I’m blissfully ignorant of most of what goes on in the fishing world.
Back in the early 90’s I tried to pay attention, but quickly lost interest. Nothing that the pros were doing had anything to do with how I fish, so most of the information was lost on me. I’ve never bothered going back.
Through osmosis it seems, I pick up on names. During the winter months with all the outdoor shows going on, I peruse seminar schedules to see who’s speaking. I don’t know why I do that, I never go to the seminars. I probably look at the list in the off chance I’ll see something interesting. I must not find anything interesting since I never sit in on a seminar.
Names like Babe Winkleman, Spence Petros, Lefty Kreh and Mike Iaconelli mean virtually nothing to me. I know Kreh has something to do with fly fishing, Winkleman likes to talk about things and Iaconelli is a bass pro. I got all that from the seminar descriptions. But that’s as far as it goes.
Last year I was wandering around a Bass Pro Shop, that happens now and then. I never buy anything and I’m usually there to kill time. I did a little write up about my trip to the store.
While there I walked past a video monitor with something already playing. I summed it up like this:
I have no clue who the guy was, I don’t pay attention to that stuff. All I had in my head was that this guy is standing in a beautiful, pristine environment wearing one of the most disgustingly gaudy shirts I’ve ever seen. And he didn’t seem embarrassed.
After what seemed like an eternity, the guy caught a fish, which I described as this:
He set the hook on it like he was setting a hook on a tarpon. Arms tucked down tight in front, jerking the rod back and back and back, the whole time saying, “Oh yeah, that’s good, that’s a good one, oh yeah.” Jerk, jerk, jerk on that rod and I’m thinking “Oh my god, I’m watching some guy jerk off with a fishing pole in his hand.”
When he gets the fish up close to the boat, I had described the get up he was wearing as that of a peacock, this happens:
The fish finally gets close to the boat. I’m expecting the peacock to reel up as much line as possible, lean over and lip the fish. That’s what I would do. Instead, with too much line out on the rod, he lays down on his back with his spine as the dividing point between what is on and what is off the boat. All I hear is “what the fuck are you doing?” It’s me talking to the damn television.
Now he’s sprawled on the deck of the boat. Rod in his left hand and he’s extending it as far as he can to tighten up the too much line he has out. With his right arm he’s extending it as far as he possibly can in a desperate reach for the bass. I hear this coming out of the television. “Ohhhh that’s a good one, oooohhh that’s good, c’mon, c’mon, ohhhhh that’s good.”
At that moment, I spoke out loud to the television set:
“Stand the fuck up, reel in the line, bend the hell over and just lip the goddamn thing.”
For those that had bothered to read that little story last year, I’ll bet you thought I was making it all up. I don’t have that kind of ability. I tell stories based on what I see, for the most part, and that is what I had seen.
I pretty much put it out of my head after that. I had no clue who the guy was, didn’t care.
Then, over this winter, I was going through the seminar speaker list that was going to be at the Rosemont Show. The name Mike Iaconelli was on the list, I recognized that name from past mentions, the Bass Pro guy.
There was a picture of him as a promotional piece for the show. My jaw dropped. Holy shiiiiiittttttt, it was a still from the video I had stopped to watch that day at Bass Pro Shop.
And you people think I make this shit up.
The Four Season Angler
24 Feb 2012You’ve obviously never fished from a bass boat. I think it would be fun, you don’t know how to swim do you? Yea, bend over and lip a bass like you do from shore, hope you’re wearing your pfd. The shirts are horrible though, no doubt about that.
Ken G
24 Feb 2012Been on all kinds of boats Mr. Ed. It ain’t rocket science. On your back? Really? Too easy of a target, I should pick harder ones.
Also don’t need $30K in boats to catch little 3 to 4 pound bass. Used to do better than that out of beat to crap old canoes.
Mike
24 Feb 2012No way you could make such stupid shit up. It’s painful to watch. Have them catch that puppy on a 6wt fly rod or an ultralight spinner and THEN come talk to us about pro-feshun-al fishin’.
Jeez….
Ken G
24 Feb 2012Mike, you mean you don’t lay on your back in the shallows while out creek fishing, trying to land those hawgs?
In the original post I reference is a picture of a bass with a little crappie tube stuck in it’s lip. Wound up being about 4 lbs. On a 5 foot ultralight with 4 lb. test Trilene. Had to finesse it out from under a bunch of lily pads.
