FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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As I get ready to head a couple of hours to Orlando and ICAST this morning I am getting excited to see all the new stuff along with many of the top anglers in the country.  And talking up the Knockin Tail to distributors and stores will be fun, easy to sell something you believe in.  I will post in a few days after attending the show.  A real fishing extravaganza.

A Sad Day

I have known Max for almost 50 years, fished against him many times.  He was an accomplished tournament fisherman and all-around good guy.  How in the world this happened we will probably never know, but something happened.  He knew Lake Norfork like the back of his hand day or night after fishing it for well over 50 years, and this one is hard to grasp.  When I lived at the boat dock I watched as they built that big bridge in my front yard 40 years ago, we were all familiar with it from day 1.  There is a lesson in this for all of us, it can happen at any time, anywhere, to any of us.  My condolences to his family.

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And on that note Ronnie Deardorf, the owner of Midland Marine where I bought my first Champion boat in Mtn. Home has also passed.  The year John Storey gave our bass club a boat to the winner Ronnie beat me out in the last of our 12 tournaments.  I led most of the year, but he sacked 32lbs 8 ounces on the last tournament to overtake me and win.  That was a massive string in those days.  He was a great fisherman, a big hunter and also one of the old guard in Mtn. Home.  One of the hazards of getting old is watching your contemporary’s pass.  Best wishes to his family.

While reminiscing with Clyde over the loss of these 2 I realized how many we have lost from the old bunch.  The year I fished the Federation Club Championship there were 6 of us, I am the only one left.  It reinforces my opinion that you only get on run at life.  So make it happen, do it before it is too late, there is no time like the present.  Life blows right by us and is gone before we know it.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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It is either guaranteed for life or not!

Oh Bass Pro, how far you have fallen.  There is a guy who has filed a class action lawsuit against Bass Pro over socks.  The ones he bought were labeled: “Redhead Lifetime Guarantee All- Purpose Wool Socks” and were sold with the lifetime guarantee.  He returned several pairs and then they finally start replacing them with a pair that looks almost exactly the same only they are only guaranteed for 60 days.

That reminds me of my experience with Bass Pro, remember I have been shopping at the original store since the early 70’s.  I get a flyer, Ambassador 5500c for sale and in big words, guaranteed for life!  So, I buy 2 and for about 10 years they honor it by repairing them when they need it.  Then I get a note when they shipped one back:  It now has no original parts on it so no more warranty.  Sneaky way to weasel out on their promise.  Looks like they are still at it.  They really are not a fishing store anymore, basically they are a fancy department store.  If I did not have a card that gave me store credit, I can honestly say I would rarely shop there.

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And I want to thank Pat for his long comment.  I especially like the part about catching bass in a pond, the way I started.  Once you get to the big water things do change.  Fishing is now a whole new game just in the last 10 years.  And as far as your son, the boy can catch them, and he just might have a future with a rod in his hand but to get there these days is tough, but he has the skills he just needs more time on the water.  The old saying:  The more I fish the luckier I get.  And good luck with the crappies, guiding it was always jigs for me to.  Nothing like feeling the thump!  So good to hear from you, I appreciate it.

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I got this interesting comment from Steve.

I love your mini-rants. I can just see you pounding the keyboard, backspacing through ill advised phraseology, an occasional re-think. Passionate advocacy is a good thing. After all, if you don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter.

Oh, and the fishing too! Thanks to you I now know what a clown knife fish is. Catch a monster, take pictures, and tell us about it.

You called that right on the head.  Ranting is actually harder than doing the fishing part.  Making sure you are accurate with the facts, not defaming someone, and just generally keeping it on point without belaboring the matter.  And you are correct on one other thing, when I do it is something I am passionate about.  I never want to start a fight or just rag on something but at times I just cannot help myself.  Guess that is a function of getting old and cranky!  And as far as the Clown knife fish, I have done the reading and research, just have to see how it goes but it is something different.  Stay tuned.

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It has been a while since I made a major tow with the boat, and it went well.  But I would like to congratulate the state of Louisiana for having some really crappy roads.  While I have not driven in every state it is amazing just how bad they are.  It really opens your eyes to how tough it is on both vehicles and boat trailers.  It was always struggle to trailer on Hwy 90 when going to Grand Isle, and now I10 is not any better.  Man, their roads suck.

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Good Luck and Tight Lines

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Liberal, sort of, when it serves them!

And my last off topic rant – Austin. Whether it was Fayetteville, Boulder, Iowa City or a host of other cool places it seems to follow the same script.  At first folks come for the music, the scene and the lifestyle, then it happens, they grow up.  Now those first folks want those “other” folks out, or at least out of sight.  Rents get high, housing prices off the chart, the real estate industry engaged in full scale gentrification, it always seems to run the same course.  Those first folks are happy how it is going for them but want those other folks out of their sight.  NIMBY and hypocrisy in action.  The industry speaks of the need for housing and help for the poor, as long as it is not anywhere near my downtown or upscale area.  Plenty of lip service, so don’t give me the old I give a damn.

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