Just a day back from a fishing trip in Mexico, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Fred Roumbanis sounded tired and pumped all at the same time.
Roumbanis was impressed by the bass fishing on Lake Agua Milpa, where hooking into 100 fish a day is the norm, and double-digit bass are not uncommon. But a small Mexican orphanage left an even deeper mark on him.
An ex-Californian who now lives in Bixby, Okla., Roumbanis took part last December in promotional filming for Fishin’ Mission Adventures (www.fishinmissionadventures.com), a guide service and camp that helps support an orphanage for about 25 kids.
Some of Roumbanis’ old West Coast buddies got him involved in helping Fishin’ Mission Adventures, a business run by David Sanders.
“David’s trying to raise money to help the orphanage,” Roumbanis said. “He sold his house in Oregon, took all the equity and bought a fish camp on Lake Agua Milpa, a trophy bass lake, a new one still under the radar. You average 100-plus fish a day there. The fishing is absolutely amazing and you can catch them any way you want to.”
After shooting the promo segments, Roumbanis visited Casa de Ninõs near Tepic, Mexico.
“Meeting the kids probably changed my life in the way I look at the things we have — like cell phones, cameras, watches — things we think are so important to us, but that these kids have never seen before. They were totally fascinated, and we take these things for granted.
“But things aren’t important,” he added. “What’s important are health, love and friends. That’s what I saw in that orphanage.”
The facility was founded in 1970 by a doctor who set out to create a home for sons of convicted felons. The orphanage now houses boys and girls, ages from infant to pre-teen. And though Roumbanis supported the orphanage from a financial standpoint, he almost went a step further.
“It was hard for me not to want to take some of them home,” said Roumbanis, himself the father of a 2½-year-old.
SCOUT AND ABOUT: In December, Wade Grooms traveled from his home in Bonneau Beach, S.C., to California to scout the fisheries for the back-to-back events that will kick off the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series in March.
The third-year Elite pro has a lot on the line this season. He recently left his off-season job as a civil engineer, so he has no economic safety net anymore.
He’d never seen either Clear Lake or the Delta.
“I had no idea what either place looked like,” Grooms said. “I couldn’t afford not to go out there because I have so much invested in the whole season. That’s one reason, but the other is this is the first year I’ve had the time to go to some of the fisheries in advance.”
His first stop was Clear Lake, competition water for the March 18-21 Golden State Shootout out of Lakeport, Calif. Then he spent time on the California Delta, a maze of bass-rich canals and pockets in which even a veteran could lose his way. Grooms’ goal there was to prep for the first 2010 Elite event, the March 11-14 Duel on the Delta out of Stockton, Calif.
“The Delta — the first event — is unlike any other fishery we’ll fish all year — it’s tidal, it’s massive, it has thousands of miles of sloughs and backwaters. I thought it was important I get there and become as familiar as possible with it, so I know where I’m going and don’t waste any time. That’s critical there.”
Grooms flew to California and relied on buddies for the loans of boats to tour the lakes.
“It’s important to have that network established,” he said. “The longer you’re in this sport, the more networking you’re able to do for these kinds of things.”
WRAP RAP: Bassmaster Elite Series pro Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., will have his Skeeter boat wrapped by Texas-based Santone Lures in time for his appearance in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 19-21 on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala.
Another new sponsor for Herren is Colmic, Italian maker of spinning and baitcasting rods.
WRAP RAP 2: Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., will bring her newly wrapped Legend boat to the Classic; the wrap will be by Academy Sports + Outdoors. Martin-Wells is only the second woman in history to qualify for the Classic.
SEASON KICKOFF: The 2010 BASS tournament season will gear up this month in Florida with the first of nine Bassmaster Open events.
Lake Okeechobee in central Florida will host nearly 400 anglers — about 200 competing as pros, and an equal number as co-anglers — in the Jan. 14-16 Bassmaster Southern Open event.
Full coverage and photo galleries will be available at www.Bassmaster.com.
About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
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