For today’s Friday Finale historical photo, a look back to 1987 and a scene most of us never get to see – a press observer’s view at morning launch during the Bassmaster’s Classic. Pennsylvania outdoor writer Tom Fegely spent many a day in the boats of professional BASS anglers as a press observer and took the time to write up a long and often funny description of what the life of a press observer entails, as well as sharing a few humorous stories.
Here are a few excerpts from the write-up to go along with the picture.
- “For the past three days I’ve spent a total of 24 hours in the back of bass boats with three of the country’s best bass fishermen. They, plus 38 other qualifiers, were trying to land a share of $101,000 in the BASS Masters Classic held on the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.”
- “Here – at what’s often dubbed the ‘Super Bowl of Fishing’ the presence of a writer in the back of the boat negates that possibility (cheating) and keeps things totally on the up-and-up, should problems ever arise.”
- “Sometimes I even catch fish, the most notable being the 4-pound largemouth at the Thousand Islands, NY Classic in 1980. I was certain it qualified me for the $1,000 press-angler ‘big catch of the day award’ ($500 of which is shared with the pro). But friend and fellow writer Nick Sisley caught a 5-pound smallmouth that same day.”
- “One time I didn’t even pick up a fishing rod in eight hours on the water. I was paired with a new angler who, as it happened, made the Classic only once. I don’t even remember his name. Reluctantly I didn’t fish but instead bided (sic) my time grumbling. Somehow poetic justice prevailed. By day’s end the prima donna angler had as many fish in the livewell as I did.
- “On lakes the boats usually scatter. But on rivers there are only two choices – up or down. There are more rooster-tails than you’ll find in Frank Purdue’s coops. Some drivers even wear helmets. There are times I wish I had done the same.”
- “Yet, spending time fishing behind any of these pros is an experience for which most local bass anglers would trade their best casting rod, a dog and maybe even a couple kids, given the opportunity. Once you’ve mastered closing your eyes and going into a self-induced trance during the early-morning run while still being alert for coots and swallows, then avoiding flying fish and occasional jigs that miss their marks when the hook is being set, you’re in for a fishing education second to none.”
Covered the Classic for almost 20 years, other than a few I missed do to medical reasons. Last year I covered it was 2000, when ESPN bought BASS, and everything changed for the worse, from my point of view. The early years, when we (the press) were allowed to fish, were the best. But even after that, a couple pros I rode with insisted that I grab an extra rod out of the locker and fish. Made some life-long friendships along the way.
After my first year covering in ’81, I realized the press observer should not fish. One could alter the outcome, if not by the catching a specific fish or several fish, but by affecting an angler’s thought processes, even confidence in an approach. Said it many times to my peers (and got banned more than a few Classics for that and other opinions): they don’t let the press take a few strokes at Augusta or test the clay at Wimbledon. What are we doing? Was also invited to fish (when the issue was no longer in doubt) and have retained friendships from those days.