Fishing with Ray Scott!!

[Dan]

Went down to Vermillion, Ohio to watch my local partner and good friend Don Fowler win it all at the B.A.S.S. Northern Regional. Don bested 96 anglers from 8 states. He led wire to wire. Up on stage receiving his trophies from Ray Scott, Ray asked Don, as he did all the other anglers, how he caught his fish. Every guy on stage said they caught them drop shotting. Ray told Don that he has never dropped shotted and that he needed Don to come down to his home and go out on his private lake to teach him the technique. He told Don to bring a friend, and at that point I was in the front row taking pictures and began waving at Don. Don pointed at me and said I'm taking him. Ray asked who I was and then told us to get with Don Cochran, his personal manager, and set up a time!!!! Don Cochran came up to me in the crowd and told me to make sure Don contacted him to set it up! I'm going to Ray Scott's house for the weekend to fish in his private lake!! Did I mention that he told Don that last week he caught a 13 pounder in it! Don now moves on and has a 1 in 8 chance of going to the BastMasters Classic. If he bests the 7 other Northern Regional winners he goes to the BassMasters Classic. I'm up at my cabin with dial up so I haven't been able to do much with surfing the net to see what articles BASS has on the Regional. I do have some pictures I took down there on our teardropbass.com - Latest Blog page. I'll have more up tomorrow. Congratulations to Don and the Michigan State team!!!!

[thedude]

nice going Don and congrats to you also Dan...you lucky dog!
make sure to take lotsa pics for us.

[blakstr1]

That is awesome Dan and give my best to Don, he really pulled through.  Oh yeah and if he makes it to the classic, I'll be in on the caravan down to the South Carolina. 

[spinninbug]

Wow Dan that is really cool,  I just read the article on the teardrop page.  Tell Don congrats from Terry and I,  and you two will have an awsome time going to Roy Scott's to fish.  Make sure you take lots of pic's and post them for us less fortunate ones!!  Have a great time. 

[Duke]

I sure hope you'll share with us the experience! Enjoy yourselves!!

[Dan]

Just got done updating the blog on the teardropbass.com site. Some new pictures. I will be shooting a ton of pics when we go to Montgomery. In talking with Don Corkran, it looks like Ray's schedule is pretty full and it may not be till this spring.

[blakstr1]

http://www.bassfan.com/rayscott_article.asp?ID=61

Dan, here's an article that will cause you some sleepless nights in anticipation of fishing with Ray Scott.  He caught a 13#9oz LM in one of his backyard "ponds". 

[Dan]

Spent the day today with Don and we talked quite a bit about the recent invitation. Don talked to Don Corkran at the Federation banquet. Corkran is going to fish with Ray against Don and I, and he told Don that we needed to bring our "A" game!
Ray actually talked about that 13 pounder down in  Vermillion. It still feels like "I'm Walking in Memphis with my feet 10 ft. off of Beale!"
Don's waiting for the last of the Divisionals to finish. Once it does they will announce where he will be fishing. I'm hoping for northern Alabama, Wheeler would be great.

[blackbass]

Hi Dan,
It was great meeting you in Vermillion.  I had an awesome time down there. 
it was a very tough tournament, and I didn't do as much for the team as i
had hoped, but it was a great time. 
I stilll can't believe the excitement level Don F. had through out the week, what a
great guy.  Did you fish that LM only tournament on saint clair with Don?  I wondered
how my spots held up. 
later

Chad Helsel

[Dan]

Hey Chad,
I don't believe Don ended up fishing that. He was in the hunt for the CATT tournament which was the day after that largemouth tournament. I think they decided to spend their time prefishing for the CATT. He hasn't said anything about the largemouth tournament and I spent 400 miles in the truck with him yesterday.
I am putting together a DVD with the video and still shots I have from last year's state team weighin and the northern divisional. I would really like to get as many pics in it as possible so if you know anybody that has any pics they could send me I'd appreciate it. I would be sure to send them a copy of the completed project. I have talked to Paul S. and he is sending me his pictures. I would really like any pics that any of the state team had out on Erie during the prefishing hunt. Shoot me an email if you have some pictures or know of others that might. Don is trying to get a hold of the Bass Line writer. He said he would send us the pics as well. I have some pretty good shots for Day 3 weigh in and as soon as I get everything in I am going to work on the iMovie. Did you see the pictures that I put up on my blog on teardropbass.com? I took about 30 stills and at least a half hour of video. Congratulations on making the state team and fishing the Divisional. What a thrill. It looked like a memorable time. That weigh in site at the Red Clay on the River Restaurant was really a nice spot.

Take care,
Dan Shine