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Bass Fishermen School in Richmond A two-day seminar in a hotel conference room, with 250 people taking notes, watching a PowerPoint presentation, exchanging e-mail addresses: a corporate meeting? No, this was a group of bass fishermen attending the Bass Angler Sportsman Society's BASSMASTER University in Richmond this past weekend. BASSMASTER University is a national program that puts local anglers in one-on-one and classroom settings with six top-ranked BASSMASTER pros. This was the cure for the "winter blues" for many fishermen across Virginia. It was a family affair: fathers and sons, grandfathers and grandsons, husbands and wives, and ladies along with the men in their lives. All of the instructors were well received. Each had their own style. Local favorite Woo Daves, still riding the wave of his BASSMASTER Classic win last July and ready for the talk show circuit, blended his style of down-to -earth stories with detailed tips and tricks of the trade to enhance anyone's fish-catching abilities. Woo had the group laughing at the expense of himself and other legends in bass fishing with stories and anecdotes, while reiterating his constant message to introduce the next generation to his sport. "Bring a kid here with you next year. If you don't have a kid, go to a corner and get one! You don't find kids in the courtroom who have a fishing license." The seminar was an opportunity to find out about the lures and other products that the pros use to win tournaments. Woo Daves credited Jack's Juice, a spray attractant for fishing lures that comes in a garlic or licorice scent, with his fishing success. Danny Joe Humphrey, a pro from North Carolina, introduced the fishermen to a Japanese line of lures, the Vica 25, Vica Pencil, and the Mazzy Vib. South Carolina pro, Ray Sedgwick credited a new hook from Mustad, the Ultra Point Triple Grip treble hook, for his crankbait success. Legendary TV host of "Hank Parker's Outdoor Magazine", Hank Parker went into great detail to explain the advantages of his Hank Parker Classic spinnerbait. Mike Auten, a pro and guide from Kentucky, demonstrated how to use sophisticated sonar units not simply to locate fish, but to locate areas where fish should be. His presentation included a laptop computer with detailed graphics and "scientific" analysis to guide the modern day bass fisherman. He surveyed the audience and found that nearly all of the attendees used e-mail and the Internet to find fishing information. By far, one of the most entertaining speakers was 2nd generation professional fisherman, Dion Hibdon from Missouri. He made constant comparisons of his eating habits to that of the largemouth bass. "When I go to out to dinner, I sit next to the buffet. The bass does the same thing…find the baitfish, and you will find the big bass nearby." All of the pros promoted catch and release. From Ashburn, Virginia, fish-art taxidermist Donnie Poore's trophy fish re-creations display appealed to the fishermen, who wanted to release their catch while preserving the memory. The program began at 8am and went through 4pm both days, with attendees able to meet with the pros one-on -one and ask specific questions about fishing local waters: the Potomac, James and Chickahominy rivers, along with Kerr Lake and Lake Anna. Kimberly Jens, from Virginia Beach, was there with her husband and found the show informative and productive. "We fish together and came to the show to learn more about the sport so we can enjoy it more." Lynchburg resident, 19 year old Will Petty has been attending BASSMASTER University for 6 years. "I want to be a professional fisherman…I can learn techniques, and purchase products that these pros use that I can't find in tackle shops." Products, in the size and color that the pros mentioned in their seminars were available for sale during the weekend. In addition to the fishing knowledge, attendees got to see their fishing favorites and get to know them. There was plenty of time to get photos with the pros and get their autographs. Both Woo Daves and Hank Parker have sons who are fishing on the BASSMASTER Tournament Trail. Hank Parker also has two sons racing in the Busch series; Billy driving the 36 car with the Cici-Welliver Team and Hank Jr. with the PPC Team. Hank Parker introduced his wife of 3 months, Martha to the crowd. He explained that his marriage of 26 years ended about 3 years ago, as his former wife wanted to leave the relationship. He said he was devastated, and attempted to keep his family together. Now that he has made it though the rough times, he is considering returning to the tournament trail (Parker retired from competition in 1989). "Don't be surprised if in a year or two that you see me fishing again." In most sports, just as an athlete begins to excel, the body begins to betray them. Not true in bass fishing. This sport's participants get better with age. Woo Daves said that he wants to fish for the next 10 to 15 years, "…or as long as I can." The weekend in Richmond also offered an added bonus, as the 22nd annual BASSARAMA was held. This three-day event featured boat manufacturers and over 100 exhibitors. Nearly 20,000 visitors packed the Richmond International Raceway complex. There were no signs of a recession at this event. Show organizer Ronnie Bache said, "The attendance was better than last year, and the exhibitors are happy. If they are happy, then I am happy." Even the boat manufactures reported solid sales. Jay Truluck with Ranger boats said his company had 23 models on display. "Customers are looking for value. They must not be watching the news (about the economy), because they are still buying boats." "We thought there were more serious and confident buyers at the show this year, but the financing will tell the true results," said Phil Lanzarotta, owner of Richmond-based Reliance Marine. Lin Bell with Fishing Pro Tech has been an exhibitor at BASSARAMA for the past ten years. "We sell high-end niche products in unique colors for the hard-core tackle junkie. Our top line products, like Lucky Craft Lures (a Japanese lure company) sold well." One of the largest tackle retailers in Virginia, Bobcat's in Clarksville, reported brisk sales. "We were skeptical coming into this show because sales had been down in November and December, but that may have been due to the bad weather, the prolonged election, and possibly the economy," according to owner Bob Whitlock. For whatever reason, this cold winter weekend left fishing enthusiasts feeling a bit warmer. Maybe it was the fish stories; maybe it was the shopping. Whatever it was, spring can't get here soon enough.
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