Competitors move around their boats like hummingbirds circling a feeder. Even if their backs and arms are aching, those bass guys are casting furiously. Entrants in walleye tournaments think nothing of running 15 miles through six-foot waves if they believe a spot might be holding fish. Walleye pre Gary Parsons once ran 100 miles to get to a winning school of fish. And the pros keep casting and running until the last possible moment, often catching a money fish just seconds before weigh-in.
Versatility is just as important.
They change presentations relentlessly, keep changing up their presentation and are constantly moving. Much of that energy is devoted to figuring out what the fish are doing. The little data banks in their heads are storing information faster than a computer from the day they start pre-fishing until the moment the checks are handed out. Consistently successful tournament anglers don't allow that to happen. Their line is always fresh and their hooks are always sharp.