Jimmy Mize is a man of few words. When asked to name the strangest thing he has ever caught with a rod and reel, the Arkansas pro replied simply: "A pair of underwear."
Prodded to elaborate, he revealed that the garment, which had once belonged to a man, was hooked on a jig as he fished the Arkansas River in Pine Bluff. "The bad thing about it was I had a fish hooked and it went out around a piling and hung me up," Mize recalled. "When I finally got to him, all I had was a pair of men's drawers. I didn't get the fish. All he left me was his underwear. Just a pair of Hanes."
Dream Trip Awaits Bass Fans
Ever wonder what it would be like to experience one of America's most storied largemouth and smallmouth fisheries? In a boat with two of the top pros in the country? While enjoying resort comfort?
It isn't just a dream anymore.
ESPN Outdoors' Ultimate Experience claims to fit that bill with an exclusive excursion program they say is, "bound to set new standards in the outfitting world."
On Sept. 8-11, Ultimate Experience is taking bass fans to the bass-rich Thousand Islands region in upstate New York. And travelers will spend those four days in the company of world-class BASS pros Mike Iaconelli and Peter Thliveros. The two veteran pros will provide the fishing lessons - both in the lodge and on the water.
"I love for people to learn from me and this is more of an opportunity for that to happen without the constraints of a tournament, and the fishing should be really good, whether it's for largemouth or smallmouth," said Thliveros. "It's more of a one-on-one where it can be more instructional than just sitting back and watching somebody fish."
And since the lodging is in the rustic Edgewood Report in Alexandria Bay, this will be far from roughing it.
As imagined, space for a dream trip like this is very limited. To learn more about this, log on to www.bassmaster.com/ultimate or call 1-877-551-4647.
The price is $4,795 and includes: four-day/three-night accommodations; morning-through-evening access to the pros; fishing and personal instruction from Iaconelli and Thliveros; five sessions of fishing, including eight hours with the pros; tips and techniques seminars; deluxe meals with the pros; and ground transportation to and from the Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
JOB CHANGE
Like many young pros, Bradley Stringer was wrestling with the decision to continue holding down a real job or take the plunge into full-time fishing. While he was struggling for an answer, his employer helped point him in the right direction.
"I was driving a truck for a food delivery truck, a tractor trailer pulling two trailers," the Texas pro said. "I got laid off. I came in after a tournament in February of '04 and I was mad because I should have won it. I was planning to quit if I did, but I finished eighth. When I went back to work, I found out I was laid off.
"I drew unemployment for six months and used that for my fuel bill and kept fishing. Then I won the Open championship in December. Getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to me because I knew right then and there what decision I should make. I was 31 and I had to either try (professional fishing) for good or just keep doing it locally."
DID YOU KNOW?
Although his recent Bassmaster Classic victory enabled Kevin VanDam to match Roland Martin's record of three consecutive BASS wins, the similarities end there. VanDam's heroics involved three limited-sized fields (50 or less), while Martin's wins in 1980-81 occurred against full-sized fields of competitors.
IF I HADN'T BECOME A BASS PRO,
Oklahoma's Tim Carroll would likely still be a lineman with the Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative.
THEY SAID IT
"I wish it would have been a tie." ESPN Greatest Angler Debate winner Rick Clunn, during a quiet moment after it was announced that he had topped Roland Martin in the final fan voting.