By MIKE TERRELL
October has long been known for the beautiful fall colors it brings to the Grand Traverse region, but for the last decade it's also become known as the month when you can "Fish with the Pros."
The attraction for a small number of eager bass fishermen has been the chance to spend a weekend throwing lines with some of the nation's top professional bassmasters. Since 1999, Lifeline Youth & Family Services has been gathering top pros from across the country to spend a weekend fishing with amateur guests, who pay $1,250 apiece for the privilege.
This year's event is slated to take place Oct. 2-5 and will feature such luminaries as Ranger Boat CEO Forrest L. Wood, 2008 Bassmaster Classic winner Alton Jones, 2005 Forrest Wood Cup winner George Cochran, Scott Suggs, Mike Iaconelli, Jay Yelas, Mark Davis, Zell Rowland, and Kevin VanDam -- to name just a few. Each pro takes out a pair of amateur fishermen for what amounts to a two-day private fishing clinic.
All money raised by the event is donated to Lifeline, an agency that works with at-risk youths and their families in northern Indiana, Ohio and southern Michigan. The idea was that prominent pros would spend a weekend, donating their time and gear to the cause, and in turn the amateurs would take away invaluable knowledge gained from fishing with the bassmasters.
Traverse City was selected as the site because of its natural beauty and the fact that Field & Stream considers it one of the nation's top fishing areas, according to Fish with the Pros coordinator Ann Hettig.
"This has grown from a small fundraising idea to a sought-after event," Hettig said. "What's not to like? Fishing on a professional bass boat with a pro and all his gear, great food and prizes, fish stories and some friendly competition."
Fourteen people signed up for the first event, mostly businessmen from the Ft. Wayne, Ind., area where Lifeline is headquartered. Today, Fish with the Pros draws over 150 guests and instructors from all over the Heartland.
"When this first started we thought it might be difficult lining up the pros, but now they are calling us to make sure they're included," Hettig said. "Everybody wants to come to Traverse City -- beautiful area, great fun and great fishing. We've had to set limits on the number of available slots, and, because of the success of this event, other Fish with the Pros events have been started in Texas and Florida."
Participants stay at Great Wolf Lodge where all the dry land activities take place. Many participants bring the whole family with special packages being offered for the tournament. The registration fee of $1,250 includes three nights lodging, the fishing, raffle tickets, and meals for the contestant.
Contestants pair up -- two per pro -- and fan out around area lakes for two full days of fishing. Some of the more popular lakes, according to Hettig, are Elk, Torch, Skegemog, Lake Leelanau and Grand Traverse Bay. Although the main theme behind the event is a clinic on smallmouth bass fishing with the pros, there are some fun competitions and a weigh-in on Saturday to determine which team had the heaviest catch-of-the-day.
Fishing enthusiasts are encouraged to come out Saturday afternoon, Oct. 4, starting at 4 p.m. and meet the pros, which is when the weigh-in also takes place.
"It's a chance to get some autographs and some pictures with the pros, and there will be lots of activities going on," said Hettig. "They will be tossing all kinds of fishing goodies into the crowd from the stage. There will be a 4,000 gallon aquarium stocked with bass, and kids will be able to fish atop the aquarium under the direction of one of the pros; who will be giving out tips. You can experience the Ranger Boat Simulator, and all the top of the line bass boats with matching haul trucks will be on display in the parking lot. It's a lot of fun, and, of course, supports a worthy cause. It raises much needed charitable funds for Lifeline."
For more information on the event or to sign up as a guest fisherman, contact Hettig at (231) 632-3535, or log onto fishingwiththepros.com.
