Once again, I’m going to venture off into the abyss and stray away from the bass fishing world. While aging and experiencing life for over 64 years of living in this great country, there are so many questions that I feel we just can’t find answers to. Today, with so much unrest in this country, let’s look at some of the issues we are dealing with and possible solutions. 

Why are we as a nation so divided? What has come between all of us that we can’t sit in the same room and listen to one another? Why can we no longer share our opinions without fear of repercussions?  Let’s start with the first question.

Why are we so divided? My first thought turns to the plain and simple fact: one political party hates the President! The hate runs so deep that it clouds their judgment as they refuse to acknowledge or accept anything he does good or bad. They just can’t overcome the hatred they have for this President!

How do we overcome the hate? We can start with the one thing that we as a nation need to face and correct. We need to get back to the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! While some of you might stop reading at this point, I hope you’ll continue. 

Within the last 20 years, we have allowed the far left to convince us that God has no place in our schools or athletic events. We have literally caved into a small minority group and turned our backs on the ONE who has kept generations on the right path. 

Somewhere along the way during our country’s 250-year journey, SOMEONE decided to take God out of our schools and prayer out of our athletic/public events!  For this, “WE” have no one to blame but ourselves and the officials “WE” elected to represent “US” — the people. 

This issue has a simple solution; replace the people we elected with those who will truly represent our needs and wants. It’s time to reset our moral compass! Instead of making decisions with our best interests at heart, most of our representatives (law makers) today are not interested in doing what’s right, they’re looking for personal and financial gain. They have forgotten the reason they are in such positions of power- to represent their constituents.

Next, we as a nation have become too tolerant to the concept of new ideas, knowing there will be consequences for generations to come, all because neither side can come to a mutual agreement that works for both. We don’t want to dismiss the other’s opinion even though we know it’s not right, so we tolerate it. 

Why can we no longer sit in the same room and work out our issues? The problem is that it doesn’t matter what side you’re on, everyone feels THEY are right no matter what evidence or reason is put before them that says otherwise. In reality, we are at the point where no one truly wants to hear what the other side has to say and I’m not sure how we can overcome this obstacle. 

It’s simply human nature that we all feel the need to be right, and no one wants to admit when they are wrong on any issue. In today’s America, everyone thinks their way is the only way and if you don’t agree with them, then YOU’RE not only the problem, but the enemy as well!

So how do we move forward and get past all these issues? I personally feel it’s going to take a major incident like 9/11 where our country is attacked and our way of life is threatened or worse, taken away. We’re desperately in search for a reason to come together and reunite.  

Another thing that must change — fix the divorce rate in this country and bring back the family dynamics. Wedding vows should mean something! Bring back the idea of families and couples staying together! Now there’s a great concept! So many of today’s young people have mental issues mainly due to coming from broken homes, the breakdown of family structure, and of course, SOCIAL MEDIA! 

We must recognize and eliminate social media as the biggest issue we have in our country today! While initially it was a great idea, other countries are now using it to manipulate our thoughts and turn us against one another with fake posts that have bad intentions. 

Bottom line is this, whether you agree or disagree, America made a statement last November on how unsatisfied the people are at this point by electing a person who they feel will try and bring America back to its powerful place in the world. Everyone knew from the start that he (the President) has and will continue to ruffle a few feathers, but they elected him anyway.

To use a sports analogy, every Saturday college football coaches make decisions they feel are in the best interest of their teams. Each and every single one of them are looking and searching for one thing — victory. But not everyone agrees or likes the play or plays that are called, especially when they lose. 

Politics is no different. Both parties think they have all the answers and know what actions are needed to bring America back. But all I know is this —  if we continue to try and do this without God, we will never be able to bring this country back to a point where we can all get along. 

To wrap this up, here’s some food for thought: sometimes we must lose what we have in order to appreciate what we had. While this could be hard for some to handle, it might be the only way we can bring our country back to where it used to be … SANE!

Enter the first part of your article here…

Why would anyone walk away from fishing for a living? Who in their right mind would want to give up this lifestyle? Well, if you sit down and visit with any one of several anglers who have lived “the dream” and fished professionally, you’ll understand the trials and tribulations that go with the job. 

It’s truly a lifestyle very much like those we call gypsies. Traveling the country like a circus from town to town or in the fishing world, lake to lake. Anglers traverse the United States from the south with Florida’s Lake Okeechobee to as far north as the Great Lakes. From Lake Murray, South Carolina, in the east to as far west as Lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas. 

Nothing ages a person more than travel and stress. It’s hours upon hours of lonely windshield time. Each tournament can mean anywhere from 15 to 18 hours of travel time one way depending on where they choose to call home. 

