They just can’t help it (coangler chronicles). FLW/BFL

[@Old_rockfish]

Had a guy show up at the ramp at the last minute as well. We get in the boat and he starts unwrapping new reels and rods etc.. and pulls out line and starts lining up.. We got to the first spot and he realizes he had left his gear at home. He didnt blink, he found an old circle hook on my deck and tied it on , rummaged threw the various ripped up plastics on the floor in my messy boat and used a bic lighter to repair them. He wacky hooked a 6 in zoom lizard and we started down a shoreline of concrete L shaped docks. He preceded to catch 17lbs 5 fish limit and lunker of the day he was the first guy to ever beat me from the back of my boat. For a decade after that my club members would bust my chops about that day.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Great story! Thanks for sharing!

[@Old_rockfish]

@ my pleasure, I sure miss all the old day’s tournaments. To me the best part was the hanging around at the ramp talking or sitting around a campfire up at Champlain for our two day tourneys. Do not get me wrong I liked whopping some bass ass for sure but the human connections are tops.

[@freemyself8223]

lol I know you kidding me. He didn’t have the sense to prepare himself the night before the tournament? Wow 😮 I know when he beat you that bad in his mind he was like I told you, anyone can catch bass, you don’t even have to Prepare

[@stephansmithoutdoors]

Bruce.. I think we have all met Tony or will at some point.. Great story!

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Yes sir! I think so too! Thanks for watching and I appreciate your support!!👍🏻👍🏻

[@Carolinaboi313]

It's funny. When I was just starting out as a co angler I used to pack a 3 course lunch. Now as a boater, I don't even eat and 8 hours go by like 1.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Yes sir it’s funny how time changes. Thanks for sharing!

[@kls2020]

Great story but sometimes the Co-angler draws the knuckle head Pro but this is not one of those stories . I was fishing the FLW National Guard. tournaments as a Am angler years ago and drew this guy I couldn't find after the draw for pairing . When I finally found him (he was late) he seemed really despondent told me I had got the worst draw of the tournament and tells me he arrived to prefish his boat motor blew up first thing so took his boat home and borrowed a friend's boat . Then while driving back over his personal truck broke down and he had to borrow a truck to pull the borrowed boat . Apparently while driving over on the way to pretournament meeting and draw after missing any opportunity to prefish the borrowed truck had also broke down but it would be fixed in time according to the mechanic he took it to. He explained he knew the lake well but got in no pre-fishing and hadn't been to the lake in a couple of years but he had an idea where there could be some fish . After listening to he story I told him" I think you have used up all of your bad luck so your luck is going to change" . I assured him it was statistically impossible to keep having more bad luck after all that he's been through . It was funny because he seemed to cheer up after I told him this . We fished the day without issue and after day one he was in 12th place on the Pro side and I was in 8th place on the Am side . I was so relieved my pep talk actually worked .

[@TreySammons-x6g]

Neat story

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Great story! I love to hear about your experience. Thanks for sharing!

[@LucasBoone318]

Great story Bruce, always enjoy hearing them

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Thanks buddy! Don’t let them work you too hard 👍🏻

[@JamieCleland-dj3oz]

Very interesting story ! Really enjoyed.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it!

[@AndrewGarnerAdventures]

Good story

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

I appreciate you watching! 👍

[@af4od02]

I enjoyed being a co angler. Got to meet some of the best fishermen around. I once drew out a pro in a BASS open event several years ago. At the boat ramp, that morning, I noticed the pro looked uneasy. I helped get the boat in, parked the truck and got in his boat at the docks. We slowly idled out in the harbor to wait for blast off. The pro quietly leaned over and said, “ I have never fished a bass tournament before. If you can help me any, I would appreciate it.” I thought he was kidding. I laughed, then found out my pro had watched bass tournaments on television and thought, how hard could it be. So the pro, bought a boat and some tackle, and entered the bass tournament. The pro had fished all week with no bites. Needless to say, We both zero’d this day except for a couple aggressive pike hitting our chatterbaits.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Yeah. I never understood why they classified the people into Pro/coangler. It was no where near a ( pro) tournament. I’m sure you were like “ what the heck@ when you heard him say that 😁. Thanks for sharing!

[@larryastle8813]

I was a non boater one time. The boater asked if I could back his boat in no problem. He had a motor home still no problem then I noticed he unplugged the trailer lights it pitch black on a multiple ramp. I’m doing fine all of a sudden I heard people yelling your going off to the side of the ramp .I quickly realized that I was in the middle . You never know what to expect when backing in . I’ve seen a few boaters with unusual towing rigs and boats also.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Great story! Thanks for sharing it. It is amazing some of the stuff you can get into. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@clarencecoleman5397]

enjoyed your story did you place in this tournament? thank you for sharing

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

25-26th best my memory recollection. Not enough for money or the trouble 😂😂

[@clarencecoleman5397]

@@brucesmithoutdoors thank you

[@larryastle8813]

Had a boater that had a security system in his vehicle luckily he told me where the switch was located. Another boater didn’t know what the trim was for we porpoised on day like a dolphin. Can’t forget the cop from Chicago he didn’t charge his trolling motor batteries.had a guy who liked to run in the fog.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

😂😂😂 Good stuff right there! Amazing what happens through the years. Thanks brother for sharing!!

[@steveodonnell2921]

Had to be stressful for Tony but he put himself there

[@ronfussell8244]

That's good,I was a co for many years,I had a tournament boat and fished up front in a few every year,I perfected being a co,it started getting harder around 2010,pro's started getting cocky,they started asking a lot,I had a two DQED, nothing I wanted to do,but my safety is everything ŵhen with a stranger,breaking rules,just no room for it,I did it to accomplish something,not be injured,it only got worse,my last tournament was the beginning of ffs,I didn't fish much that day,I hope some kind of resolution will bring the sport back.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Thanks for sharing your experience and I agree with you, some folks seem to forget it’s all about having fun!

[@stevew7112]

That is too funny!

[@areddfishing7473]

Haha totally way expecting was worse. I remember at first I was scared to back guys trailers down. But I was honest upfront if they had a cap I wasn’t confident I learned the bad way with the tailgate down 😂😂 or if I got lucky I could see the tip of the trailer looking back I was good.

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

We’ve all been there, those trailers can be intimidating! Thanks for watching and for the laugh!

[@yooperrd651]

it amazes me how many folks have a hard time backing up a trailer, seen a lot of damage to fenders ect. the googans are all over!!!...lol

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

It is definitely a challenge for some folks. If they would just practice a little B4 getting to the ramp would be awesome. Thanks for sharing!👍🏻👍🏻

[@bobwalsh719]

If thats the worst of it, you got off light Lol!

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

I didn’t think so then 😂😂 I appreciate your comment!!

[@johngwilson730]

ha ha... that's funny.!

[@tiptoeurchin]

More folks need to spend a little time in a tractor as youngsters

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Yes sir, that’s how I learned to back up on the farm. Thanks for your input and advice.

[@bryanbiggers9568]

Man i miss those FLW days on Ky lake

[@brucesmithoutdoors]

Oh yeah. Man I have fished KL so many times. I think it’s on the way back though, which is wonderful. Nothing like fighting that south to north wind trying to get back to the ramp😂😂