I was recently reminded of a Federation tournament that was won by our fearless leader DJK from the back of the boat years ago. The fellow that was the boater is a local here and from time to time still is asked to explain that day. This story is about his brother and comes from about the same time frame.
His brother was a County Sheriff Deputy in the beginnings of his carear. At that time there was no gas pump at the jail but for the 3rd shift guys like him they each had a key to the pump at the local station in case of need.
While patrolling just to the east of town one night he came across a young man in dire need of fuel. Kid said he was coming from college and headed to see his grandma or something. Being a college boy he had no money and it didn't matter anyway because no station was open.
Folks around here are generally pretty accommodating and the young man seemed quite sincere in his promise to return and pay if the deputy could get him some fuel.
They went to the station, unlocked the pump and put in a few gallons. Our young man headed of to grandma's house.
About 20 minutes later the call came over the radio from dispatch. The description of the thief and the stolen car matched perfectly.
Long gone to grandma's. Some things you never live down.
So the nice guy/bad luck thing runs in the family...;D
(I feel bad again - they were really mean that day - I tried SO hard to be humble and thankful - I was very thankful - I talked about luck a lot - but it just got downright meaner so I just figured I should shut up - competition is brutal in our SW - he and I both know it was beginners luck along with his great spots).
I remember they were big into the Champions back then and I had another unfortunate 'run-in' while blasting off in a tournament on Charlevoix. Everyone was talking about how fast these new Champs were according to the G's (no full name without permission :)). It did seem like they were pretty fast (talking mid-1980s and the 150HP limit was just starting to go away - remember that?), but my partner bought a Ranger 340 Pocket Rocket that year and for back then, that boat would scream (I called it the wave spear - it was only 16' 4" long - we speared some GOOD ones at high speed, but that's another story).
So up the South Arm everyone goes and G pulls out in front... when suddenly - a challenger pulls even. G looks over with some surprise, but leans into it only to see us slowly pulling ahead. Somehow, he finds a couple more horses and pulls even again. Everyone else is now behind.
G seems to feel he is pulling away again and maybe he is. Then he looks over, and there we are again, right alongside and staying even. Now the agitation is becoming apparent and we LOVE IT. We are just rookies and we are running with the BIG GUNS!
Now, there was a lot of talk about hyped up motors going on at the time (also another story - maybe best untold) so G's look starts to go from disbelief and frustration to suspicion. Unable to pull away and leave us behind, I think it affected his whole day (at a later event, they showed up with a 300HP outboard to make sure no one would run with them :)).
So, we're on shore at the end of the day and up comes an agitated G looking for the boat that 'dared' run with him! His shock is that he thinks he may have seen Ranger on the side and we all 'know' Ranger's aren't fast (that's the rumor I hear sometimes anyway). He demands to know what gives with this challenge and my partner - Bigfish Chip - says it's a Ranger with a 150 on it. G says, "the day my Champ can't beat a Ranger is the day I quit selling them!!!"
So we do a quick Vanna White alongside the boat, proving it is indeed a Ranger Bass Boat. I've never seen so much frustration. Chip, being the thoughtful guy he is, allows that it is a 340 Ranger, built for speed. G grudgingly says, "Oh. Okay then. I guess that's not quite the same thing." (He didn't really look convinced to me, but I wasn't going to risk the wrath of a bass angler.)
He walked away kind of muttering and shaking his head. Okay, we both may have smiled a little after he walked away, but we did NOT laugh uproariously as some may have reported.
G says we were going 71 mph to 'almost' keep up with him, but we remember it was more like 67 mph... well you all know what bass tournament anglers are like ;D.
He probably doesn't even remember this (or will deny it maybe) and I don't want to be one to spread such stories, especially after how bad I feel about that tournament during the big flood of 1986. Those were some fun times (CR Gooding was calling me and Chip 'the money boys' and we were just excited a famous Michigan angler like that would even acknowledge our existence :)).
I think every boat from their club was a Champion. All those guys have retired and turned into smallmouth hunters, still in Champions. Good for them.
One of the brothers has turned to the Big Lake for the silver fish but the ex-President and his partner spend their retired time running around on those scary clear lakes up north.
Good for them.
Yeah - I hear rumors all the time of that whole bunch - the Swede, Decker, Gizzi, Craig Dool, Larry H. (I haven't heard much about Duane Zack in quite a while though?)
Even the fish talk to me sometimes:
5 Pound Northern Smallmouth - as I'm lippnig her into the boat: "Hey, don't you know the SW Michigan guys?"
Me: "Yup! Some of 'em."
5 Pound Northern Smallmouth: "I thought was you. Hartsell says hello."
Me: "Oh - he's fished this spot too!?!"
5 Pound Northern Smallmouth: "Yessir - the bunch of 'em where here two weeks ago."
Me: "Shoot! I shoulda known it. Tell 'em hi for me next time you see 'em... but if you're over 6 by then, just jump up and do it. Wait for my lure later before you bite again. You know I'll take a good picture of you - your good side! ;D"
5 Pound Northern Smallmouth: "Will do - see you next fall!"
Me: "Okey-doke"