Christie: Gearing up for fall activities

I know that many of you assume I’m referring to deer hunting, but I’m actually talking about the media gatherings that typically take place in the fall.

Now that tournament season is over for me, I’m transitioning into my fall activities. I know that many of you have already assumed I’m referring to deer hunting, but I’m actually talking about the media gatherings that typically take place in the fall.

These two- to three-day gatherings bring a bunch of writers, photographers, videographers and editors into a well-known fishing destination and pair them with pro fishermen for the purpose of getting a bunch of material for stories, videos, etc.

These media events sometimes take place throughout the year, but fall is a popular time because the fishing is usually good, and the fishermen are generally more available than they are during the tournament season.

This week, I’m participating in the Lew’s media event in Paris, Tenn. We’re working on Kentucky Lake and I’m going to do my best to make sure these journalists come away with lots of great material.

See, that’s an important element of the job of a professional fisherman — assisting the media with their work. That’s very important because the better the relationship I have with the media, the more you’re going to see my face and my sponsors.

This results in a lot of marketing exposure, so the effort we invest in working with the media benefits everyone involved.

When a story comes up, that journalist can call anybody he wants to get an article. He’s not going to try and include someone who never answers the phone or never calls him back. I try my best to be prompt in returning calls, because I know they’re on a deadline.

Now, at media events like the one this week, I have to be prepared to accommodate a wide range of requests for photos, videos, interviews, etc. These journalists each arrive with their own set of priorities, and it’s my job to help them accomplish their work, while representing my sponsors in a professional manner.

Preparation is a big part of this. Basically, I have to have a wide variety of baits in my boat in case the journalists I’m paired with want to shoot something that may not necessarily fit the current season.

I make sure I have a little bit of everything in the boat, because I want to be able to show these folks what tackle and baits I use for any season that interests them. It may not be the right time of the year to catch bass on a deep diving crankbait, but if that’s what my media guest is working on, then I need to be ready to show that kind of bait.

Of course, there’s a fine line between being helpful and sharing too much of the guarded details that give me a competitive edge. But I’ve found that you can always strike a good balance if you’re open and straightforward.

With TV, the Internet and social media, there really aren’t many secrets left. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of “secret techniques” that I have left.

As far as the pace and direction of a media session, I don’t open my mouth and say “Let’s try this,” unless the journalist asks about it. Some want to split their day between fishing and doing the interviews and photos or video, while others spend their entire session working.

I’m fine either way, as long as the person I’m hosting feels like they got what they needed out of our time on the water. However the day unfolds, I think most of us professional fishermen try to provide solid information that will help the readers/viewers learn more about the sport.

Along the way, part of my job as a professional angler is to help promote my sponsors’ products. As far as baits, I want to show off some of the ones that I’ve had some success with this year.

High on that list are YUM’s dropshot baits, the Warning Shot and the Kill Shot. Those two produced some key bites in the Bassmaster Elite Series’ northern events. On the flipping side, I’d point to YUM’s Christie Critter, Christie Craw and Bad Mama as baits that have also delivered big fish.

These media events can also be times of experimentation where I get to try out some new products. Booyah just released its new Bankroll Jig and Finance Jig at ICAST, and I haven’t had much chance to fish them yet. I’ll look forward to showing off these baits and getting a little more experience with them.

Again, I’ll stress that the most important thing I’ll bring to this and all the media events I attend is flexibility. It’s very important to remember that my role is to provide the information and assistance needed by my media guest.

I may not love a certain technique, but that journalist may want something from me on that topic. He may know that I’m not the greatest at drop shotting or shaky heading, but he may want my take on the way I do it.

Even though I may not be the best source for the topic, I want to give the best interview or help with the best photo shoot or video possible. Ultimately, it’s all fishing, so I enjoy talking about all of it.

Don’t worry; I’ll get to the deer hunting soon enough.