That’s pro-feshun-al fishin’!!
walt franklin
24 Feb 2012Ken,
Only time I’m on my back like that while fishing is after sliding down 12 feet of shale and mud. Lefty has seemed like an honest fly pro, though he’s too rich for me to understand fully, but the rest of those guys seem to my ignorant ways to be the shiiiit.
Ken G
25 Feb 2012We’re just jealous Walt.
I must be getting top heavy. Those rare times I’m falling lately seems to be head first. I blame getting tangled up in all those poison ivy vines.
The Four Season Angler
25 Feb 2012All kinds? So you know that when you bend over the edge of a boat that is nothing more than a floating plank of styrofoam, you are going in the drink. Think I’m wrong? Go try it. Wear your PFD before you go. I don’t need your old lady blaming your stupid death on me. As for laying on his back, I’ve seen Ike and others lay down to get close to the water, then roll over to their backs to face the camera or swing the fish in the boat. Regardless of size of fish, those fish can mean $10k, $20k, $50k worth of prize money at the end of the day. Have any of the dinks you grind out on your grub bagged you any cash? Didn’t think so. They may look ridiculous, but if they are making money fishing , they still have one up on you.
Ken G
25 Feb 2012Been there Ed. Getting down on one knee ain’t so hard. Don’t have a gut to get in the way.
I’ve never understood the whole spend shitloads of money to catch a fish mindset. That may be nice that a few guys are making money off fishing, but it’s not the norm.
Recent issue of Illinois Outdoors, cover story, a new rule had to be put in place for the high school bass teams. No Hole Sitting. It was explained that they want high school bass fishing to be just like pro bass fishing.
Sounds like it already was. The kids had to learn that somewhere.
Plus, they called them Athletes. I don’t think so.
The Four Season Angler
25 Feb 2012Ike has no gut, nice try though. That kid is thinner than your perspective.
A boat, big truck, lots of equipment, etc can get out of control I agree, but much of what they have is cost offset by advertisement or sponsorship. That is just the nature of the “sport”. That’s another one, no more sport in fishing than in chess. It’s a bit of strategy and a bit of ability to understand fish. Which are not that complicated, I get that…
You’d be surprised how many folks make money fishing. Google will be your friend here, but if you consider, bass, walleye, ice-fishing, saltwater big game, redfish, shark, inshore, offshore… I could go on here forever. Soooo many tournament trails and many different ways to make money.
All you need is an ability to play nice with sponsor companies, catch a few fish, and not take yourself too seriously. It’s supposed to be fun, that’s why it’s not called work.
travis
6 Mar 2012I am with you on this Ken. I find the whole “show” of these guys ridiculous. I get having to brand some sponsorship on shirt. These guys get paid to use their gear, no way around it. But I never got rolling around on your boat and getting a treble in the back for a fish. I can’t watch any of the pro stuff on TV, I end up – if anything – watching salt water shows because I find the fish absolutely breathtaking or fly fishing shows because I find the backdrop breathtaking. I can’t watch a guy flip under docks for 30 minutes. I take that back. I saw a group of Austrians fishing for brim and they’re attitudes were hilarious. I can’t help but to think they make fun of American Bass Masters programming.
I don’t find making money fishing a one up on any one.. I wouldn’t want to do it for a job. I enjoy my time on water with out that stress….
Ken G
6 Mar 2012I guess it’s an acquired taste Trav. Since I didn’t grow up fishing, I guess I never got into the competitive aspect of it. By the time I started fishing, I had given up on all sports. They bore me to tears.
That’s why I found the outdoor show in Woodstock so refreshing. I didn’t know it was so fly centric. Instead of having to listen to the spiels about what hunks of metal we should be throwing in what season, you look at a bunch of flies that you assume fish will eat and all you think is….I can catch fish on that.
I get a bigger kick hanging out with a bunch of kids catching bluegills. North Aurora Days was a blast for that. I need to do that more often.
Travus
6 Mar 2012I was never competitive in that aspect either. I didn’t grow up fishing. I got it into as a hobby to get away from egocentric musicians that I knew from when I was in band. Though that attitude is still around, I can make “music” by myself on any lake, river or pond I can find. It was like marring four woman with different motives.. I was out.
I would do a tourney. But only as something fun to do. Like some people bowl. The second some one got all pissed-off about missing a hook set I would easily regret doing it.
I like seeing fish, no matter who was getting them.
I missed the North Aurora thing, something came up, can’t remember what. Hopefully I can make this year.