I just got back from a peacock bass fishing trip on the Rio Negro River in the Amazon and what a trip it was.
I was there with the Busch Amazon Adventure Sweepstakes winner, a promotion that we ran on Bassmaster.com last year.
The Rio Negro is the largest blackwater river in the world and one of the largest tributaries in the Amazon. The peacock bass fishing there is legendary.
However, the river was super low when we arrived, which added to the adventure. We had to employ some interesting ingenuity to access the areas holding these fabulous fighting fish.
We literally had to drag, push and pry big flat bottom boats over shallow riffles for a mile or more to get to the fish. The boats were rigged with outboard and electric motors and filled with coolers and our fishing gear – a heavy load that made it extremely tough and exhausting. It was quite the adventure, one that was captured on film, some of which will be made available on Bassmaster.com in the coming weeks.
It made me glad that I’ve been working out this winter and was in pretty good shape. And when we weren’t dragging boats or setting up equipment, I was hurling big topwaters and battling these ferocious fighters.
Needless to say, it was a great tune-up for next month’s GEICO Bassmaster Classic.
I returned from the Amazon and spent two days at home before flying to Springfield, Mo., for the Bass Pro Shops Spring Fishing Classic that kicked off this weekend at all Bass Pro Shops outlets around the country.
I arrived early to film some commercials before making appearances in the store Friday afternoon and Saturday.
Every pro member of the Bass Pro Shops team will be appearing at a retail store around the country this weekend. When we aren’t doing seminars, we will be meeting the public to answer questions, sign autographs and pose for pictures. To see which pros will be appearing at a store nearest you, checkout the Bass Pro Shops website.
The Spring Fishing Classic is more than just pro appearances. This is a weekend when the retail stores offer some of the best deals of the year.
It’s also an excellent time to research expensive items like electronics or high-end rods and reels because manufacturer representatives will be in each store to answer product questions. The representatives can give you detailed answers about products that you may not be able to get elsewhere.
I’ve been affiliated with Bass Pro Shops my entire pro career and have been amazed at the growth. When I started, there was one store – the one in Springfield – and now there are outlets in nearly every state.
The pro staff has grown, too. Several Bassmaster Elite pros are sponsored by Bass Pro Shops either with equipment, boats or both. The franchise has become one of the biggest supporters of tournament angling, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it.
Remember – it’s all about the attitude!
Kevin VanDam’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.