Bass-a-thon...Big thanks to Rick G and his crew...

[oakview]

Went down to camp out to get on the list for the tournament and Rick, Kyle, and the whole crew treated us great. GOt to meet a bunch of guys from all over that were hanging out also. Rick bought everyone pizza before he shut the store down and made sure we had everything we needed. Ken Huddleston stopped by and I was blown away how laid back and humble he was...He b/s'd with us for an hour or friday night and another hour or so in the morning (4am)...Also got to meet Gabe Bolivar from the FLW...he also stopped by and hung out for an hour or so b/s'n with everyone else outside...

I just wanted send a big thanks to eveyone that had to do anything with the Bass-a-thon...

Everyone that I met plus Rick G and his crew were a class act!!!

See you on the water...
D.

[Ron T.]

Hey Rick , thanks for the pants .

[Big Ed]

Yeah, It was a great show first class all the way.

I am sure Rick does deservedly well from all of the revenue, but I also am sure how much money and prep goes into organazing something of this magnitude. Like the Pro's said during the boat giveaway, "He knows most of his customers by name"!

Thanks Rick and Cindy for all your hard work!

Big Ed!

[swim-bait com]

Thanks to all the guys who hung out and stopped by throughout the night. See you in January

Tim E

[tunaman]

Cool that you and Rub came and started the "concert line" (well, almost anyway)! I almost wish I would have come to hang out overnight myself, just because I'm sure it was a riot!!! However, I would have never made it through the two-day photo shoot had I tried... getting old is a b!tch!!!

Glad to meet those fellow Nutcases that introduced themselves... got to meet and socialize with a lot of really cool people, listen in on some great seminar information, pick up some new sekret baitz, and immortalize it start to finish through the lens of my camera.

How cool it was spending time with Big Bill S. and Ken Huddleston... man there's a collective of big fish knowledge!!!

Really glad to see Gabe and Ish get up on stage this year... they are real class acts for sure. Gabe shared a real touching story about his auspicious beginnings on tour - what persistance!

Great to see my buddy Shaun, along with the rest of the Posse - great to get to rub shoulders with Paul, Justin and Matt... those guys are awesome and the class of the field! As you told us long ago Paul - that video does indeed kick a$$!!!!!!!

I was really impressed with Boyd and Peter T - those guys are so personable, down-to-earth and likeable... great call getting them to come out Rick! Jared also was a treat... love seeing the West Coast guys succeed on the big Tours!!!!

Skeet was a treat to listen to... they reigning AOY shared some great information and experiences - priceless!

One of the most very kewl aspects of the BAT is being able to rub shoulders and walk the aisles with all walks of life, from the most neophyte and casual anglers, to the local tournament junkies and bass club members, to the likes of Mike Long, Art Berry, Charley Weyer, Butch Brown, Rachel Uribe, John Grabowski (captain of the Red Rooster III and the hardest working sport boat skipper I've ever had the priviledge of fishing with!) and far too many others to mention... just such a very cool experience. Not to mention Gary Dobbins, John Murray, Brent Ehrler (what a class guy!!!)... sheesh, the list goes on and on. What an awesome job Rick and his staff did putting together the show for this year - each year it gets better and better!

In addition it was really cool battling with my buddies sTony and Dan, but seriously my lens is WAY bigger than yours!!! Nyah, nyah, nyah!!! Glad you guys came down... too bad it came and went so quickly. I'll have to get up to your neck of the woods one day soon and take advantage of your generosity, though, and finally get to see what the Delta is all about! Hope your travels home were short and smooth! I'm looking forward to the final production.

And what a good selection it was, having Kent Brown as MC, as well as doing a bunch of broadcasting onsite... what a really nice guy he is, and certainly is proficient with the mike in hand!

For anyone who hasn't made it before, you just have no idea what you're missing. For those who are wondering if it is worth driving down for, I'm sure many of those who came from long distances to attend this year will attest that it's worth it for sure... just ask our friend Grolsch Man from Colorado if he thought it was? I'd be willing to be the answer is a resounding "yes!"!!

Anyway, I shot a total of 1,284 pictures this year and will be working fast and furious to get the pictures processed, dumped to DVD and delivered to Anglers before Thanksgiving. I'll be looking to make a slideshow and post for you all to enjoy, so watch for the link in the near future.

Again, a great big THANKS to Rick, Cindy and staff for an AWESOME event!!!!!!

Roger

[Brian Linehan]

Awesome show Rick, Cindy, and the rest of the crew. Roger, you were definitely a busy man shooting all of those pics!

[tunaman]

That was certainly fun, Brian. Good seeing you guys coming out from hibernation also!

Man - going through the pictures I keep remembering more and more... I'm sure there are a LOT of folks who are REALLY appreciative of the Lowrance sessions that Rick set up also - they were very well-received and even Lance said he learned some stuff! I'm sure many benefited greatly from the training curriculum.

Roger

[Dynastyworms]

just a heads up i noticed a 6" hudd on ebay yesterday! All i can say is wow.......



z

[tunaman]

That was inevitable... I'm sure there's going to be an influx of Basstrix also.

[Kevin]

I would like to thank Rick and Cindy as well. You and your staff put on what I consider the best Bass fishing show on the planet. Roger, you must be beat.

