Thanks To Hank Parker

[bigbill]

In the beginning of my interest in bass fishing I was glued to the tv every Saturday when Hank Parker's tv show came on. I watched every show during the winter. One show stands out in my mind to this day. He was fishing the big lake in New Hampshire I'm not going to even try to spell it. He was catching smallies on a Mann's baby 1 crankbait in Brown craw. We had a snow storm here and after the show I drove down to Wal-Mart were they were in the process of stocking there shelves and I purchased the whole rack of Mann's crankbaits in the brown craw color. This turned out to be a hot lure here. I use it in all presentations, slow reel, topwater by letting it float. I caught a large salmon probably a record breaker but being disabled with no net and there was a 3' dropoff at the shore I loosened the line and let it go. My hats off to Hank Parker because his TV shows also taught me how to fish. I named this Mann's crank bait the Hank Parker special. One trick is to watch how Hank fishes the lure too. Watch what they do and say. I was doing so good at bass fishing I figured the local tornies were next to get into. I was ready to get a bass boat when my health went bad. After two knee operations I missed the boat on routine fishing. But I still hammer the shore fishing still with success.

Before using lures I was spending $50+ per week on live bait. I started using two rods one with live bait and the other throwing lures. Soon after as time went on the lure setup was out fishing the live bait. I wad hooked on lures ever since.

Now my tackle room is bigger than most mom & pop bait shops. I have more fishing stuff. Before I retired 12 years ago I purchased anything that was on sale and clearance figuring I wouldn't need anything to go fishing. I have extra rods and reels too.

Now I like buying new and different lures just to test them. I do find that they all catch fish sooner or later we just have to stay trying them with different presentations.

The only thing I do different is to wash my hands before I go fishing with big orange and I use scents. I also get dressed the same way before I go fishing too.

It's not luck in fishing it's skill. God bless, bigbill

[Oregon Native]

Met Hank many years ago at a BASS Nationals....had my wife's pic taken with him.

A class act in my book.

[Rangerphil]

Met Hank many years ago at a BASS Nationals....had my wife's pic taken with him.A class act in my book.

Meet him in Pittsburgh and was one of the best!

[Sam]

A few points after reading your post.

 

1.  Hank Parker gave one of the most outstanding presentations at a Bassmasters University that I have ever heard. And he never used one note card or any notes at all. The entire class (250 plus), which included newbies and oldies, just sat there and listened intently. I took notes. I have been to many seminars; have a bachelors degree; have two advanced career degrees; and never in my life, before or after Hank's presentation, have I been fortunate to hear another person present a topic like Hank Parker.

 

2.  I worked the last Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort Lee in Virginia for Pure Fishing and Berkley brought Hank in for a day to shoot some film and have Hank congratulate the Boy Scout that caught the largest largemouth bass out of the pond. Not only was Hank the gentleman you see on TV but he kept us in stitches with his stories, especially about Jimmy Houston. That day was the best non-fishing day I have ever had. Hank made us all feel like old lost friends and he was so easy going that it was hard to believe he was really there, a bass fishing champion with no hang ups or a negative attitude.

 

3.  Sorry to hear about your knees. I need to have my right knee replaced (football injury when the world was water) and the left one is starting to have arthritis. PM me about your surgery and if you had a total knee replacement. I am interested in hearing how you did and why you are not 100%.  By the way, surgeon told me to come back when I am in my 70's and can't walk anymore. Since I hate doctors, needles, blood, hospitals, etc., I am taking his advice.

 

4.  I also have a fishing room with so much stuff I don't have any more storage space so I know how your room must look. Isn't it fun? You can go in your special place and play with all of your tackle, rods and reels.

 

5. I also now have a rule: Nothing leaves the boat without scent.  True for bank fishing, too. There are a number of opinions about the bass being able to smell or taste scents, with Dr. Keith Jones from Berkley Research Department right in the middle of the debate. If you can find Dr. Jones book,  Knowing Bass, The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish. You may find it on Amazon.com. The book discusses the largemouth bass from a totally scientific viewpoint and it highlights the Berkley Research Department's research on the fish. Very interesting.

 

6.  As for dressing the same, being from way down south in Louisiana and having half my family being Cajuns, my grandmother taught me not to change positions and to ware the same clothes if you had good luck doing it previously. There is a psychological term for this behavior which I do not recall. If I am watching an LSU football game and all is going well I will not even change positions in the chair until something goes wrong.

 

7.  I have met many pros and Hank, Ike, VanDam, Houston, Duckett, Brauer, Daves and the many others and with the exception of Hackney and Fralick all were gentlemen and they were outstanding ambassadors for our sport.  Hank, Ike and VanDam were the best.  I hope you can get out to a Bassmasters University and hear and meet some of the pros. It is worth the time and money.

 

Take care and keep us posted on your fishing exploits.

[Topwaterspook]

Meet him in Pittsburgh and was one of the best!

X2................a class fellow..............he took time to chat with my grandson and I..............and allowed us to take photos.

[buzzfrog]

I am from NC and down the road were he lives, he had a shop close to me. back when i was a kid my Grandma took me and my cousin there.  He wasnt there but  his son, maybe the racer, or pro hunter not sure. anyway he and my cousin took up with each other and he showed us the boat, setups etc. well he gave my cousin some lures and  an ac battery cooler. He didnt give me anything no biggie, my cousin was older an more advanced in bass fishing. We left,  The lady at the desk asked for my adress and phone number. about a month later Hank sent me a personal package with a personalized autograph, fishing tips, vhs videos, like 6 hours long. then tons of tackle, beleive he was sponsed by manns at the time, tons of stuff, even his old vampire spinnderbaits. I mean tons of stuff. and in a letter he even apologized for not being there and me being left out. I would do anything to meet him since i am of course a better fisherman. He is the dire reason I kept up fishing  and became the bass man I am today