Bassmaster Classic is done, TOWA is next

WBF Angler Angie Everett practices with AL Jr. Champ, Payton Bertarelli

First, I must thank everyone that helped at our Bassmaster Classic booth. Kudos go to; Frank, Payton and Landon Bertarelli, Derrick Milsap (Five-Three), Gil Johnson, David Walker, Marty Stone, Thomas Clements, Bill Braswell and Dan Dannenmueller. We appreciate your help more than you’ll ever know. Oh, thanks for the donuts Robin!

So many friends stopped by that I’m sure I’ll forget a few; Keith Sutton, Jimmy Houston, Alan Clemons, John Phillips, Rodney Smith, Steve Waters, Terry Brown (Wired2Fish), Marvin Tye, Ed Zawadzki, Brad Wiegmann, Paul Alpers, Ken Freeman, Chuck Devereaux, Eric Christain, Ronell Smith, Jack Wingate David Rainer and the list goes on. Thanks for sharing your time with us.

The one thing I’ll change at next year’s Classic Expo will be we’ll work in shifts. Working a booth 11 hours is just too much on the feet. Especially with five hours of sleep under our belts. Even our youngest pros were exhausted.

I’m probably on my way to Tejas for the TOWA (Texas Outdoor Writer Association) conference as you read this. The annual event is always full of great fellowship and excellent craft improvement seminars. Larry Bozka and I are going to try and wet a line Sunday. Naturally they’re calling for rain but we’ll give it a try. You can’t catch fish sitting on the couch.

I remember at a previous conference; Ray Scott arrived for a one-day visit and had so much fun, he stayed an extra three days. Scott and I ended up on the same return flight to Houston. We were both flying stand-by for the next available flight to Montgomery. Naturally, he snagged it. Scott pointed at me as he stood in the boarding line and said “C-YA!” I could hear him laughing as walked on. He’s so darn competitive; it even tickles him to win an earlier flight.

The dark circles under my eyes are proof enough that this is trip number four, in as many weeks. But look at the fun I’m having! Blessings, -TJ