Imagine Jeff Reynolds' surprise when he started catching clothes while fishing a jigging spoon during a wintertime trip to Oklahoma and Texas' Lake Texoma.
"In the same boathouse I caught a pair of pants and then a pair of pantyhose," said the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Oklahoma. "Then I caught a shoe. Then I left because I was scared of what else I might pull up from down there."
Positive Impact
Bass fishing pros often have a positive impact on fans of fishing without even realizing it.
Case in point: Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jason Quinn - he of the pirate-like image, with his four earrings, ponytail and soul patch on his chin - received the following email recently from one Bryan Richardson of Boiling Springs, S.C.:
"I just want to say thanks for having your own personality and being different. I've been hooked on fishing since I was a kid and watched the typical cookie-cutter pros, which were just like the cookie-cutter golfers, blah, blah, blah.
"I heard you on TV talk about the old guy telling you to get hooked on drugs because they had a cure for that, but there was nothing anyone can do for you being hooked on fishing. I knew that same feeling when I was very young.
"Went through a divorce, made some poor decisions. Cost me a lot of time with my kids. I know how close you can get with someone you spend time with fishing. So I was hoping my boys would have the same passion for it I did and I could regain some lost time. I did everything I know to get my two boys hooked. Didn't succeed with my 17-year-old, he was just never intrigued with it.
"But because you stand out the way you do, it made my 9-year-old take interest one Saturday morning watching TV. Since the winter, he has fished four local tourneys with me, and two times we have finished second among some really good fishermen.
"I do have to admit that after the first tourney I questioned how interested he would stay. We had 5 pounds on two fish; the winners had 26 pounds on five. After the weigh-in he said, 'Dad we got smoked; I bet Jason Quinn could beat these guys.' He's never looked back, and he fishes with me as much as his mom lets him.
"Again, I just wanted to say thanks for having the guts to be what you want to be and showing a different side to the kids. You have made a positive impact on a kid's life; I think more people should strive for that."
DOGGED OUT
On the first day of last weekend's Bassmaster Memorial, competitor Alton Jones silently approached a boat dock on Texas' Eagle Mountain Lake, only to be greeted by a very territorial pit bull.
Being able to effectively pitch to the dock required getting uncomfortably close to the angry, threatening dog.
"I hooked a keeper bass, and the dog got real excited when the fish jumped," the Texas pro said. "The dog jumped for my boat and bounced off the side. The dog made a lot of commotion trying to climb into the boat. It swam around awhile and finally climbed out on the bank."
With the nerves of a jewel thief, Jones went on to catch two more bass on consecutive casts to the same dock.
HELPFUL FRIENDS
Much of Michael Iaconelli's early-season success - and one of the keys to being able to lead the Angler of the Year race at this point - is attributable to his ability to catch visible bass. It turns out that sightfishing is a newly acquired skill for the pro from New Jersey.
Iaconelli gives considerable credit to tournament trail roommates Ish Monroe and Fred Roumbanis.
"Those two guys have taught me a lot about sightfishing," he said. "They taught me that the key is the fish's personality. What I mean by that is, especially the bedding bass, every bass is a little different. And Ish taught me a little thing where you use your finger and twitch your line to get them to bite."
DID YOU KNOW?
Many fishing fans know that Bobby Murray won the inaugural Bassmaster Classic in 1971, but only diehard followers of the sport can tell you that legendary angler Tom Mann was the runner-up.
PRO BIRTHDAYS
Alabama pro Dalton Bobo will be 49 on May 30, while Bassmaster Elite Series pro Zell Rowland also turns 49 on the same day. Tennessee pro Jack Wade celebrates his 50th birthday June 8.
IF I HADN'T BECOME A BASS PRO
Darrin Schwenkbeck's job likely would include riding a mower. He sold his landscaping business to have the time to compete on bass fishing's premier circuit.
THEY SAID IT
"I'm not ready to leave, yet. I look at Larry Nixon and Rick Clunn, and I'm so impressed with their longevity. It used to be that you could fish until you just got tired of competing and retire. But it's not that way anymore. There's a limited number of positions, and you've got to fight and claw and be competitive. I know that I'm competitive and I know that I have the skills and the knowledge. And I just need to get over the fact that I had an off year last year." - Veteran pro Pete Thliveros on growing older in the BASS wars. Thliveros took home $250,000 for last week's Bassmaster Memorial win in Fort Worth, Texas.