Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Ok, so I'm seeing a few cranky posts today and thought I'd stick my neck out and post something a bit on the light side. I've been consumed by this need to live on the forum every day ever since my buddy told me about this place two years ago. I've seen the term "Nutcase" used on the board, but havn't yet caught on to what constitutes one. Is it a special private club ? Are their criteria? Or is it anyone who spends more than an hour a day here in the forums ?

Ok...let's have all the juicy details (and does this go back a ways to some event of the past ???).....inquiring minds need to know

Any one that reguarly contributes and visits the forum is dubbed a nutcase. sweet huh.

....and in more ways than one, LOL!!

Mark,
Look in the mirror, what you'll see is a NUTCASE

Anyone who reads along, and contributes qualifies!

Another cool Nutcase thing is the rallies, or get togethers. There are many titles to shoot for. And after winning one, you post with the title, until you lose it at the next one. Big Nut, Top Nut, Odd Nut, etc. There is also a coveted "Numb Nut" award. To win one of those, you have to fall overboard, leave the plug out, etc.

No kidding this internet type fishing club, is the best one I have ever been involved with. For the most part, everyone is a good guy, loves Bass fishing, and enjoys B.S.ing about it till the cows come home. The big sticks cruise around here as well, because of course they are just as obsessed about the fishing, or current opinion.

I am wandering off into a tangent again!

A.G.

The term "Nutcase Classic" was coined by one Mick Kitchen aka Micster. It came about during a heated discussion of what single lure would be most productive on the Delta if you could have only one. Micster claimed his rattling crankbait similar to a rattle trap, but of another brand the name of which I have forgotten was the the one, Cooch of course favored a jig. After much debate, the gauntlet was thrown down by someone proposing a contest. Now bear in mind we are in the middle of December as this takes place. We are having the renowned weather feature known as an inversion. It's cold has heck, drearey with frequent rain. The Delta water temp is about 40 degrees, in the warm spots. So after this challenge was levied, someone else chimed in saying they would like to get in on the contest, others stated you would have to be Nuts to go fishing now. At this point Micster posted something to the effect of "we could just have us a Nutcase Classic" and a tradition was born. We started signing up and I think about 17 hearty souls met at the restaurant at Orwood on Jan 3rd 1998. We had laid out a course in Disco bay and fished the event like a BASS Mega Bucks, had a great time tracked mud all over everyones boat and got to know one another. For many it was the first time we had met in person. Jim Wilson was the first Topnut and caught a nice 4 pounder. I'm not sure what else was caught or if the original argument was ever settled. Afterwards we had clam chowder bread and sausitsas in the parking lot. Folks I remember being there for sure were Cooch and Micster, Steve Greene and Butch in his aluminum boat, Dana and Brat, Nico (his parents had to bring him), Chris Anderson, Fred preston in his brand new and muddy Ranger, Micster's Dad, Peter and Bill Lloyd and myself. I know there were a few others and a few more joined us in the parking lot afterwards. From then on, all NCBF events have been known as Nutcase Classics and those posting on the forum are known as Nutcases.

I'll let others chime in to fill in my foggy memory, oh yeah the next year it was so foggy the guy in the back of the boat could not see the guy in front!

Pat

Always cracks me up. I also launched out of Orwood that day, but had yet to discover this site. As I was pulling out and saw this bunch out hanging out in the parking lot BBQing in the freezing fog I thought "What a bunch of idiots". I mean, I knew I was stupid for fishing that day, but to hang out in the cold after miserable cold day was even worse. The term Nutcases was well deserved. HAR!!

I have been a nutcase since then and never knew Mick Kitchen
till last year met him and his family "GOOD PEOPLE" they live in Tracy still. Hey didn't he win a boat in BASS?

Tight Lines Dom

Very nice information Pat on the origin of Nutcase. Mark, after
spending a day fishing with you and reading your post's on site,
for sure you are a nutcase... See you at the Rally

I would say that sounds like a Nutcase. What jeff said was funny. still laughing.
tight lines!!
Don.

I knew somewhere there was a story to this thing...always is around here.

So...the million dollar question. When is the next Nutcase Classic...I want in on this !

Grins, Mark

Will be the Rally @ ClearLake.

