Kimberling City, Mo., April 8, 2000 - Jim Dopp, full-time UPS driver and part-time tournament angler, wins the B.A.S.S. Central Division Invitational on Table Rock Lake. Dopp bested a field of nearly 300 fellow anglers on his home lake to win $16,000 and a fully rigged bass boat. Dopp managed to catch a daily limit each of the three competition days, ending up with the winning weight of 39 pounds, 5 ounces. Coincidentally, Dopp finished in 13th place in the same event in 1999, his only other B.A.S.S. tournament appearance, with almost the identical weight! Dopp caught most of his fish split-shotting finesse worms.

March, 2001 - We had a chance to catch up with the hard-working Dopp recently and interview him with about 5 weeks to go before defending his crown on Table Rock Lake. Jim was one of the first folks I met when I started coming to Table Rock Lake in the mid-1980s. Jim has been married to Debbie for 17 years and they are the proud parents of  2 year old Joey, a future tournament angler. Dopp is a honest, straight-talking, hard working guy who I am proud to know. Jim's current sponsors are: Triton Boats; Hydro-Tec Marine; Mercury Marine; Rite Hite Jackplates; and HK&W Supply.

HOOKSBASS: Dopp, exactly how long have you been fishing Table Rock Lake?

JIM DOPP: I started fishing Table Rock when I was a kid. I grew up in the Springfield / Clever, Missouri area, so I've been living near   the lake my whole life.

HOOKSBASS: Exactly when and how did you get started fishing?

JIM DOPP: Well, I've pretty much have been fishing since I was a young kid. My dad used to take me to the local rivers and we would fish for whatever was willing to bite. I have fond memories of spending the whole day, casting baits with my Mitchell 308.

HOOKSBASS: Jim, you've done well in other tournaments besides last year's event, who and what do you credit with your fishing success?

JIM DOPP: I credit my dad with igniting my interest in fishing. Other than that, I believe the many hours I have spent on the water have been my best teacher.

HOOKSBASS: Tell us about your other angling accomplishments.

JIM DOPP: Besides last year's win at Table Rock, I'm very proud of the fact I qualified for and fished the 1998 Red Man All American. My partner and I finished 3rd out of 350 boats in the 1994 Champion Boats Tournament in which I had Big Bass, plus we finished 17th out of 750 boats in the 1991 Champion Boats Tournament. I've also had numerous other Top 10 finishes in Red Man, Central Pro Am, and other open tournaments.

HOOKSBASS: How many days per year do you spend on the water?

JIM DOPP: Currently I fish 60 to 90 days per year, but I hope to improve upon that in the not too distant future.

HOOKSBASS: Since your win in the B.A.S.S. on Table Rock, have you fished any other B.A.S.S. events?

JIM DOPP: I haven't yet, but I plan on fishing the entire B.A.S.S. Central Division schedule starting in the Fall of 2001.

HOOKSBASS: Jim, tell us what your favorite fishing technique is and is it also your strongest?

JIM DOPP: My favorite technique is shallow water crank baiting. I love to burn shallow running baits, such as Bagley square bills, in the heat of the summer. I believe it is also my strongest technique.

HOOKSBASS: Discuss with us last year's winning strategy and techniques.

JIM DOPP: Well, last year I caught almost all of my fish using finesse tactics with plastic baits. Most of the fish came from 12 - 16 feet of water on the main lake. It was not my preliminary game plan. Fishing was tough! There was no action up the river arms, and there was no stickbait bite, which, as you know, accounts for many of our bigger largemouths in the Spring. I toughed it out with the spots and smallmouths. In fact, 75 - 80% of my fish came off one spot! I got onto the finesse bite 3 days before the tournament.

HOOKSBASS: Considering this year's colder winter, large shad kill, and 15 foot higher water levels, what do you anticipate for this year's Table Rock tournament?

JIM DOPP: If we don't continue to get rain and the lake level goes back down towards last year's level, I believe the spotted bass and smallmouths will once again dominate the tournament with a main lake bite. But, on the other hand, if the water level stays where it is now at almost normal pool, or continues to rise, the river bite will turn on and you'll see some real quality largemouths brought to the scales.

HOOKSBASS: How much, if any, additional pressure do you feel to perform well in this year's tournament?

JIM DOPP: I'm feeling a little pressure, but not too much. Needless to say, I would like to do good in the tournament. Part of the problem is you don't have total control. You may only be able to fish your water for half of the day.

HOOKSBASS: A little off the subject, but I'm sure most of the part-time tournament anglers out there would like to know the answer to this question, how has your tournament win at Table Rock affected your sponsor support?

JIM DOPP: Actually, very little. I was getting some sponsor support before the B.A.S.S. win and it has improved a little. I feel it has not improved more because I am not fishing tournaments full-time.

HOOKSBASS: What does the future hold for Jim Dopp and tournament fishing?

JIM DOPP: Well, like I told you, I am going to fish the full B.A.S.S. Central Division schedule starting this fall. And, if things go according to plan, I'm going to retire in the next few years and I'll have even more time to devote to my family and the sport of fishing.

HOOKSBASS: Good luck, Dopp! We hope to see you on the winner's stage again this year!
 

Copyright © 2001 Hooksbass