But some anglers have tried to make their drives much shorter by uprooting their families and moving to the southeastern part of the United States since the majority of the tournaments are in this part of the country. 

Many anglers who have grown up on the west coast looking to pursue “the dream” of a professional bass fishing career have made a career move to Alabama, Georgia, or Tennessee just to help cut down on road time in between events.

This life-changing move is not just about the angler, but their families as well. Talking to several pro anglers over the years, time away from family is the hardest part of pursuing the life of a professional angler. 

Sacrifices are made like missing birthdays, Mother’s Day, Easter and many more events that are considered family time. Many tears have been shed by anglers as they leave their driveways headed for the next event as they look into their review mirror and the wife and kids are waving goodbye, wondering when dad will return.  

This is the emotional sacrifice ALL professional anglers endure. Like so many other jobs, it takes a toll on the angler himself and the family. Many divorces have been had over an angler chasing this so-called dream. 

It takes a special wife who is strong and can handle the challenges of raising kids, running a household and dealing with everyday life while the man of the house is gone for several weeks straight.  A conversation I had with pro angler Shaw Grigsby revealed that he figured up that he had slept in his own bed only three days out of the month of April one year. 

This time away from home is the norm and not the exception. That’s why so many successful touring pros give all the credit to their wives for their success because she is the one holding down the fort while they as anglers try and do their jobs. 

So, what’s the attraction to be a professional angler? Is it the fancy truck and boat wraps? Is it the cool looking logoed shirts the anglers wear? Yes, to both of these, and the same as any other high-profile job, the fame and fortune and a lifestyle that’s like no other. 

But if you think “going fishing” everyday sounds like fun, understand this. While you’re going to the office for your job, their office as professional anglers is at the lake. Their job requires them to back their boats in the water every single day in all types of weather. 

Their office is outdoors and very seldom do they get days off just because it’s raining, cold or hot. They still must find fish and figure out how to compete and catch bass in all types of weather conditions. Their day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset! 

While we see these anglers at an expo or the weigh-ins, what we don’t see are the number of hours they put in researching their next body of water, tackle preparation, social media postings, and sponsor meetings. 

To be a professional angler is a full-time job that not just anyone can do. It takes a person with special talent who is committed and dedicated to being a professional angler. It also takes a team to make an angler successful. In most cases it’s the wife/business manager that helps to make these pros successful in the bass fishing world.

I hope you now have a better understanding of what it’s like to be a professional bass fisherman. So, if you think this is the life for you, good luck because you’re going to need it. 

When you say the words “Red River” to most tournament anglers, the majority will instantly start telling you how much they hate this body of water. BUT NOT ME! Yes, the Red River is a challenging river system and not just with fishing, but navigation as well. But I love the Red River for several reasons. 

First is the fact that it’s such a diverse fishery. You have two choices on where to fish. It’s either the shallow backwaters or the jetties and cuts on the main river, which pretty much narrows down where you’re going to attack this body of water.

The fishing can be really good, especially when it comes to catching numbers of bass. Quality, on the other hand, can be a little tougher to come by. When fishing the Red, you must lower expectations in terms of size and quality. A 13-to-15-pound bag with five fish will be in the running to win. However, the Red River is on its way back to providing catches of good solid five-fish bags of 15 to 18 pounds. 

The improvement in fishing is thanks to the Red River Waterway Commission which has implemented an annual restocking program for black bass ever since the flood of 2016.  

My latest adventure on the Red was one of regret and one of joy as I participated in the recent American Bass Anglers Louisiana Pro League make-up tournaments. Two of the three regular season LA Pro League events were canceled back in April and May due to various reasons.

While I’ve been fishing the Texas division since its inception, I decided to jump into the Louisiana circuit when ABA rescheduled both make-up events on back-to-back days on my favorite body of water — the Red River. 

Over my tournament fishing career, the Red has been the site of some of my most successful tournament experiences with a few wins and several Top 10 finishes. For some strange reason it seems to fit my style of fishing. I’ve always been a shallow water angler since I was a kid growing up on small ponds. And the river is conducive to my throwing a crankbait, spinnerbait and flipping a creature bait in thick cover. 

Tournament 1 was on Saturday, August 23 and the results were average for me with a sixth-place finish, weighing a little over 11 pounds.  But tournament 2 on Sunday was much better as I finished second with 13 pounds. Former FLW pro Jim Dillard won the event on Day 2 with 15.03 pounds.

