Page 11 - Mid America Boating - July 2024 issue

Boat Smart
Father/son Fishing Duo from previous page

mouth bass, and that’s when the whooping and hollering began,” laughed
JULY 2024 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING ] 10
Grant. “She was huge, far larger than any bass we’d ever seen, much less There’s loads of action on the water
caught. Dad and I were both trembling, and trying to decide our next move.”
Fortunately, they did everything just right.
A technical whiz, Grant had positioned a video camera on the boat to record By Capt. Fred Davis A “Take Me Fishing” report, released by The Recre-
the day’s adventure, and it capture the entire experience. He quickly called ational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and
his buddy, fishing guide and videographer Ross Robertson, who airs Bigwater Captain Fred Davis, who dedicated himself to decades illustrated on the oppoite page, announced that
Fishing on YouTube, and Jason Clemons of Clemons Boats in Sandusky, Ohio, of continously promoting boating safety, wrote hundreds participation in fishing has increased each year for
where Grant is a member of the pro staff. of boating columns for Mid-America Boating and other several years. All indications, across many fields;
The Gallaghers were directed that Thursday afternoon to connect with publications on the subject that were published during boating, fishing, family outdoor activates point to a
Travis Hartman, the head of the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie Fisher- his lifetime. Captain Fred passed away in 2019, but greater appreciation of on-the-water events.
ies Station on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Sandusky, Ohio, where a many of his discussions about boating safety remain Many new styles of boats have been produced to
certified scale would be waiting for them. timeless. Here is one of his many columns pertaining to meet the increased interest in fishing and boating.
“The head on that smallmouth bass was huge, but even more unusual the universal message about outfitting a boat for safety Deck and pontoon boats have gained popularity. A
was the massive girth,” said Hartman. before you launch it for another season. major reason for the increase is, not only are they
“It was an amazing specimen, and the “I still get goose easy to operate they serve as a platform with a larger
catch couldn’t have happened to a nicer Families increasingly are filling the waterways capacity per length ratio, providing more room for
pair of fishermen.” bumps when I think with their active lifestyles, a website titled “Seeker skiing, tubing, or wake boarding.
Hartman’s crew were allowed to about our Water Sports” list many of the challenging events. It is not unusual to see a kayak, specially rigged,
dissect the bass, discovering it was 16 Waterski jumping where jumpers fly more than 200 being launched to go out for a day of fishing.
years old. It was mounted and is now smallmouth bass… horizontal feet in the air, Wakeboarding and wake NuCanoe has a bare-boned option that weighs only
featured at the Ohio Division of Wild- and the whooping surfing, wake skating, Sky skiing on a hydrofoil, 20 pounds, and sells for less than $300.00. It’s called,
life’s Sandusky Fish Research Unit, Knee boarding, Tubing on all manner of devices and “Stand-up Angler” because there is a bar mounted
305 E. Shoreline Drive, in downtown and hollering when old fashioned Slalom skiing. Check out the site to inside that allows you to stand up to fight your fish.
Sandusky. A replica mount of the view demonstrations of the action. Of course there NuCanoe also offers the “Pursuit” kayak for the
record fish adorns the Gallagher home we had it in the net.” are also the still very popular activities of paddle more adventurous anglers. Its weight is 82 pounds
in Fremont, and makes a few road trips boarding and kayaking. and ticket price is $1,680.00. You can pack 500 pounds
to special fishing and boating shows, including the Progressive Cleveland Take a look at the description of “Wakesurfing” a of gear in it for an extended trip into the backcountry.
Boat Show. sport that has been around since the 60’s but just Boat shows all over the country have the small
While the Province of Ontario gets the honors of harboring a record small- recently gained popularity. You will quickly learn fishing craft on display for your review. You can also
mouth bass, it is the largest smallmouth bass ever weighed in the Great if it is a sport you wish to try. Riders trail behind a locate the adventure toys at shows and often enjoy
Lakes. A few 10-pound smallmouth bass have been caught at Dale Hollow boat riding its wake without being towed by it. You a demonstration. MAB
Lake over the years, thanks to a 21-inch size limit on the 28,000-acre reservoir ride the steep face below the wave’s peak, just like
on the Tennessee/Kentucky border. surfing. There is a need for a special boat to produce Perils of the Freshwater Seas, an anthology of stories and
“I still get goose bumps when I think about our smallmouth bass,” said the waves. A Pavati AL26 with a sticker price of experiences written by Captain Fred Davis is available
Grant. “I’m lucky to have the video to let us relive the fight it gave dad, and the $328,000.00 can do just what you need. If you want to for $22.30 (includes shipping) E-Mail: padavis2006@
whooping and hollering when we had it in the net.” MAB try this sport, go to the bank first. comcast.net