| You don't always get what you want, but do you | | | | fish, and the trolling motor he lent us broke. Not only |
| get what you need?While pre-fishing for a | | | | did it break, but it actually broke at the shaft, it was |
| tournament at Bull Shoals Lake in Missouri, we had | | | | a mess! We paid for the trolling motor, checked out |
| some of the strangest things happen to us in three | | | | of the cabin, (as it started to snow again), and |
| days there, than at any other lake we had ever | | | | started the 15 hour drive back home. We had fished |
| been to then or since.Now don't get me wrong, we | | | | for about 4 hours, in 7 days! We stopped at a motel |
| love Missouri, but this tournament and the things that | | | | on the way back, and my brother said, "I'll bet |
| happened were a nightmare. We started our drive | | | | there's somebody in there that can fix a motor" "look |
| from Delaware in 1998, (we decided to go in March | | | | at all the boats in the lot." We pulled in and in the lot |
| to pre-fish), and we stopped at a gas station in Ohio, | | | | after we registered, two older gentlemen were |
| and not having that much experience with our trailer | | | | standing out by their rooms talking and my brother |
| and new truck yet, and the excitement of the Big | | | | say "Do you guys know anything about boat |
| Bass World Championship coming up soon, | | | | motors?'. The guy says " DO I!", I've fixed motors |
| momentarily clouded my perception, and we clipped | | | | my whole life" Hey Joe, he says to his friend, "I'll bet |
| the side of the pumps and took out the wheel and | | | | I can fix this guys motor faster than you!", his friend |
| the whole fender had to be taken off. We arrived at | | | | and he came over, took off the motor cover, and |
| some cabins near Bull Shoals, and low and behold the | | | | had it running in less than 10 minutes. We were |
| water was down, I mean REALLY DOWN! We | | | | dumbfounded and overjoyed at the same time. We |
| checked in and launched the boat. The mud was so | | | | couldn't thank them enough, and you could tell they |
| soft that we got stuck while it started to snow. It | | | | were enjoying doing it. I was so excited, I jumped |
| was freezing the whole time but we made the best | | | | off the bow to the concrete, and broke my |
| of it. The following morning, at 36 degrees, and a | | | | ankle.Many hours later, after the hospital, we went |
| good wind, we left the lodge at 8 am. The motor ran | | | | out again, determined to fish somewhere and catch |
| for about 45 seconds and quit! We started it up | | | | something at this point. We put in the boat, and |
| again, several times in the next 2 hours, but finally | | | | started flipping the docks with a jig. I hooked into |
| 100 spouts and spurts later, it quit altogether.We | | | | what felt like the World Record Bass on the second |
| decided right then and there that we would catch | | | | flip. It pulled so hard, I was shaking, a few minutes |
| fish before we would leave! We used the new | | | | later I landed my 20 pound carp!After a few choice |
| MinnKota trolling motor, that we just got a week | | | | words, I started to laugh and so did my brother Kurt. |
| before, and slowly maneuvered to the closest point. | | | | We composed ourselves and started casting around |
| We started catching some real nice hybrids, and | | | | the docks again. A few minutes later, he set the |
| some largemouth, and really starting to develop a | | | | hook on a monster. A beautiful 25 pound Carp! We |
| pattern for that area, and the trolling motor short | | | | loaded the boat, and headed back home. Sometimes |
| circuited, and smoke came out! It was completely | | | | it's just time to quit. We went to these lakes again, |
| broken.We paddled the bass boat back to the marina | | | | and had many great experiences in the Midwest. My |
| where we were staying and told him what happened. | | | | brother even won a tournament or two, and he was |
| The local tournament was out, and so was going | | | | the Big Bass World Champ/De, in 1999 and 2001, but |
| more than 100 yards now, but he said, I'll give you | | | | that one week in March of 1998, was one of those |
| my trolling motor so you can still go." We thanked | | | | ones that you never forget.Steve vonBrandt is an |
| him, and went to the dock where he said it was. It | | | | author, tournament angler, professional bass fishing |
| was a transom mount motor with about 28 pounds | | | | guide and instructor, and hosts his own radio shows |
| of thrust! Not exactly standard fare on Table Rock | | | | each week on Anglers Radio at He is also a tackle |
| or Bull Shoals in March, with a Nitro. But we were | | | | dealer specializing in tournament grade tackle for |
| determined. We went out to the point where we | | | | tournament anglers. |
| were the day before, started catching some more | | | | |