Arkansas Sportsman

Discipline serves Angler of Year well

If Aaron Martens could get just one more hour of sleep, he might be unbeatable.

Martens, 43, locked up his third Bassmaster Angler of the Year title last week at Lake St. Clair, Mich., by extending his lead over Dean Rojas to an insurmountable 102 points.

He finished sixth in that tournament, capping what BASS says is the most dominant performance in the organization's history. He won two tournaments this season and finished lower than 15th only once.

Think about that for a second. He finished in the top 10 against the best anglers in the world despite oversleeping and losing a half-hour's worth of fishing time. Martens's attention to physical fitness, conditioning and diet has helped him keep Father Time at arm's length, but he said that chronic sleep deprivation is a weakness he must conquer.

He can do it, he added, with better organization. Specifically, by getting rid of tackle he doesn't use.

"That's a big burden on me and makes my job more difficult," Martens said. "If I get rid of all the stuff I never use, I might get an extra hour of sleep."

Martens said he currently functions at about 90 percent of his potential on four to five hours of sleep per night. He said that an extra hour of shut-eye would get him into the high 90th percent of efficiency.

"I need an extra hour of sleep," Martens declared. "I'd be mentally sharper. I'd be in better shape, and I'd be healthier."

Finishing second in the Bassmaster Classic four times since 2002 is one of Martens's most conspicuous stats. The 2005 Classic in Pittsburgh, which he lost to Kevin VanDam by just 6 ounces, was especially painful, but Martens said winning Angler of the Year is more meaningful. The Classic is only one tournament, he explained. Angler of the Year recognizes superior excellence in eight tournaments in different conditions from coast to coast.

"Angler of the Year is way more important than the Classic because it's the hardest thing to get," Martens said. "It's the only gauge of an angler's ability. You have to be good at everything to get AOY. Mentally, it takes a lot to win it."

There are great jig and worm fishermen in professional fishing. There are great crankbait fishermen, and there are great swimbait and spinnerbait specialists. To win Angler of the Year, you have to do it all, and do it well, Martens said.

"My goal from the time I was 14 years old was to learn to throw every lure," Martens said. "By the time I was 20, I had done most of the techniques, punching, frogging, Carolina rigging, topwater, crankbaits, all of it. My thing was to use lures and get good with them. I carry more different kinds of baits in my arsenal than any pro I've ever met."

And that translates to organizational challenges which cause sleep deprivation.

"It's a full-time job when I get home, getting my stuff organized. It never ends," Martens said. "That's the part of my job that I don't like. I go to NASCAR races and I watch the teams get their cars ready. I do as much as they do, but I'm by myself."

Off-water discipline is the most important thing Martens has learned since he turned pro in 1999. He began long-distance running three years ago, which he said improved his stamina and mental acuity.

"It's a full body workout," Martens said. "I try to run fast, and I train to be faster every day. It's also a good break from fishing, a complete washout of your brain. It just clears your mind."

Professional anglers notoriously exist on high-fat, high-carb diets, but Martens lives on fruit and vegetables and conservative amounts of lean meat.

"There are no fruits or vegetables I won't eat," Martens said. "I eat a lot of protein. Lean chicken, lots of fish, lots of eggs."

High conditioning allows Martens to absorb the beatings of long boat rides in rough water. He said he hasn't used a chair in his boat in years.

"That's huge in this sport," Martens said. "I'm getting older and I don't want to be hurting. I noticed that 40 miles across big water was starting to take a toll, but now that I've been running for four years, the pain has gone away."

To keep his feet and legs in shape, Martens said he seldom wears shoes. He also puts a premium on sun protection.

All that attention to detail has allowed Martens to perform better at an age when many anglers are in decline.

"There are a lot of anglers out there," Martens said. "If they did all the stuff I do, I'd be scared of them."

Sports on 09/03/2015

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