this year's Bass A Thon
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:40 am
A big thank you to Cindy, Rick, Kyle, Jordan, and the whole Anglers team for another great show!
If you didn't go yesterday, you need to go today! It's free, and the amount of gear and new stuff on display and for sale is unreal!
I went yesterday.
I heard Randall Tharp, Cliff Pirch, Randy Howell, Bobby Barrack, Derrick Yamamoto, and Brian Thrift speak, and had a chance to meet most of them. Really nice people, and great speakers.
Western Bass was there filming everything, and I'm sure they'll have it all available here. They already have some stuff up.
Randall Tharp spoke mostly about how he got into fishing, the people who have been a part of his learning along the way, and how he felt like he had finally become a professional fisherman when Andy Morgan commented on his days catch at a tournament. Funny how we all have different things that motivate us, and different benchmarks in our lives. Today he shares his tips and techniques. I am tempted to go back just for that.
Cliff Pirch also talked a little about his way of fishing the Arizona and Nevada lakes, and why, and shared the story of his latest (he has 3) US Open win on Lake Mead. He also shared a lot of his rigging and bait choices/techniques, and why he used what each day. And later he talked to me and several others as we ate lunch, like we were, you know, just regular people. He talked a little about life as a professional fisherman, and how he makes ends meet. He took time out of his lunch to signed a bunch of his playing cards for one guy who does youth fishing in the Long Beach area, for the kids, and shared a story about his guiding a deer hunt for some other professional fishermen. Good stuff.
Randy Howell told us all about his Classic win, from the start through the weighin, and it was amazing. He actually got choked up at one point because it still means so much to him. He is a truly open, honest person, and it came through in his talk. The story about how he wound up representing Livingstone Lures was really interesting and special. I'm so glad I got to see him, and hear him speak.
If there is anyone alive who loves frog fishing more, and who has more passion and knowledge about his fishing than Bobby Barrack, I have yet to meet them. He could sell snow to Eskimos! And he gave up tips and techniques, big time.
Derrick Yamamoto talked in great detail about how he fishes, what he uses, and how he fishes Mead. My back wouldn't let me sit any longer, so I just heard bits and pieces, but he is clearly a very knowledgeable and accomplished angler.
And Brian Thrift spoke about how he fishes, why he fishes the way he does, what he uses and why, and what techniques he has had success with. He did his best to demystify fishing, and show us it really isn't that complicated. I kept looking at him and thinking he's too young to be that good, but he is. Maybe I'm just getting old!
I left after the raffle (Jennifer and Mike rocked it) and the drive home was a blur as I went over all the stuff I'd seen and heard during the show.
And everyone who is anyone in West Coast fishing, beginning with Kent Brown and his son Butch Brown, and on down a long line ending with the retiring Legend Don Iovino.
It was like being at the Baseball Hall of Fame, but for West Coast fishing, and you get to meet and talk to the players!
A truly fun time.
P.S. Hey Joe Uribe! Hug those kids for me!
If you didn't go yesterday, you need to go today! It's free, and the amount of gear and new stuff on display and for sale is unreal!
I went yesterday.
I heard Randall Tharp, Cliff Pirch, Randy Howell, Bobby Barrack, Derrick Yamamoto, and Brian Thrift speak, and had a chance to meet most of them. Really nice people, and great speakers.
Western Bass was there filming everything, and I'm sure they'll have it all available here. They already have some stuff up.
Randall Tharp spoke mostly about how he got into fishing, the people who have been a part of his learning along the way, and how he felt like he had finally become a professional fisherman when Andy Morgan commented on his days catch at a tournament. Funny how we all have different things that motivate us, and different benchmarks in our lives. Today he shares his tips and techniques. I am tempted to go back just for that.
Cliff Pirch also talked a little about his way of fishing the Arizona and Nevada lakes, and why, and shared the story of his latest (he has 3) US Open win on Lake Mead. He also shared a lot of his rigging and bait choices/techniques, and why he used what each day. And later he talked to me and several others as we ate lunch, like we were, you know, just regular people. He talked a little about life as a professional fisherman, and how he makes ends meet. He took time out of his lunch to signed a bunch of his playing cards for one guy who does youth fishing in the Long Beach area, for the kids, and shared a story about his guiding a deer hunt for some other professional fishermen. Good stuff.
Randy Howell told us all about his Classic win, from the start through the weighin, and it was amazing. He actually got choked up at one point because it still means so much to him. He is a truly open, honest person, and it came through in his talk. The story about how he wound up representing Livingstone Lures was really interesting and special. I'm so glad I got to see him, and hear him speak.
If there is anyone alive who loves frog fishing more, and who has more passion and knowledge about his fishing than Bobby Barrack, I have yet to meet them. He could sell snow to Eskimos! And he gave up tips and techniques, big time.
Derrick Yamamoto talked in great detail about how he fishes, what he uses, and how he fishes Mead. My back wouldn't let me sit any longer, so I just heard bits and pieces, but he is clearly a very knowledgeable and accomplished angler.
And Brian Thrift spoke about how he fishes, why he fishes the way he does, what he uses and why, and what techniques he has had success with. He did his best to demystify fishing, and show us it really isn't that complicated. I kept looking at him and thinking he's too young to be that good, but he is. Maybe I'm just getting old!
I left after the raffle (Jennifer and Mike rocked it) and the drive home was a blur as I went over all the stuff I'd seen and heard during the show.
And everyone who is anyone in West Coast fishing, beginning with Kent Brown and his son Butch Brown, and on down a long line ending with the retiring Legend Don Iovino.
It was like being at the Baseball Hall of Fame, but for West Coast fishing, and you get to meet and talk to the players!
A truly fun time.
P.S. Hey Joe Uribe! Hug those kids for me!