pinchers are a must, and I generally trim both the skirt and the weed-guard." (He also uses a G. Loomis flipping stick that weighs a mere 9 ounces, and a matched magnesium reel.)
"The heavy line doesn't seem to matter, and the heavier jig allows me to fish it at all depths. With 25-pound line, a 3/4-ounce jig falls at basically the same rate as a 3/8-ounce jig on 20-pound or lighter line, so it's not much of a negative factor even in clearer water. I may downsize to 20-pound line in super-clear water, but I feel that if I get a fish to bite, I want him to take a boat ride with me. So the strength of the line is crucial, and with 25-pound line, break-offs are reduced."
Defining the pattern, dialing in on what the bass are telling you, and utilizing the jig-and-chunk more often will increase your success. Putting it simply, Walker says: "It takes over 20 pounds a day now in most of the water we fish to get a sniff at a check. I feel the jig gives me the best chance to catch at least that amount. I know of no other bait that does that."
Power Tips
A jig is the base of Walker's power-fishing arsenal. "I usually concentrate on 3 baits: the jig, a spinnerbait and a crankbait," he says. "Most conditions that we fish are usually conducive to catching bass on one of these three lure types. Where the fish are in the seasonal pattern determines which one I use."
In his pre-fishing, he starts shallow and moves out. "I usually start in inches of water and move deep – to 2 feet or so," he says. "Fish live shallow all the time, and I feel I can dial them in better in shallow water. I recently learned to dropshot, but will leave that to experts like Aaron Martens. I've caught fish on it, but it seemed kind of wimpy to me. I guess I'm relegated to the power techniques."
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