Should I Fish For A $100,000 Bass?

[D.W. Verts]

I'm in one of my normal funk/quandaries and need motivation. Well, probably not but it sounds good...

The "Big Bass Bash" is at Lake of the Ozarks this weekend. Hourly weigh-ins pay numerous positions. There's bonus money for perfect 3 & four pounders. Someone will win a new Phoenix. And the biggest bass of the weekend will win $100,000. It's sucker deal, actually. With over FOUR THOUSAND folks entering. Hmmm.

But there's drawbacks. First off, I have a business to run. Unfortunately, we're almost OUT of business right now with the economy and the lack of help. We're in the worst shape we've been in during our nine years in the restaurant business. Which means we're having to fall back and punt this weekend. My wife says that makes it easier for me to go fishin'. I think it means I need to stay put and double up my efforts at work. I actually won't really miss any work by goinng fishing, but the two will get in the way of each other for sure.

Last fall I flipped a quarter to decide whether to fish this thing, and I won (lost?). I got "tails" and worked all weekend.

One-hundred thousand bucks. It IS a sucker deal. But SOMEONE will win. But me? I would hope to weigh in several decent bass that will also pay some respectable money- why I always think "first or nothing" has always been a problem for me. But I have been catchin' a few decent bass of late-

 



It will probably take a bass over eight pounds to win the event. I've never weighed a bass for sure over seven pounds on LOZ in my life. Time for a new PB?

A four to a four and-a-half pounder will win money in the hourly weigh ins, and that pays pretty good. It should take a six or better to WIN every weigh in, and that pays REAL good. Hmmm.

Also, the guys with cell phones (wait a minute, that is everyone but ME) can also check on what's being weighed at the station they'll be using. You can actually manage your fish to a degree that way. I'd get confused doing that. I'd probably release a big bass and stuff my phone in the livewell.

Anyway, trying to decide whether to plunk my $200 down. To get to go fishin' all weekend. Hmm.

So there you go. My normal conscience getting in the way and keeping me from competing, Not to mention the two hundred bucks. Did I mention we're struggling in the restaurant business? Oh well, we'll see- I'll decide in the morning. PEACE ya'll.

Dale

[Donald Garner]

Dale,
I'd say go for it.  But I don't have a business that I have to worry about.  You know as well as I do that you HAVE TO HAVE CLEAR MIND when fishing these type of tournaments.

I've fished several of these (4).  They were first call Ronald McDonald House Big Bass Splash.  Bob Sealy is the one behind these here now (Bob Sealy Big Bass Splash). The ones I've fished were all on Sam Rayburn during the Spring.  Lots and Lots of anglers out on the water.  They had hourly weigh in; Raffle Drawings etc.  lots of fun to be had for sure.

The entire event was a live radio station broadcast from the weigh in site. My partner for the 1st two years was Marvin Deckard (Bucksaw Marina Guide)  We camped out in the back of his pickup and he slept on the deck of his Ranger     

My 3rd year partner was Dale John a neighbor at Ft. Polk.  We rented a camp ground space at the KOA site near the Black Forest Area.  I caught my PB 8.33lbs during that event. I came in 19th Place out of 5,200 people fishing.  I came in 3rd place during the 3pm hourly weigh in.  My total winnings was a $1,900.00 dollar check.

We fished out of his Bayliner with 125hp Force outboard.  We ran from the Black Forest all the way down to Twin Dikes Marina talk about a ride     We had that same run back after the hourly weigh in back up the KOA Camp Ground     

The guy that won the whole thing caught a 12.02lb largemouth.  He was fishing from a john boat with a electric trolling motor on the back.  Needless to say he cleaned up $$$ wise and won a new Skeeter boat and a new pickup truck.

The last time I fished my partner Carl Johnson a UB member spent a week prefishing and living the life of luxury on the banks of Lake Sam Rayburn.  He just missed the hourly weigh in by a couple ounces.  We had a blast that week fishing.  We fished the event out of my Stratos 285 PRO XL with a Yamaha 150 VMax 

If you decide to fish this thing buddy I wish you the very best.  You need to apply all that OLD SCHOOL learning and show'm how its done   

[D.W. Verts]

Wow Donald. An 8.33 for nineteenth place. I'm moving to Texas...

Thanks as always, and another Marvin story too. Awesome. I still haven't decided- the restaurant is a problem right now, but we're going to be open Friday and Saturday for limited orders (take-out only). We decided against Sunday, which in all makes it easier to fish. I'm going out to the boat to work on tackle and decide. Thanks again.

Dale

[Canesfan]

Go for it.