My BASS Marshal experience

[Fishin' Fool]

It started Wednesday afternoon with the marshal meeting.  Registration provided me with a Carhartt official BASS Elite marshal fishing shirt along with a whole bunch of hats.  The meeting was about an hour long and the tournament director basically just read the rules out loud, nothing too complicated.  We did learn to use the Basstrackk app in the meeting.  After the meeting they had a fantastic catered meal for us.  The majority of the pros stuck around for the meal.  While waiting in line I got a text from BASS notifying me I got Jesse Wiggins as my first day ride.  Being his rookie season probably most casual fans (esp. from Michigan) wouldn't have known much about him but I watched the Bassmaster live pretty close this season and followed him quite a bit on the first tournament on Cherokee Lake that he finished 3rd.  I met him in the morning and he did not have a posse with him so I had to dump him in and go park his vehicle.  It was pretty rough Day 1 morning and what I found out is pros don't so down much.  So we had a pretty rough ride out.  We got out to his fishing area.  What I was kind of surprised about during this event is how much certain pros network. For example Wiggins was networked with Matt Lee and Kelly Jaye.  They were all fishing in the same general area to start the day and would discuss fish catches and what they caught it on.  It wasn't a fast and furious pace but by 11 something Jesse started culling.  It seemed like most of his fish were caught before noon.  He had a solid day but didn't catch a kicker but was right there with 17-6 after Day 1.

 

On the way home I got a text from BASS saying I drew Keith Poche Day 2.  He took me down to Lk Erie which is a solid 1 hour+ ride.  We took a few of those waves that just rock you from your tailbone to your brain.  He had caught 17-4 on Day 1 with only 4 fish including a 5-13.  He got on a late day bite that he was hoping to reproduce.  He started in that area in the morning without any fish.  After a while he decided to "run to the bank" as he called it and hit shoreline seawalls and laydowns and caught 3 largemouth there.  That was actually really cool watching him work visible cover because most people don't fish Lk St Clair that way.  After getting a few fish he decided to give his off shore spot another try.  He picked up a nice smallie about 3.5 pounds around 11:30 for 4 fish.  He fished hard the rest of the day and picked up his 5th with with less than 5 minutes to go.  However he only left himself an hour to get back and still had to fuel up.  He ran that boat hard on the way back and ended up 1 minute late for a 1 pound penalty.  He weighed 12-11 after the penalty.  

 

My back was hurting so bad after that ride that I opted not to stay for the mandatory marshal meeting after Day 2.  I was marshal 64 so with 50 fishing on Saturday and about 5 camera men going on boats I didn't think I would have made the cut but apparently if I would have stayed I would have got the last spot and drew Fred Roubanis. I'm not sure how talkative he would have been on Saturday after finding out his father past away on Thursday.

 

I made it up to the weigh in all 4 days.  Except for Thursday the crowds were all good sized and Lake St Clair did not disappoint with some awesome fishing for those guys.  I think the big stringer of the tournament went 25-9 and big bass was 6-13.  All in all it was great experience and I really look forward to doing it again sometime. 

 

 

[BassNJake]

Thank you for the report!!

 

Those waves can get rough and when you have a service crew on hand they tend to be a rougher on their equipment.

I loved my marshal experience and would recommend it to others.

 

Did you ask Poche if he and Ish made up?

 

 

[Fishin' Fool]

Just now, BassNJake said:

Thank you for the report!!

 

Those waves can get rough and when you have a service crew on hand they tend to be a rougher on their equipment.

I loved my marshal experience and would recommend it to others.

 

Did you ask Poche if he and Ish made up?

 

 

 

LOL.  I really think thats the biggest reason I know Poche's name.  If he had fished better I might have got into some of that but it took him 99% of the fishing day to get his limit so I just let him do his thing.  Who knows maybe it was just hot that day and they needed a swim

[BassNJake]

Hahaha ... I figured as much 

Probably still a little salty

 

How long was the run?

Did you guys run to the Islands on Erie?

 

 

[Fishin' Fool]

8 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

Hahaha ... I figured as much 

Probably still a little salty

 

How long was the run?

Did you guys run to the Islands on Erie?

 

 

 

I have no clue where I was.  He was fishing concrete shipping channel markers in 28-30 fow in Lake Erie.  Not a spot I would have picked launching from Metro Beach in Lk St Clair.  Granted he ran out of fish but Jordan Lee was fishing like 10 minutes from the launch.