[bassindon69]

Rick G, Thanks for another GREAT ONE. Nice to meet you.
Rob and Dave you guys had me rolling Sat morning, I think I got a headache from laughing LOL! Very nice to meet you two and see you real soon. I don't know where to begin so I will say TUNAMAN! Nice to meet you and thanks so much for pointing out some of you south board guys. Thanks for introducing me also, You ROCK! Nice to meet you all.....The list goes on. GREAT times and GOOD people.
I feel like I have a good time hang over LOL!!!

Don.

[Ray L.]

Great to meet you Don.
Rick it was just AWESOME AGAIN.
You manage to top it every year.

[gt5bass]

Hey Don,

Great to finally meet you and sit and chat in person.

Good luck at the Dead Sea in January

We need to work on gitin' me up to Pedro so you can show me how it's really dun

[Lance]

I would also like to thank Rick and Cindy Grover for an awesome weekend. This is my third year attending the Anglers Marine Bass a thon, and I really couldn't see how it could get better than last year but somehow Anglers Marine and crew out did themselves. Great job!

Its been a great couple of months, I finally got my dream boat and when it couldn't get any better it was topped off by spending some quality time with BASS Elite Pro and fellow Greek, Peter "T". We spent alot of time talking about the Mother land (Greece) and we talked a little about the C-Rig.....but mostly about Greece. The wife was even rubbin elbows with Peter, first time she went out of her way to talk to a Pro. I walked away with some great Greek jokes and a new friend, it was a pleasure meeting a pleasant individual and a good human being.

I also enjoyed the seminars by Skeet, Boyd, Ish, Gabe, and Brent. All very cool people, easy to talk to and willing to help.

Special thanks goes to the Lowrance teachers, OH MA GUAD. These guys put on an awesome class. Thanks Guys!

Additional thanks for the great vendors, offering the latest in cool technology and innovative products like "Tru-Tungsten", The Big Bait Posse, Bill Siemental, Basstrix, Revenge, Jackal and Biosonix, among others. All of the vendors supplied amazing amounts of educational information and insight.

I finally got to meet Kevin Linehan, whom I first thought was Brian. I never saw Brian, maybe I did and didn't know it, I'll never know. Great to finally meet you Kevin.

I also met Kyle Grover. Thanks Kyle for your patience in answering my very basic questions (Its a rebuilding year for me) Rick and Cindy.... you did a great job.

To Scott Sweet and the Casting Kids program: this was a blast and I encourage anyone to donate some time if you have the opportunity, its very rewarding. Great job Scott.

It was great seeing and hanging out with everyone at one great event. Thanks to Anglers for sponsoring an weekend that brings everyone together in person.

[Hipster]

Hey Don,

Did you get in the draw to Fish the Big Bait Tourney?

God I hope so!!! we will be pullin for ya!!

Hey I started tossin, a spinning rod with a darthead and light swimbaits on a baitcaster in the yard with my left arm Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am stoked I will fish again!!!

[tunaman]

I don't know where to begin so I will say TUNAMAN! Nice to meet you and thanks so much for pointing out some of you south board guys. Thanks for introducing me also, You ROCK!

Don, it was my pleasure getting to meet and hang with you... glad you were able to make it down! Good luck with practice this week, and the event in January - I'll be seeing you there. How cool was it kicking back talking with Ken, then Butch?!?

Roger

[Steve]

Seven guys from NorCal are in the tournament . Ron said that when he gets a chance he will post the entries list.

[manas_bass]

Rick & Cindy and the rest of the crew really did a great job. Im sure when I say thank you for all that hard work, I say it for all of us that was there.

[Jim V.]

Great Job - and some guys were concerned that Ike wasn't going to be there. Boyd Duckett was a terrific "replacement". Peter T. was great, as were all the pros that were there - whether they were scheduled speakers or not. From all the pros I've fished with from the back of the boat in FLW & BASS, or met at shows, I don't think I've run into a bad apple yet. Sometimes I think we take for granted how friendly, approachable and accommodating professional bass fishermen are, even those at the top of the food chain - especially with kids. Can you imagine walking up to any other professional athlete - say Barry Bonds - ask him for an autograph and discuss his approach to a particular game. I don't think you would get more than HI out of your mouth before being dismissed.

We got it good.

Now if we could only get the Grovers banned from DVL tournaments, the rest of us might have a shot! LOL

[Brian D.]

for another great show. It was good to see and meet all of the nutcases at the Jackall table. The wacky jig head and Flick Shake worms were a big hit! Look out fish!

[Rob Cummings]

I was impressed with so many people at this event. I couldn't imagine how busy RICK G must have been, yet he took the time to get pizza for everyone and even some warm pants for one of our fellow "Lot Lizards".

To the rest of the Lot Lizards..it was great to meet you all and talk to everyone. It was a blast!! I'll be seeing most of you on the water very soon. Thanks for listening to me all night...my sides still hurt from laughing. I also got to meet a lot of guys face to face that I have been seeing around, was a pleasure!

It was an honor to speak with Ken Huddleston, Butch Brown and Gabe Bolivar was a great guy to talk to on Friday night. He stayed around and talked to us for a while and for a Pro was very humble and down to earth. These guys are all class acts and have my utmost respect for what they have accomplished. Thanks for the inspiration and for your time gentlemen.

It was also great to laugh with some of the guys I already know...Roger with the camera...and thanks Poolman for the great laugh in the morning!!

[tunaman]

It was also great to laugh with some of the guys I already know...Roger with the camera...and thanks Poolman for the great laugh in the morning!!

Damn Rob... I'm still laughing at that one!!! I've told a few folks about it (not in full detail of course!), and can't get through it without cracking up!!! That was absolutely priceless!!

Roger