February 12, 2008 -- To find out how it's really done, the producers of a movie about bass fishing hired Bassmaster Elite Series angler Preston Clark of Palatka, Fla.
Clark was brought in to consult on location for Bait Shop, a movie shot on Florida's Lake Tohopekaliga in early February. The movie will star comedian Bill Engvall and country recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus. Bait Shop is about a struggling tackle store owner (Engvall) who enters a bass tournament to make enough money to save his business.
"Originally they talked to me about just being a consultant, to look at things to make sure they are realistic - don't hold the rod upside down, how to lip a fish correctly, that sort of thing - but once I got there, they decided to put me in as an extra," Clark said from the set, who noted that fake fish were used during filming.
"I don't have any speaking parts, but was filmed in my boat during takeoff, and in the crowd at the weigh-ins. They introduced me on stage. I was in third place the first day of the tournament. Hot Rod Johnson, the main character - the bad guy - was leading. That's Billy Ray Cyrus' character."
Clark said Bassmaster's Hooked Up host Mark Zona and tournament emcee Keith Alan were on the set for several days of shooting on the Bassmaster Elite Series weigh-in stage, which was used as one of the movie sets.
After six days as an extra and consultant, Clark was looking forward to the end of his movie career.
"It's something that now I can say I've done, but probably won't be doing again," said Clark, who received clearance from BASS tournament officials to be at Lake Toho during the off-limits period imposed before the March 13-16 Citrus Slam on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
"It's been interesting, but pretty boring when you're not doing anything," Clark said. "It's too slow for me. I've learned since I've been here how to hang tight, hang loose, hang out and just plain hang."
The movie by Background Productions is expected to be released on DVD.
MILLION CAN CHALLENGE
During the Feb. 22-24 Bassmaster Classic in Greenville, S.C., fans can enter to win an all-expenses-paid fishing trip with a Fishing Team pro.
One canned food item brought to the Toyota Outdoor Tour booth at the 2008 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo at Greenville's Carolina First Center will earn a person an entry in the contest.
The lucky winner will fish for a day with one of the Tundra Fishing Team members: Kevin VanDam, Gerald Swindle, Terry Scroggins, Michael Iaconelli or Dave Wolak. All are Bassmaster Elite Series anglers and are in the field of 50 who will compete in the Classic for a chance at the $500,000 first-place prize.
Toyota is collecting the cans of food in support of the Future Farmers of America's Million Can Challenge. All canned goods donated at the Classic will be shipped to food banks in the Greenville area.
The Expo will be open Friday, Feb. 22, noon-9 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.
BERKLEY FOR BEGINNERS
Kids of all ages are invited to attend free seminars hosted by BASS sponsor Berkley during eight Bassmaster Elite Series events in the 2008 season.
The hourlong Berkley Beginners Seminar sessions will take place at the big Berkley Bass Tank, a new feature of the company's exhibit at Bassmaster Elite Series Expos. Elite pros will teach kids the basics of fishing, such as how to tie knots, operate a reel and select tackle.
The seminars are part of Berkley's expanded presence at 2008 Elite events. Plans for the season include a 20-by-20-foot Berkley Tent that will showcase Berkley's hottest products, and Berkley Ambassadors will be on hand. The new Berkley Bass Tank will be used to demonstrate lure action under water.
Berkley will kick off its 2008 season activities with a big booth at the 2008 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, Feb. 22-24 at the Carolina First Center in Greenville, S.C. At the booth, Classic attendees can enter the Berkley Cast for Cash contest. One contestant randomly selected from all entrants will be given one chance to cast a hookless lure into a target and win $50,000. The Cast for Cash will be Feb. 24, during the final weigh-in of the Classic.
CELEB CO-ANGLER
Rodney Clawson, who co-wrote country recording star George Strait's recently released song I Saw God Today, will be a familiar face in the upcoming 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series season.
Clawson, a songwriter, is also an avid bass angler, and he is signed up to be a co-angler at 2008 Elite events on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes (March 13-16), Lake Amistad (April 10-13), Kentucky Lake (June 12-15) and Oneida Lake (Aug. 7-10). Also an accomplished singer and musician, Clawson is slated to perform on the Elite stage at the same events.
His long list of writing credits includes Billboard Top 20 songs Amarillo Sky recorded by Jason Aldean and Big and Rich's Lost in This Moment.
Released by Universal Music Group as a single in early February, I Saw God Today relates the life-changing emotions of a man who just witnessed the birth of his baby. Clawson co-wrote the song with Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby.
"My children are pretty much grown - I'm 42 - but I can relate back to the experience of having children,"Clawson said. "One of my co-writers has kids under the age of 6, so between the two of us, we had some good experiences with being at the hospital and watching our babies being born."He's as excited about his debut as an Elite co-angler as he is about the Strait release.
"I grew up fishing with my dad, and when I was about 20 years old I fished in local tournaments where I lived in Texas," said Clawson, a former farmer who moved to the Nashville area about three years ago to pursue a music career.
"I probably fished 60 days last year," said Clawson, who owns a bass boat that was an official rig of the 1993 Bassmaster Classic. "I get up at 5:30 and fish for two to three hours, then put my boat up and come in and write, or I write and then get out on the water for several hours in the afternoon."
To hear a Clawson demo of I Saw God Today, go to http://myspace.com/rodneyclawsonmusic. Two of Clawson's recordings, The Bass Tournament Song and Tyin' Flies and Tellin' Lies, are on a recent Outdoor Music Series CD distributed by Bass Pro Shops.
WRAPPED FOR WBT
Penny Berryman has a new wrapped boat for her appearance in the Feb. 21-23 Women's Bassmaster Tour Championship.
The wrap for the Hot Springs, Ark., WBT pro is a combination Bass Pro Shops/Nitro design in her signature colors of purple and white, with accents of yellow and black. The rig is a Nitro Z9 with a Mercury 225 Optimax.
"This is the first time I've had a wrap," said Berryman, one of 12 qualifiers for the WBT Championship. "It's a show-stopper. Everywhere I go, people ask me about it. It's a giant, moving billboard."