I can't attend the rally this year, conflicts... Maybe the next one though.

Fisherman are good for stories so naturally there is one for to go with the nutcases. It was a group of Nutcases that got together and won the TopSix Tornament on the Delta also. We used to have three Nutcase Classics a year one in spring, the rally in summer and one in winter around the beginning of the year.

Nutcase Classics have been run on the Delta, Clear Lake, Oroville, Amador, McClure, New Melones, Folsom and Berryessa.

TopNut, BigNut, OddNut, NumbNut and LongNut have traditionally been awarded at these events. TopNut for the biggest limit, BigNut of the big fish, OddNut for the biggest non-bass caught, NumbNut for the person that had the biggest oops of the event and LongNut for the person that traveled the greatest distance to attend.

Most of the events have been multi draw event to get as many people fishing with each other as possible. We started cutting back on the Nutcase Classics because there were simply so many competing obligations that we couldn't get the folks all together asmuch as we used to. At it's hieght, the Nutcase Classic has had as many as 165 particpants, at one of the Rally @ Clear Lake events. The Rally became the more fully sponsored version of the Nutcase Classic.

One of the funnest events I think we ever had was the Amador Nutcase Classic several years ago. We basically had everyone staying in one cove up there and the stories were flying until the wee hours of the morning. Cooch put on am impromptu jig fishing seminar and the teens went out for some night fishing. If my memory serves me Cooch was the TopNut, Korny was Big Nut and I was the OddNut. It was at Amador that TopCat told us all about the Rally@Texas and we modeled our Rally after that event. The Rally @ Texas is this weekend on Lake Fork and several folks from this site will be there and we get some Texans out every year for our Rally also.

Bob Santora is a three time TopNut winning back to back events on the Delta and Folsom and he's the current TopNut after winning last time out on the Delta.

Cooch is a multi winner of the NumbNut as well as TopNut. We've made a silent pact to make sure he gets NumbNut any time he wins TopNut in the future.

Tom Guercio is a multi winner of the OddNut Award.

Folks have come from as far away as New York to fish the Nutcase Classic.

Other TopNuts include Jim Wilson, Mark Seaters, Phil Thunen, Sieg Taylor, Doug Watson, Steve Eheler, Angel Valdez and Joe Bruce. If I missed anyone please accept my apologies now.

I'll be on the watch for the next one !

Tony thanks for bringing back a good memory. Amador was the first Nutcase I attended and let me tell you it has really effect my life in a good way. It was the first time I had met anyone from NCBF and let me tell you what a bunch of nice guys. And thanks to Gene Frieders it was my first time out in a real Bass boat, I had a blast.

As for Cooch’s impromptu jig fishing seminar that taught me a lot and gave me the name I have today, FIT. You see I didn’t know much about flipping so Cooch’s seminar was meant to show me some of the finer aspects of the technique. So after that I was known as Flipper In Training, well Cooch thought that was a bit long and names me FIT for short. Thanks for the good memories.

FIT

A great part of our Nutcase Lore! There's a whole bunch I could add to what a few of the ole timers have already explained, but that would spill over and possibly cause me to miss the BASS meeting tomorrow night, so I'll just let it be fer now.

In answer to your original question Mark, becoming a "NUTCASE" is simple and easy, and only a click on the "POST" button away. That's all it takes ta join this fraternity of crazy bass fishing friends, post on any one of our Forums, yer officially branded fer life! And ya didn't even know it! HAR! HAR! HAR!

I made the first one at Orwood also. We traded partners from the levee and I tracked a bunch of mud in Fred's new boat. I got down there the night before and slept in my rig in the parking lot. A couple of other guys did the same and we introduced each other first thing in the morning. Tough fishing that day, cold, but it was alot of fun.

Scott V.

I remember the very cold Nutcase @ McClure a few years ago where Cooch made the "I'll kick yer butt's with one rod and one jig bet"... and won!!

How deep were ya fishin Cooch? I think it was over 100ft wasn't it?

Longest distance..

I think I may be the holder of that distiction...
as I am 'the east coast NCBF Nutcase' , and dang honored by it all.
I reside on Long island NY, just east of JFK airport a bit...


