This tournament, the B.A.S.S. Open on the St. John’s River in Florida, is going to be different for me in many ways. I am going without a boat, without a truck, without camping equipment, and without Annie. I am flying down to meet Craig Sahms in South Carolina, and he and I will drive from there to Florida.
We will be renting a room for the week, I will practice with him for three days in his boat, and then I will ride in my partner’s boat on tournament days. With this kind of arrangement, it didn’t make sense for Annie to come on this trip.

Yesterday I went through the ordeal of trying decide what fishing tackle to bring. Whatever I chose would have to fit into two suitcases, along with all my clothes and personal items, for the airplane ride. I chose a selection of shallow-running crankbaits, jerkbaits, Terminator spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and plenty of soft plastic – Gambler worms and craws in two of Florida’s favorite colors, junebug and red shad.

That was yesterday. Today I flew to South Carolina and Craig met me at the airport. We went back to his house for the night, and tomorrow we make the seven or eight hour drive to Palatka, Florida, and the St. John’s River.