[12poundbass]

4 hours ago, Fishin' Fool said:

It started Wednesday afternoon with the marshal meeting.  Registration provided me with a Carhartt official BASS Elite marshal fishing shirt along with a whole bunch of hats.  The meeting was about an hour long and the tournament director basically just read the rules out loud, nothing too complicated.  We did learn to use the Basstrackk app in the meeting.  After the meeting they had a fantastic catered meal for us.  The majority of the pros stuck around for the meal.  While waiting in line I got a text from BASS notifying me I got Jesse Wiggins as my first day ride.  Being his rookie season probably most casual fans (esp. from Michigan) wouldn't have known much about him but I watched the Bassmaster live pretty close this season and followed him quite a bit on the first tournament on Cherokee Lake that he finished 3rd.  I met him in the morning and he did not have a posse with him so I had to dump him in and go park his vehicle.  It was pretty rough Day 1 morning and what I found out is pros don't so down much.  So we had a pretty rough ride out.  We got out to his fishing area.  What I was kind of surprised about during this event is how much certain pros network. For example Wiggins was networked with Matt Lee and Kelly Jaye.  They were all fishing in the same general area to start the day and would discuss fish catches and what they caught it on.  It wasn't a fast and furious pace but by 11 something Jesse started culling.  It seemed like most of his fish were caught before noon.  He had a solid day but didn't catch a kicker but was right there with 17-6 after Day 1.

 

On the way home I got a text from BASS saying I drew Keith Poche Day 2.  He took me down to Lk Erie which is a solid 1 hour+ ride.  We took a few of those waves that just rock you from your tailbone to your brain.  He had caught 17-4 on Day 1 with only 4 fish including a 5-13.  He got on a late day bite that he was hoping to reproduce.  He started in that area in the morning without any fish.  After a while he decided to "run to the bank" as he called it and hit shoreline seawalls and laydowns and caught 3 largemouth there.  That was actually really cool watching him work visible cover because most people don't fish Lk St Clair that way.  After getting a few fish he decided to give his off shore spot another try.  He picked up a nice smallie about 3.5 pounds around 11:30 for 4 fish.  He fished hard the rest of the day and picked up his 5th with with less than 5 minutes to go.  However he only left himself an hour to get back and still had to fuel up.  He ran that boat hard on the way back and ended up 1 minute late for a 1 pound penalty.  He weighed 12-11 after the penalty.  

 

My back was hurting so bad after that ride that I opted not to stay for the mandatory marshal meeting after Day 2.  I was marshal 64 so with 50 fishing on Saturday and about 5 camera men going on boats I didn't think I would have made the cut but apparently if I would have stayed I would have got the last spot and drew Fred Roubanis. I'm not sure how talkative he would have been on Saturday after finding out his father past away on Thursday.

 

I made it up to the weigh in all 4 days.  Except for Thursday the crowds were all good sized and Lake St Clair did not disappoint with some awesome fishing for those guys.  I think the big stringer of the tournament went 25-9 and big bass was 6-13.  All in all it was great experience and I really look forward to doing it again sometime. 

 

 

Awesome report! A couple questions.

1: do you basically wait until they get a limit before you start talking to them, or is every pro different?

2: it's pathetic this even popped in my head but what do you guys (pros and marshals) do when nature calls? 

[Fishin' Fool]

2 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Awesome report! A couple questions.

1: do you basically wait until they get a limit before you start talking to them, or is every pro different?

2: it's pathetic this even popped in my head but what do you guys (pros and marshals) do when nature calls? 

 

1) each pro is different in that regard but I'm sure they're probably "encouraged" to be talkative. I had no issue with either pro in the amount of talking we did. I also understand they are fishing to make a living and this isn't a guide trip that I paid for

 

2) hang it out and go obviously discreetly. I was more concerned about #2 if nature calls. Thankfully no issues.

[Bulletman20XD]

Marshalling to me was a little boring, especially when it's on a lake you know very well. You just sit there wishing you could fish and dreading the next run! LOL  It's hard to keep you mouth shut and not tell them anything. I was a Judge on Rayburn for the TTBC this year, Judging is a little more exciting as long as the pro is catching fish. On Dardanelle I had Kelly Jaye on day 1, he was a hoot. Day 2 I also had Jesse Wiggins. Very nice young man, had to tell him to stop calling me sir. Day 3 I had Cliff Pace (NO Comment). The key to being selected for the 50 cut is to register early. Day 4 cut is almost impossible to get. There is not 12 spots. Camera guys take up 4-5 boats, leaving 6-7 spots.

 

At Rayburn I had Boyd Duckett for day 1 (4-5 foot rollers both days). He was an absolute blast to spend a day on the water with. Day 2 I drew James Niggemeyer. Another very nice guy, very family oriented, very religious, very paranoid. He constantly reminded me I couldn't help him in any way. Anytime I talked he would interject with a reminder. Still a very nice guy.