In today’s Throwback Thursday historical photo, a reminder that not all anglers with the ability to fish professionally choose to do so. In fact, there are quite a few “sticks” that choose the local or regional route for a variety of reasons. One such example is today’s featured anglers, Gerald Beck and David Wright.
If you’re familiar with David Fritts and Carolina crankbait wizardry, then you no doubt have heard these two names mentioned before. Back in 1990, a local newspaper story talked to the pair and highlighted their success fishing around the area. It stated, “As individuals, they fish two divisions of this circuit (Red Man) each year. They also fish the Carolina Classic Team Circuit, the Tar Heel team events and some benefit tournaments.
“They usually fish 85 tournaments per year, most of them one day duration, some lasting two days. They don’t fish any of the tournaments that require $500-$600 entry fees, living for a week in a motel and sometimes driving 1,500 miles or more to the tournament site, but stay closer home to fish tournaments less demanding on time and financial resources.
“‘Look, I’m a high school computer science teacher and Gerald is an independent contractor, we don’t have time for all that travel,’ Wright said while sitting in his bass boat in a High Rock cove.
“Even hobby-type bass fishing tournaments can hit a person’s wallet a hard lick. However, Wright and Beck have been fortunate. They more than make expenses. This year, for example, they have won about $20,000 together as a team. In addition, Wright has won about $11,000 as an individual, Beck has won a little less than $10,000 in individual competition”
If you look at the FLW website and track their career standings, you’ll see that Wright has amassed 14 wins, along with 73 Top 10s, and competed in 256 events. His total winnings exceed $532,000 just in that single circuit.
Similarly, Beck has 2 wins to his credit along with 9 Top 10s in 123 events, and winnings of more than $156,000.
As you might have guessed, the article stated that their favorite crankbait was the Poe’s 400, with the pair fishing the Poe’s series of baits about 90 percent of the time while in tournaments. The other 10 percent of the time, the pair each keeps a plastic worm handy. They sometimes add a fish or two to their catch by working a spot with the worm after thoroughly working it with the crankbait.
Editor’s Note: After all these years of hearing about the Poe’s 400 crankbait and its success, the truth has come out about what these North Carolina anglers were throwing. Yes, they no doubt threw the Poe’s bait, but the bait they threw most was the Tennessee Tuffy made by Steve Blazer of Sevierville, Tennessee.
I was fortunate enough to share a boat with Mr. Gerald Beck several time in events on High Rock, both our home lake a few years ago. Each time was a blast! Gerald has forgotten more than most will ever learn about bass fishing. I have known of him and Smiley for almost my entire life and they are indeed both great fishermen. Guys used to say back in the days of this article that if they were fishing an event, you were fishing for second place, at best! They are both still active fishing in the area and are still a threat to win any event they enter! And both are still very humble about their accomplishments in the world of bass fishing! Great men!