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As the early risers the Deaf Bass fishermen are, they usually get up around 4 am to start preparing for the day, revving up the boat engines which rumbles loudly, and by 6 am they are either already inspected or among the convoy of boats heading left and right to their prime fishing “hot spots” before they are all taken in the quest for the heaviest Lunker of the day.
Dave Coles, NBAD’s secretary was behind the wheel as we shot across the lake to catch up with them so we could do media coverage on the scramble for the big one. It felt like a turtle chasing a hare, because we had to catch up with everyone. The sensation of riding his boat seemed like 80 mph, but actually at 35 mph we were in a “sweet-spot” cruise mode, as Coles explained.
During the Bass boat ride, the scenery was beautiful; there were big lodges perched on top of the bushy cliffs, and we even saw one big house with a waterslide down sloping to the lake itself. The Lake is so huge with an island and it is like navigating a boat in a maze.
As we darted from boat to boat, we deviated far from course and found ourselves with only a measly 1/4 gas left but we made it back on time for the weigh-in!
We were in awe when we met up with Magil Medford, a 76 year old Bass fishing legend who has attended every single NBAD tournament for 31 years. He is a fighter and the most diehard angler who refuses any hindrance to attending annually. In recent years he battled a severe illness which caused him to be bedridden for nearly a near, and he showed up last year walking on a cane in all frailty insisting to fish. This year he showed up in renewed health, the cane amiss! He won a lot of respect and admiration by fellow NBAD members. “He is like a mentor to the most ardent bass fisher,” Said Martin A. West of Arkansas, NBAD’s current Vice-President.
The late afternoon ended with acclaim in awarding prizes to the heaviest Lunker winners. Winners exchanged the fishermen’s handshakes, the spirit was unmistakable.
Later that evening a stop was made to the Junior NBAD fishing derby to see the children in three age groups (2-5, 6-12, and 13-17 yrs old) take up the same hobby their parents and grandparents have with Bass fishing. NBAD wanted to give something back to the community by including the kids in the tournament so they can experience what it is like to throw in bait and wait for a bass to be hooked. The children reacted with glee upon catching their fish trophies.
We guess they were born to fish.
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