On May 11, 2002, I was a visiting guest at Nutcase Classic# 13 being held on the Cal-delta, having flown in from NY the night prior. I got assigned to Tom"fishfafun" Lutz, and what a truly fine boater, angler, and gentleman he is.. I had a truly awesome day with him then, and on a few days fishing in California on successive trips with him, too, including just a few weeks ago. I was awed how smoothly the whole Nutcase Classic#13 went that day, and there was a huge shared BBQ and picnic feast afterwards that was terrific. The spirit was truly friendly, and sharing..

On that day, many, many NCBF 'nutcases' came and got behind a spirit-lifting project I was running to benefit a teenaged bass angler , a young girl, the daughter of an ABA member, who had been stricken with a rare brain cancer. Many from this site sent so much strength and healing to her in the form of prayers, e-mails, and small tokens, with many signed hats as requested. I am totally thrilled to say young Jasmine has survived, and is thriving, living the life of a normal teen again, having beat the Cancer with much thanks to all who responded. The outpouring of human warmth was at times, overwhelming, I must say...and the family HUGELY appreciated it all.

Although I have digressed now in this post, the term 'nutcase' is indeed one to be an honor, as you can learn and gain so much by being involved here...and make so many great friends.

..and this coming from a nutcase once dubbed...."OddNut....[because I came from NY, and that is flat out odd]..{LOL}.

Thank you all for the huge and warm welcome I get to your state every year...You "nutcases' ROCK..!!

Got one coming up next month, stay tuned...

How about another Southern California Nutcase tourney?? The Perris event last year was fun under tough conditions and weather.

Pete

sTony wrote:Fisherman are good for stories so naturally there is one for to go with the nutcases. It was a group of Nutcases that got together and won the TopSix Tornament on the Delta also. We used to have three Nutcase Classics a year one in spring, the rally in summer and one in winter around the beginning of the year.

Nutcase Classics have been run on the Delta, Clear Lake, Oroville, Amador, McClure, New Melones, Folsom and Berryessa.

TopNut, BigNut, OddNut, NumbNut and LongNut have traditionally been awarded at these events. TopNut for the biggest limit, BigNut of the big fish, OddNut for the biggest non-bass caught, NumbNut for the person that had the biggest oops of the event and LongNut for the person that traveled the greatest distance to attend.

Most of the events have been multi draw event to get as many people fishing with each other as possible. We started cutting back on the Nutcase Classics because there were simply so many competing obligations that we couldn't get the folks all together asmuch as we used to. At it's hieght, the Nutcase Classic has had as many as 165 particpants, at one of the Rally @ Clear Lake events. The Rally became the more fully sponsored version of the Nutcase Classic.

One of the funnest events I think we ever had was the Amador Nutcase Classic several years ago. We basically had everyone staying in one cove up there and the stories were flying until the wee hours of the morning. Cooch put on am impromptu jig fishing seminar and the teens went out for some night fishing. If my memory serves me Cooch was the TopNut, Korny was Big Nut and I was the OddNut. It was at Amador that TopCat told us all about the Rally@Texas and we modeled our Rally after that event. The Rally @ Texas is this weekend on Lake Fork and several folks from this site will be there and we get some Texans out every year for our Rally also.

Bob Santora is a three time TopNut winning back to back events on the Delta and Folsom and he's the current TopNut after winning last time out on the Delta.

Cooch is a multi winner of the NumbNut as well as TopNut. We've made a silent pact to make sure he gets NumbNut any time he wins TopNut in the future.

Tom Guercio is a multi winner of the OddNut Award.

Folks have come from as far away as New York to fish the Nutcase Classic.

Other TopNuts include Jim Wilson, Mark Seaters, Phil Thunen, Sieg Taylor, Doug Watson, Steve Eheler, Angel Valdez and Joe Bruce. If I missed anyone please accept my apologies now.

Roger Nelson won the event at Berryesea last year. My non-boater Jay Barros won big nut. Can't remember who won NumbNut (oh, wait, it was me)

I believe the origin of the phrase came from that very first event out of Orwood. As the folks were hanging around, in the rain, someone said 'You've got to be a NutCase to fish in weather like this.' Hence, the name.