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"And The Winner Is....."by Rick Pelletier 1995 was quite a year for me. I was fortunate enough to fish in the B.A.S.S. Federation National Championships, Don Shelby U.S. Invitational, I.N. Bass Team National Championship, Minnesota Federation State Championship, Bassmasters Central Invitational Arkansas River Tournament, and of course, the Bassmasters Classic. Some of these events were very successful for me, while others were not. No matter what the end result was, in addition to the great experience of fishing these events, I accumulated a lot of great memories. Over the winter holidays, I saw several countdowns to the #1 this or that of 1995. This is when I started reflecting back on my year, and I decided to try to determine what my #1 fishing related memory of 1995 was. To my surprise, as I sorted through all these things, the ones that stuck out most in my mind did not involve me catching a fish or me doing well in a tournament. In fact, they were all directly related to people that I was with or encountered. The number of people I met and got to know during these events is way too large to detail in this article. Needless to say, they all had an impact on me, and I feel fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to meet them, especially the kids. It’s an incredible feeling when you realize there are kids out there looking up to you as a role model. To that end, I was able to narrow my list down to two. Now I know I was supposed to be deciding my #1 memory, but these two are both pretty special me. There is a definite common thread between the two and I think you will understand why I didn’t pick just one of them. The first one occurred at the awards banquet at the Bassmasters Classic. The fact that I was there, as a participant, made it an incredible memory in itself. But what made this such a special thing for me was the fact that my dad was there with me. So much of what I’ve accomplished is a direct result of things I’ve learned from him. He’s the one who not only taught me how to fish, but got me hooked on it for life. In fact, he was the one who saw my line moving and told me to set the hook on my first bass! This all occurred when I was young and my dad was actively fishing tournaments in Central Florida. After moving back to Minnesota (I don’t know why, so don’t ask!) he gave up competitive angling, but we still fished together just for fun, and I continued to learn from him. As I began my career in competitive fishing, it cut into the amount of time I had to fish with him, which was a big change for both of us. But I think it was for the best, and as my successes started to come I think he realized it too. But you never forget who taught you to fish or who helped you along the way, and by far and away my dad was the most important factor in both for me. This is why it meant so much to me to have him at the awards banquet with me, it may be a once in lifetime experience for me, and there’s no one who deserved to share in that moment with me than him. And knowing what an impact my dad had on me, is what make this second memory so incredibly special to me. It happened on Father’s Day, I was fishing with my daughter, Vanessa, on a small lake in Annandale. We had fished several spots without much luck. We started out fishing spinnerbaits up shallow, but had switched to plastic worms on the edges. Now you have to understand that I already consider myself a lucky person, Vanessa is very patient and understands and accepts the fact that we aren’t going to catch a fish on every cast. In fact, I put a lot of effort in explaining to her that I enjoy fishing regardless of whether or not I catch fish. It’s the chance to get out on the lake and be together that I enjoy most, and fortunately for me she has adopted the same attitude. As we moved from spot to spot, I explained to Vanessa that she needed to change her retrieve based on how fast the water went from shallow to deep, that way her worm would always be on the bottom. After trying several spots with no luck, we pulled up on a main lake point and as I moved the boat into position, Vanessa asked me if this was a spot that got deep slow or fast. I told her fast and then got up on the front deck and put the trolling motor down. By the time I had done all that, I looked back and Vanessa was reeling in a fish. Her first bass! After we got it in the boat, she told me how she let the worm go back to the bottom before she reeled up the slack, just like I’d told her. It was as excited as I’ve ever seen her, not to mention how thrilled I was. But I think the truly amazing thing about it is that every time she talks about it, the excitement returns just like the day it happened. So there you have it, my #1 memories of 1995. And while these things were special for me, I think there is a message in there that everyone should understand. While we can do a great many things to achieve personal successes, nothing can match having a long term positive effect on a child, it’s something they’ll remember and appreciate for life. And what simpler way to do that than to share something with a kid that you already do and love. Take them fishing. Remember, someone took the time to introduce you to fishing, and I’d be willing to bet you’re pretty happy they did. So this summer, take a few hours and be a positive influence on a kid, share the fishing experience with them. I guarantee they’ll be glad you did. Vanessa and I would like to say thanks to my sponsors (even she realizes I can’t make it in this profession without them). Wrangler Rugged Wear, Ranger Boats, Johnson Outboard Motors, Motorguide Trolling Motors, Quantum Rods and Reels, Stren Fishing Line, Thunder Bullets, The Balancer™, and Costa Del Mar for their continued support. Till next time, keep your lure in the water, you get more bites that way!
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