I finally pulled myself away from all the schwag at the Shimano booth long enough to look at some of the amazing fishng art on display at the B.A.S.S Elite series tournament in Waddingtong, New York. While the best action is on the water, there is plenty of fun off the water to keep fans and vistitors busy between weigh-ins. On my way to the art exhibition, I passed the Fauna on Flora booth where artist Gary Chudzinski showcased his hardwood tree fungi etched with hunting and fishing themes. If I could’ve fit the northern pike etching into my carry-on bag it would’ve been mine.
How could fish art get any better? When it’s big, metal and sharp. Dave Venette uses a plasma cutter to draw fish and game scenes on a giant saw blade. Too bad these can’t fit in the carry-on either. And I don’t think 4-foot sawblades are allowed through security.
On the B.A.S.S. Elite tournament story, After the second day of competition, Brandon Palaniuk still leads with 44 pounds, 14 ounces total. He also won the Carhartt Big Bass of the Day with a 5 pound 12 ounce fish. Fan favorite Kevin VanDamn slipped into third place with 42 pounds 10 ounces total. Tomorrow the semifinals begin, where the bottom half of the competitors will be eliminated from the competition.
After watching all the tournament action, I couldn’t take it any longer, I had to go fishing.
It was time to leave the festival, grab a paddle and search for musky.
I met up with local guide Greg Mintz and jumped in his car loaded with rods and a canoe. We stopping next to a “secret” section of the Grasse River and Mintz parked as far into the trees as possible.1
“People drive by and don’t even think there are fish in here,” he said. I see why, the river was so murky you couldn’t see more than a few inches into the water. He handed me a light rod and checked his hand-scale for batteries. “Just in case we catch a new world record.”
He wasn’t kidding either. Mike Small, a local kayak fly fisherman, broke the 30-pound-test IGFA World Record last year with a 51 inch musky that had an 18 inch girth. And the All Tackle World Record musky was caught in the St. Lawrence River – the main stem of the Grasse.
We were using a spinning reel to cast huge, weighted flies adorned with more fur and feathers than a dog with a bird in its mouth.
On two occasions, our cast into the bank was answered with a giant swirl. Musky are notorious short-strikers. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought they were caused by a water buffalo being eaten by a crocodile.
One musky darted out from underneath a log and stopped right in front of my fly. I was stunned. I hesitated when the fish hit and missed the hook-set. My hands were shaking as I paddled back to the launch.
That musky looked me straight in the eye, just long enough to convert me to a musky fisherman for life. There’s no going back.
Ben Duchesney still plans to attend tomorrow’s Wounded Warrior fishing derby and catch the B.A.S.S. weigh-in. However, he’s not sure if he’ll make his flight home; he may be too busy musky fishing.
