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Hanging With the Pros
Bass fishing is truly in a class of its own. At pro weigh-ins, such as the recent Bassmaster Elite 50 event on Lake Lewisville, TX, fans can mingle with their favorite pros unhindered. Autographs are freely given without payment, while handshakes and advice are easy to obtain. Show me another sport where any fan can so easily approach any professional, especially at a sports event. Outside of professional fishing, it is essentially non-existent. "After the weigh in the pros signed their fan's hats, t-shirts, books, purses, and even a few arms," said Daniel Fyne, a fan from Blue Ridge, TX, who was present all four days of the event. "Everybody was very friendly," he said. In a day where sports stars can (and do) charge huge amounts of cash for their autograph, bass fishing superstars like Denny Brauer, Gerald Swindle, Mark Davis, Jay Yelas, and Kevin VanDam use their time signing hundreds of free autographs for anyone that asks.
Indeed. The Elite 50 events' weigh-in times were changed from the typical 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM so that, according to BASS, families could watch and be more involved. With all the different activities for the whole family, their mission has been accomplished in fine fashion as thousands showed up every day for the outdoor show and weigh-in. As Fyne said, these tournament weigh-ins are definitely "come again experiences."
By Brandon Shook Photos courtesy of Daniel Fyne
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Even as Michael Iaconelli
bolted towards his boat on Day 2 to scout out the six-hole course for the
next day, he stopped to sign his book held by four-year-old Jayeden
Strickland. "How are you doing today, beautiful?" Iaconelli asked as he
signed the book. From Ike to VanDam, from Swindle to Yelas, every pro whose
autograph is required will oblige. It is this good will and friendly
attitude towards perfect strangers that makes bass fishing shine among the
bad attitudes of football and other sports. 
The E50 event on Lake Lewisville brought not only the pros, but a myriad of other
attractions as well. "There were lots of attractions including live music, a
pie eating contest, a hot tamale eating contest, and a large aquarium that
held about a dozen bass." Fyne said. "There were at least half of a dozen
very large prizes that were given away. Among others, there were Toyota
trucks and Triton/Mercury boats. There was a children's sweepstakes which
included a nine foot boat that was fully loaded with a trolling motor,
depth/fish finder and tackle. This kind of fun involves the whole family!"
