U.S. Open Victory Helps Martens Forget Classic

It was a year to remember for Aaron Martens. Sure, he barely missed winning the Bassmaster Classic for a third time when he finished 2nd to Kevin VanDam. But that heartbreak was sandwiched between a BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) title and a second-consecutive WON Bass U.S. Open win.

It's tough to say whether this was the year Martens truly arrived, or whether it's another plateau in what's already been a remarkable career. Either way, he's one of the sport's elite – a consistent threat whose echelon of techniques is matched by none.

There is simply no bite Martens can't wire. He proved it at Wheeler, he proved it at Mead, and he proved at the oh-so-close Classics (Three Rivers, Wylie and Lay Lake). He's now back home in Alabama, and in full-on off-season mode. BassFan spoke with him about his year, the Classic and what comes next.

Massive Margin

Lake Mead, Nev. was the site of the U.S. Open, and weights there are typically razor tight – so tight tournaments are usually won by ounces, not pounds. Things have improved the last few years as the fish population rebounded, but it's still mind-boggling that Martens won the Open by a 7-pound margin.

On the win itself – his second there in as many years – he said: "I think that's huge. That was cool. I didn't expect it, but you never get a win when you expect one. They usually come when you least expect it.

"Going in, I thought I had a chance, but I figured someone else would be on bigger fish. I didn't even cover half the lake in practice. I figured I'd catch 9 to 11 pounds a day. Lake Mead's all about eliminating water. Usually in practice, I don't go to the good areas, I only go to the bad ones, and sometimes you find out they're good. I knew I was on some pretty good fish, but I didn't think I'd catch them that good. I caught a lot more than I expected."

He's originally from California and has always been good at Mead. After an exhaustive two-tour season, he said it was fun to be back West at the Open.

"It was awesome. It's the funnest tournament I fish the whole year, no matter what season. It's just a pleasure fishing it, just because it's Lake Mead. The weather was perfect – it couldn't have been more perfect. The wind hardly blew at all. It was a vacation, really. It was like making money on vacation. I worked hard, but it was still very enjoyable."

Proving Ground

The U.S. Open used to be one of the country's biggest events in terms of prestige. Then a number of pros stopped making the trip. But this year saw the return of names like Gary Klein and Rick Clunn.

Martens said that was "great" – to have the bigger names coming back. "I think more guys should fish it," he added. "I think a lot of guys haven't experienced Lake Mead. If they did, they'd probably fish it more often."

Martens, of course, has a ton of Mead experience. So much, he looks at it like his proving ground. The lake set the foundation for what he'd encountered on the tours.

"I think Lake Mead's taught me a lot of what I know now – back in the day, when I was still not fishing pro, and still trying to learn Lake Mead," he said. "Once I learned it many years ago, it seemed I learned a big piece of the puzzle in bass fishing and it's helped me in the present."

He's considered one of the best in tough-bite tournaments, which he credited to his early years on Mead.

Photo: WON Bass

Martens said the Classic hurt, but that's past him now.

"The tournaments back here (in the East), even though they're different, the same style of fishing comes into play," he said. "Mead is really clear water, with smart fish – fish that have been caught many times and are conditioned to lures. A lot of times just catching them is hard. They're just smart fish that have been caught anywhere from three to 10 times.

"When they see a lure, you have to fool them into biting," he added. "If the bait's not quite perfect, they'll chase it, or see it but won't go after it. So tackle preparation's really important – trying to match the hatch and resemble the bait they're eating the most.

"This time of year on Mead they're eating shad, bluegill, small carp, tilapia, baby bass. I know what the crayfish look like in Lake Mead, but when I think they're eating crawfish (in other lakes), I'll try to find one to see what it looks like."

The Past Is Behind

Yes, Martens is the 2005 BASS AOY, and yes, he won back-to-back U.S. Opens. But the statistic many associate with his name is his three runner-up finishes in his last three Classics. Martens said the stat is painful, but his U.S. Open win relieved the disappointment.

"It made me forget about the Classic," he said. "When you win a big tournament like that – a big title and a lot of money – I haven't thought about the Classic to tell you the truth after that.

"The Classic hurt, like I knew it would, for a couple of weeks. I don't care who you are. To come that close, and have the fish on to win, it hurt. Once I won the Open, it made it a lot sweeter. Hopefully I'll have many more Classics to come. I'm not too worried about it. I hope to win it someday."

He did note his biggest accomplishment this year was the AOY win. "That's huge – it's my biggest accomplishment ever." But even though he's busier, it hasn't really changed his lifestyle. "It's made me probably like five times busier, but I wasn't that busy before. I talked to BassFan more than anybody, but it's definitely been a little busier.

"I'm getting a lot more sponsor offers," he added. "I've been turning a lot of them down just because I have a lot of sponsors I've already been with for a lot of years. I'm happy with my sponsors now. And if I pick up certain sponsors, I'll be more busy throughout the year. I don't want to do that. Not yet."

And he wouldn't want to endorse products he doesn't believe in. "I have to be able to use a product and really like it. That way I'm happy with my sponsors. They may not pay as well, but they have won me a lot of money and helped me in my career. I like to use stuff I believe in."

Notable

> Lately, Martens has tried to fish at least once a week to stay sharp, but he's been busy with his house. "We've been trying to fix our house up in Alabama. It's an older house, and it needs a lot of fixing up here and there. We're hoping to get it done by the beginning of December. It's still a good month and half until I need to start fishing."

> Next year his plans are to fish the Bassmaster Elite Series, plus "as many FLWs as (he) can." He's working on a wrap deal and recently switched from Ranger to Triton.

> He does have a new electronics sponsor – BSX, which manufactures the Biosonix fish activator. "I like it," he said. "I used it at the Open. It may have helped me, it may not (have). It makes sense to use. I think it probably did (help) – it was a good situation for it."

> Mike Folkestad is the only other angler to win back-to-back U.S. Opens (2001–2002). Folkestad also won the Open in 1985.