Professional Bassfisher at Texas Roadhouse

[flyfishingpastor]

Just got off the phone with Scott Eaker, a good friend and a managing partner in the Texas Roadhouse. He told me that Mike Delvisco, a pro bass fisher that the Roadhouse sponsors is going to be at the Lafayette location from 6-8 p.m. on July 29th. He'll have his truck and bassboat there and will meet people, talk fishing and he'll have some give-aways.

I know it's not fly fishing, but it might be fun to meet him anyway. Heck, I can't imagine being paid to fish! Just lettin' ya know.

Pat

[trent]

Here's an interesting interview that was done with him. I had never heard of him, nor could I probably tell you the name of any professional fisherman, so I had to do a search to see who he was and what it is all about.

bass.outdoorsfirst.com/article.asp?aid=1369

Back before I did much fishing, I thought watching people fish was about the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. Now I can understand that these are people that have mastered their craft. They have to know fish behavior, understand different water, food sources, and do it better than all the other people that are trying to win. I'm still not sure I would sit down and watch a bass tournament from beginning to end, but even if I only fly fished, I'm sure I could take away some bits and pieces of info on how they approach their fishing.

I'm amazed that he can fish 175 days a year and still enjoy it. I don't think I ever want to get to the point where fishing resembles work. I think I would hang up my waders about that time.

I was also impressed that he had never won a major tournament, but has never had to have another job outside of fishing since he was a teenager.

Have any of you all ever tournament fished?

[krebsie]

Trent
I fished a tournament with a guy name Ron Gerard. His partner got sick or something the night before and Ron asked me to go. When the gun went off to start we hit 160 mph in 10 feet, went clear across the lake. Ron shut the motor down about 50 yards off the bank and was fishing before the boat even got off plane. On the third cast he hooked a small bass and in 2 bounces the fish was in the live well. I was still trying to find my eyebrows, let alone my fishing pole. The whole day was like that. Yea it was fun, in some weird kind of way but I don't think that is what fishing is all about for me. Oh yea, we (Ron) won the tournament that day.
On the other hand I fished a tournament this past Saturday with Dr. Don Wierdon. Didn't catch much of anything, made about half a million casts, changed flies about the same amount of times and I'm telling you it was one of the best days on the water I've had in a long time. Then had a cookout with a bunch of really great people, had some really good laughs, fishing don't get any better than that!
Krebsie

[barryl]

OK! I wasn't going to respond to this but what can I say. It's time to put my foot back in my mouth and reflect on my, let's say dubious past.
Some thirty years back when I was sure I knew every thing I was spending my summers with a good friend who owned a drag boat ( no it didn't have a feathered boa wrapped around it). This was one of those boats that everyone on the lake loathed but secretly wanted. You know it was LOUD, COLORFUL, and FAST very FAST! In fact it was 18ft. long 7 shades of pink (yes PINK) and named (have the children cover there ears) Phallic Symbol, with G.M.'s famous 427cu. in. bored 30 over. It would put a roster tail 80 feet behind it's self and was out of sight before the tail hit the surface of the water.
Back to why this has any thing to do with a fishing tournament. The lake we went to 3 to 4 times a week all summer had a weekly fishing torment that started at 6:30 am. prompt every Saturday all summer. It had it's usual fare of metal flake what ever Bass boats with the biggest outboard you could put on the thing with out sinking it. It looked to us at that enlighten age that the object of the contest was not to fish but to get across the lake first. That being the prime reason for the boat my friend had built it seemed only natural that we line up with the rest of the testosterone charged gallery and try our luck.
So, one bright and early Saturday morning (no easy feat for a twenty year old) we did just that. Not aware that it was not an open event (something about a sign up sheet) we came armed with snoopy poles and any sticker we could find attached to our bodies. You see we didn't own any fancy fishing shirts so we just, you guested it, stuck the stickers to our skin. An action we later regretted.
We as you can well imagined were not greeted with open arms . But non the less the horn sounded at 6:30 my Capitan firmly depressed the loud pedal, we soaked the judges and beat everyone else across the lake. Most of the other anglers were not impressed at the time, however we met some of the other contestants the next day at a sandbar and they told us they had been trying to play a joke on one of the judges for years and the sight of us giving him the fire hose treatment was better than any thing they had come up with......... Of course we were ask to never show up at their little party again and we, for the sake of our skins, agreed. ...........Yes I have been in a Bass fishing tournament just not for very long. tight lines barryl

[reelteacher]

It is very strange timing for this thread. Dad and I went up to the St. Joe River in South Bend to do a little smallmouth fishing and maybe try for a steelhead. One evening we hit the water in our 16 ft flat bottom boat with a 9.9 hp motor and sure enough there was a tournament in progress. It was Wednesday evening around 6 pm and a guy we talked to was participating in the tournament which started at 5 pm and went until 9 pm. Well, as you can imagine there were boats with two anglers lined up and down that river, casting everything from huge chartreuse buzzbaits to purple worms. As dad and I maneuvered slowly past each boat and being courteous to the anglers, it became apparent that this courtesy was not returned. As soon as they (every boat we saw) were finished fishing a hole, they would rev up their engine and take off, spraying water and leaving a boat swamping wake in their trail. It was absolutely crazy. They were totally thoughtless of everyone else except themselves. If that is what tournament fishing does to people, then I don't want anything to do with it. We did witness a rather nice smallmouth (maybe 16") landed by one boat. The angler hauled that thing in like it was a minnow. I just can't see the fun in that. You might as well tie the fish to a cable and drag it in.
As for me, I'm sticking with the enjoyment of fishing with peace and quiet. Dad and I left very shortly after we realized we were in the middle of that mayhem. We went to a pond and fished for bluegill all by ourselves. Now that is what I call fun.

[barryl]

Teach I have to agree with you that tournament fishing seems to take what should be a nice relaxing day and turn it in to a Wall Street feeding frenzy. But to each their own.