You don’t always get what you want, but do you get what you need? As we pre-fished for a tournament at Bull Shoals Lake in Missouri, some of the strangest things happened to us in three days there, than at any other lake we’ve been to then or since.

Don’t get me wrong, we love Missouri, but this tournament and the things that happened were a nightmare. We started our trip from Delaware in 1998, (we decided to go fishing in March beforehand), and we stopped at a gas station in Ohio, and we still didn’t have much experience with our new trailer and truck, and the excitement of the World Championship. of Big Bass that was coming soon, momentarily clouded my perception, and we cut the side of the pumps and took out the steering wheel and the entire fender had to be removed. We got to some cabins near Bull Shoals, and lo and behold, the water was low, I mean VERY LOW! We checked in and launched the boat. The mud was so soft that we got stuck as it started to snow. It was very cold all the time, but we made the most of it. The next morning, at 36 degrees and a good wind, we left the lodge at 8 am. The engine ran for about 45 seconds and shut down. We started it again, several times in the next 2 hours, but finally 100 jets and jets later, it stopped completely.

We decided right then and there that we would fish before we left! We used the new MinnKota trolling motor, which we had a week earlier, and slowly maneuvered to the closest point. We started catching some really nice hybrids and a few largemouths, and we really started developing a pattern for that area, and the trolling motor shorted out and smoke came out. It was completely broken.

We rowed the boat back to the marina where we were staying and told him what happened. The local tournament was over, and now they were going over 100 yards, but he said, I’ll give you my trolling motor so you can still go. ” We thanked him and headed to the dock where he said he was. It was a stern-mounted engine with about 28 pounds of thrust! It wasn’t exactly the standard fare at Table Rock or Bull Shoals in March, with a Nitro. But we were determined. We got out to where we were the day before, started catching some more fish, and the trolling motor that slowed us down broke us. Not only did it break, but it actually broke at the axle, it was a disaster! We paid for the trolling motor, got out of the snow cabin again), and began the 15 hour drive back home. We had fished for about 4 hours, in 7 days! We stopped at a motel on the way back, and my brother said, “I bet there’s someone there who can fix an engine” “look at all the boats on the lot.” We stopped and at the lot after checking in, two gentlemen Seniors were standing by their rooms. ng and my brother say “Do you know anything about boat engines?” The guy says “YES!”, I’ve fixed engines all my life “Hey Joe, he says to his friend,” I bet I can fix this guy’s engine faster than you can! “He and his friend walked over, removed the engine cover and started it in less than 10 minutes. We were dumbfounded and overjoyed at the same time. We couldn’t thank them enough and you could tell they were enjoying doing it. So excited, I jumped from the bow to the concrete and broke my ankle.

Many hours later, after the hospital, we went out again, determined to fish somewhere and catch something at this point. We got on the boat and started moving the springs with a jig. I was hooked on what felt like the world record low on the second pitch. He pulled so hard I was shaking, a few minutes later I landed my 20 pound tent!

After a few chosen words, I started laughing and so did my brother Kurt. We composed ourselves and began to launch off the docks again. A few minutes later, he hooked a monster. A beautiful 25 pound carp! We loaded the boat and headed back home. Sometimes it is time to quit smoking. We went to these lakes again and had many wonderful experiences in the Midwest. My brother even won one or two tournaments, and was Big Bass World Champion, in 1999 and 2001, but that week in March 1998 was one of those you never forget.