Working Hard for the “Big Easy”

Any time a professional angler qualifies for a Bassmaster Classic, it’s a positive step for his career, but unlike past Classics on reservoirs or more typical rivers, this February’s “Super Bowl” presents an even wider set of challenges. Heading to New Orleans for practice I suppose I had just as many preconceived notions as much of the public about what the Louisiana Delta would be like for the upcoming tournament. After all, two of the largest disasters in American history, the BP oil spill and Hurricane Katrina, directly impacted this fishery since the last time BASS visited. I definitely saw destruction and abandonment, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected and I soon learned why.

The Delta is an unbelievably diverse region.  I’m a fan of the show “Swamp People,” so I was particularly intrigued by the different professions, lifestyles and personalities that I knew I’d encounter. Additionally, I follow politics closely, especially in tough economic times like these when decisions and impressions make a major difference on the future of our country. So my goal heading to Louisiana was to listen and watch and hopefully learn. After all, these people had experienced a lifetime of disaster in just a few years, so I wanted to see what makes them tick.

Upon arrival in New Orleans, the first thing I saw was the 9^th Ward, an area close to the Superdome where we will be weighing in during the Classic. The first thing I thought was, “No wonder it got flooded, it’s in a hole.” I could see that the river is fairly close and that much of the area is abandoned and resembles most closely a dried up mud puddle. Rebuilding has commenced, and they’ve come a long way, but there’s still a long road ahead of them.

The city wasn’t new to me — I had been to New Orleans in the past for my previous profession. I was there for Med Trade, which is the largest annual medical equipment expo, back when I worked for a large medical equipment manufacturer. That seems like a lifetime ago. In actuality it’s less than ten years gone, but it was a different time for me and a different time for the city, which had not yet experienced Katrina’s wrath. During the previous visit I didn’t get a chance to obtain a full tour of the city…other than Bourbon Street and some casinos, neither of which I remember too well.

I’m typically comfortable going to a body of water this vast for the first time. I felt that I would know what to look for when it came to fishing, but the problem with the Delta is that if you randomly go driving around at high speed you may end up killing yourself or at least dry docking your boat on a mud/sand bar. In that case, there’s a good likelihood you’ll end up sleeping in the rod locker until the tide comes back in. So, needless to say, just getting to an area is often the hardest part of the process. Yes, for the record, I ended up on top of a few sandbars because the Delta’s waters are exceptionally dynamic. Google Earth Maps taken a year ago don’t do you much good in this place. On several occasions I had to strip down to my underwear to push my 21 foot Ranger off of sand and mud. I officially sandblasted the lower unit on my brand new VMAX SHO to record heights…..it was clean shiny metal even above the water intakes…..oops! The place is just that shallow everywhere you go, and as soon as you put your guard down, you end up eatin’ some marsh mud.

In addition to the scenery, I couldn’t help but get a sense of the place through the local residents’ passion for the Delta. It is a majestic place to them. They savor the time they spend there, respect its history and its power, and they’re willing to do what it takes to preserve it for the future. This passion was evident in most of the people I came across down there, whether it be duck hunters, fishermen, oil workers or people hanging around the docks. It was through this passion that I feel so many of those people had the inner strength to stay through the tragedies and rebuild their lives in the same place. It represented to me a sort of Natural Selection or Darwinism effect. I mean the people who chose to or were forced to leave for whatever reason were in many cases probably the ones that weren’t as passionate about the Delta area as the ones who rebuilt and/or stayed. That left a stellar cast of folks who are a true cultural representation of the majestic aura you get from its vast expanse of marsh, canals, sloughs and swamp.

In my travels through the marsh, sloughs and canals I saw some houses and shacks that were abandoned, but also many that had been restored and were once again occupied. At many points, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of population or crowds in most areas. There were blocks of time where it was almost scary to think that I traveled 10 miles and didn’t see a soul. It was like being in virgin territory, but at the same time I felt like there was a story to be told — despite its recent history, this area has a ton to offer. Sobering reminders of the disasters were everywhere. Sometimes they would take the form of a large seaworthy vessel dry docked 500 yards in the middle of a two-inch deep marsh, or a set of lonely pilings sticking up in a square formation representing the house that once stood there. There were constant reminders that this area was submerged in 10 or more feet of salty storm water and experienced 150+ MPH winds. Areas that once were bustling and occupied were empty. Areas that once were enclosed by trees were open spaces. Areas that once were land were now sea… and vice-versa. But through it all, nature found a way to be resilient and so did the people of the vast marsh, delta and especially in the city of New Orleans.

I have to hand it to BASS for their decision to have the Classic in New Orleans again despite the recent tragedies. They were willing to look past the chronic speculation about problems with the Delta ecosystem. Most importantly, I feel the people of New Orleans deserve to have the greatest fishing show on Earth in their backyard because they have shown the will to persevere and because the Delta remains a top notch fishery. In the entirety of my time there I never saw one bit of evidence of oil affecting the wildlife. In fact, I never saw any evidence of the BP disaster at all, although to be fair such evidence certainly exists closer to the coast. I did get questioned at one point by a surveyor about the oil spill affecting my decision to come there to fish. I quickly responded, “It didn’t affect my decision. It’s my living!”

I’m sure you’re wondering how my practice went and what I feel my chances are. Only time will provide those answers and February can’t come soon enough. No matter what, I’m confident that the 2011 Bassmaster Classic will be a roaring success for the anglers and the fans. People need to see and become reacquainted with the people of New Orleans in a time when there is no crisis. The public also has to learn first-hand how very special a place that fishery is. I frequently say that a true professional bass tournament competition should only be held on/at a venue that fulfills several key criteria: adequate size, versatility in potential fishing patterns, a quality fan venue nearby, the element of the unknown, and good people. This place has it all… plus more! I caught a 3 lb flounder, a 3 lb bass and a 5 lb redfish on 3 consecutive casts while catching a glimpse of a stingray swimming under the boat Try that at your local fishin’ hole!

Happy Holidays and I hope to see you all at the Classic in New Orleans!….-dw

Special year-end holiday thanks to my family and all my sponsors who allow me to do what I love to!

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