Hall of Fame Planning

The Elite Series is over, which means I have weekends back to myself, and my colleagues’ kids are back in school, so once again I’m ready to travel a bit, and our next trip is a doozy. My wife Hanna and I are headed on a whirlwind four-day trip to Louisiana where we will spend one day chasing redfish, one day chasing bass, and the last day hunting alligators. We go on a lot of multispecies trips to places like Panama, but this one may take the cake in terms of true variety.

The last two legs of that three-legged stool of species will take place at Grosse Savanne near Lake Charles, on a trip that we won at last year’s Bass Fishing Hall of Fame auction. It’s the second time I’ve won a Grosse Savanne trip at that event – we liked it so much the first time that it seemed like a perfect way to scratch our itch for the Sportsman’s Paradise while also supporting a good cause. The proceeds from the BFHOF auction fund all sorts of conservation programs that are near and dear to the hearts of bass anglers.

Only semi-coincidentally, just three weeks after the trip to Louisiana, we’ll be in “The Town that Johnny Morris Built” (aka, Springfield, Missouri) for the next induction ceremony, which promises to be exceptional. Not only will luminaries including Mark Zona and Skeet Reese be inducted (the speeches should be memorable) but the BFHOF Board of Directors is working to make the auction even better than ever. There will be jerseys, one-of-a-kind keepsakes, and trips. Want to fish with your favorite bass pro? There’s a pretty good chance it’ll be on the auction block. I have to restrain myself not to spend more than I already do. 

If you cannot be there, you can bid online. If, however, you reside within a few hours of the Wonders of Wildlife museum (which is worth a trip of its own) or you have the time and funds to travel to Springfield from further away, and you live for bass fishing, you really need to go. This is THE single biggest night in our world each year now. I say that not because I’m participating, but rather for a different reason: The headlines are increasingly dominated by negativity and conflict. This is the one night, no matter which tour you fish or support, whether you love technology or hate it, that everyone is there to celebrate, preserve, and promote the sport. It’s a good reminder of why we all love it in the first place. 

Meanwhile, I’m off to Louisiana. I have my eyes on a few of this year’s auction items and hope that no one outbids me. Fortunately, unlike some of your wives, Hanna is all in.