King Fisher Society...what a week! - 05/21/10 08:39 PM
Some months ago, King Fisher Society founder, Dr. Jim Morgan, let me know he was excited about an upcoming article called "Quest for the 2 lb Bluegill"...an assignment from In-Fisherman magazine to writer Jim Gronaw and Pond Boss moderator Dr. Bruce Condello. Dr. Morgan decided to invite the two guys back for a follow up. Anyone who's been around Bruce knows the man is an absolute angling fanatic...bordering on obsessive. (He's not really on the border, I'm just being nice...I love Bruce). Jim Morgan decided the next visit would be "Quest for the 3 lb bluegill. As he and I discussed the event, we knew the guys didn't have a writing assignment and part of the mission should be to promote King Fisher Society... www.kingfishersociety.com . The more we thought about it, the more we thought this event should be more of a summit meeting of a few people of like minds, to invite them to fish and share their ideas and help promote King Fisher Society. Besides, I was pretty confident there weren't too many 3 lb bluegill to be caught...yet.
So, the King Fisher team talked it over and here's what was decided.
We decided to change the crux of the event to "Quest for Your Personal Best" and invite Alan Warren to produce a television show about the event. Check him out at www.alanwarrenoutdoors.com. He is quality and passionate about what he does.
Invite Condello and Gronaw and expect them to produce several story lines and be published as much as possible to tell their stories and help with the branding of King Fisher Society.
Dr. David Willis, head of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences was invited to get a better idea of cutting edge southern fisheries management and to bring academia closer to some of the techniques currently being used in the field. T.J. Stallings, of TTI-Blakemore, makers of six brands of hooks and producers of Roadrunner Lures, was invited to make an introduction between the tackle industry and King Fisher. Plus, TJ needed some images of big bluegill caught on his baits. And, we knew TJ, in the tackle business for 40 years, knows lots of outdoor writers and people who can get some ink for KFS.
Then, there is Darren Simon, from Purina Mills. Darren is directly in charge of aquatic feeds and came, not only to catch his personal best bluegill and bass, but to directly see what Purina's feed is doing for this burgeoning fishery.
Last, but not least, we invited forum member AaronM to come and see the lake, learn the business model and help with future plans to replicate KFS.
Those six guys spent the better part of two days fishing for the biggest fish they could.
And, they did well.
I drove the camera boat, cooked, weighed fish, guided guys to help them learn the lake and held court around the fire pit the first night.
It was an energetic 2 1/2 days.
Here are some images of the event.
Bruce with a fish on. He shared the boat with Darren Simon that morning.
Alan Warren's cameraman, Gerry Olert, capturing a Condello catch for the television show, which will air next spring.
Here's what Gerry was filming, up close.
Darren Simon, battling a two pound bluegill.
Gerry Olert, cameraman extraordinaire.
Jim Gronaw, shooting photos of Aaron's nice fish. Gronaw got lots of images.
Gronaw, an excellent outdoor writer, with one of his many big bluegill. You should see him set the hook. As a matter of fact, here's what happened with him...I just happened to be in the boat when it happened. Hint...if you ever fish with him, wear goggles and a helmet.
He stuck the front hook squarely into his cheek. The tip of the hook came out of his face. He started tugging on it and I looked closely and told him to stop. I could see the hook sticking out of his face and knew it wouldn't be hard to get it out, if he just left it alone. I got on the radio and called for a pair of wire pliers at the dock and we headed in. Jim took a seat on the patio, I pulled the hook gently, snipped it at the shank and that released the lure. Then, I asked Jim to take his finger and push his cheek out from the outside, where I grabbed the tip of the hook with the pliers and pulled it straight out. Nothing to it. Someone lesser than Gronaw would have turned pale and passed out. He was fishing ten minutes later.
Darren Simon with a two pound bluegill, his personal best.
Dr. Willis on his way to the dock.
So, the King Fisher team talked it over and here's what was decided.
We decided to change the crux of the event to "Quest for Your Personal Best" and invite Alan Warren to produce a television show about the event. Check him out at www.alanwarrenoutdoors.com. He is quality and passionate about what he does.
Invite Condello and Gronaw and expect them to produce several story lines and be published as much as possible to tell their stories and help with the branding of King Fisher Society.
Dr. David Willis, head of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences was invited to get a better idea of cutting edge southern fisheries management and to bring academia closer to some of the techniques currently being used in the field. T.J. Stallings, of TTI-Blakemore, makers of six brands of hooks and producers of Roadrunner Lures, was invited to make an introduction between the tackle industry and King Fisher. Plus, TJ needed some images of big bluegill caught on his baits. And, we knew TJ, in the tackle business for 40 years, knows lots of outdoor writers and people who can get some ink for KFS.
Then, there is Darren Simon, from Purina Mills. Darren is directly in charge of aquatic feeds and came, not only to catch his personal best bluegill and bass, but to directly see what Purina's feed is doing for this burgeoning fishery.
Last, but not least, we invited forum member AaronM to come and see the lake, learn the business model and help with future plans to replicate KFS.
Those six guys spent the better part of two days fishing for the biggest fish they could.
And, they did well.
I drove the camera boat, cooked, weighed fish, guided guys to help them learn the lake and held court around the fire pit the first night.
It was an energetic 2 1/2 days.
Here are some images of the event.
Bruce with a fish on. He shared the boat with Darren Simon that morning.
Alan Warren's cameraman, Gerry Olert, capturing a Condello catch for the television show, which will air next spring.
Here's what Gerry was filming, up close.
Darren Simon, battling a two pound bluegill.
Gerry Olert, cameraman extraordinaire.
Jim Gronaw, shooting photos of Aaron's nice fish. Gronaw got lots of images.
Gronaw, an excellent outdoor writer, with one of his many big bluegill. You should see him set the hook. As a matter of fact, here's what happened with him...I just happened to be in the boat when it happened. Hint...if you ever fish with him, wear goggles and a helmet.
He stuck the front hook squarely into his cheek. The tip of the hook came out of his face. He started tugging on it and I looked closely and told him to stop. I could see the hook sticking out of his face and knew it wouldn't be hard to get it out, if he just left it alone. I got on the radio and called for a pair of wire pliers at the dock and we headed in. Jim took a seat on the patio, I pulled the hook gently, snipped it at the shank and that released the lure. Then, I asked Jim to take his finger and push his cheek out from the outside, where I grabbed the tip of the hook with the pliers and pulled it straight out. Nothing to it. Someone lesser than Gronaw would have turned pale and passed out. He was fishing ten minutes later.
Darren Simon with a two pound bluegill, his personal best.
Dr. Willis on his way to the dock.