On Day 2, I pretty much followed the same game plan as Day 1 but with a couple of adjustments. Instead of starting on the main river, I went straight into the backwater areas. This turned out to be a good move as I had a five-fish limit by 8 a.m. I still caught two good keepers on the main river later that day, which allowed me to cull up in weight. 

Turns out, one specific spot I had found in Pool 4 during practice was the key to my success on Day 2. Over a two-day period, I caught over 22 bass off this one spot about the size of a pickup truck.  I caught 15 fish off it on Day 1 with only two keepers. Day 2, I caught seven fish off this same spot and three fish were 3 pounds each or better. As they say, “What a difference a day makes!”

Again, I’ve never been able to say exactly why I seem to do so well on the Red River. It’s just a place I feel so confident and comfortable on that no matter how big the event, I seem to do very well. 

Every angler who has ever fished tournaments will tell you that there are certain bodies of water where they just feel right at home. For me, that would be the Red River.

Today we are going to throw a few spitballs and see what sticks. This article is going to cover what’s going in our world today and what needs to be talked about. 

In the bass fishing world, congratulations to Team USA for winning the World Championship., topping teams from Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy, Portugal and Serbia to name a few. Bass fishing truly has become a global sport that may become an Olympic sport one day.

One of the members of Team USA was  fishing pro Jacob Wheeler, who just won his fourth Major League Fishing (MLF) Angler of the Year title. This guy continues to set the bar for all anglers with incredible consistency and his total domination of the sport. 

Speaking of domination, there’s a young man in East Texas who has made a name for himself as a consistent winner. Longview’s Zach Fogle is someone we’ll remember. He has been the American Bass Anglers (ABA) Angler of the Year the past two seasons. 

Zach will be taking his fishing to the next level next year with the Toyota Series and the BFL’S. All of us are glad to see Zach move up in the world as we’re all tired of donating to his future fishing endeavors!

Next, let’s talk about one of the legends of bass fishing announcing his retirement. For 30 years California’s Skeet Reece has set the standard for what it means to be a professional angler. Other than Kevin Van Dam, no one has capitalized on their fishing success better than Skeet. 

He’s an angler known for his business prowess and bright yellow fishing rods, truck and shoes. He’s a master at branding and taking advantage of the worldwide bass fishing market. I would like to wish Skeet happy days in his retirement.

Nothing is more exciting than the start of football season and nothing goes by faster as we are already into Week 3 or 4 depending on what state you’re in (Texas high schools kick off a week earlier than on this side of the Sabine River and Toledo Bend).  The Dallas Cowboys have been a pleasant surprise as they opened playing very competitively with their conference rival, the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 2 the ‘Boys defeated the New York Giants in an overtime thriller, 40-37. 

With football well underway, it means that hunting season is here, starting with dove season. A dove hunt is nothing more than a social gathering that gets hunters excited to pull the trigger. A passing cold front, days getting shorter, and fall foliage puts everything in motion for all hunters.  

To all those who will be hitting the woods and waterways this fall for both bucks and ducks, we would like to wish each of you success in whatever game you’re pursuing. ‘Til next time, happy hunting! 

There’s one famous quote among tournament bass anglers, “When it’s your turn to win, it’s your turn and you can’t mess it up.” So basically, no matter what you do, the bass fishing gods will make sure you don’t mess it up. 

I’m not a superstitious angler, but I do believe that there are the powers that be that can make things happen to help you win. Every now and then, things go your way and Lady Luck shines on you like a beam of light from the heavens.

But sometimes it seems like the whole world is against you and it becomes obvious that today just might not be your day. On these days you’re left wondering, “Where is my Lady Luck and why is she not stepping in and saving me from myself?” This is exactly the question I was asking at a recent event on Lake of the Pines.

After a pretty good practice for two straight days and feeling good about a couple of patterns I had put together, things went south quickly on tournament day.

But let’s start with the first cast of the day as I was working a topwater bait when a 3-pound bass came up and exploded on it! As I swung the bass into the boat, I thought, “This is going to be a great day when your first cast produces a solid 3-pound bass! What a great start!”

But many anglers believe it’s a bad omen to catch a bass on your first cast. Again, I’ve never believed in these kinds of superstitions, but it seemed to be real as things went downhill from there. 

Despite the bad omen, I was feeling good about my first fish of the day being a 3-pounder in the live well. But I continued to throw the topwater bait with zero results. 

I turned to plan “B,” as I reached down and picked up a spinnerbait that I had been catching a ton of fish on the previous two days of practice. They were hitting this spinnerbait so well in practice, I had to put a guard over the hook so I wouldn’t hook any fish that I might need on tournament day. 

One thing is for certain; bass fishing is a funny sport. However, the bass gods have a warped sense of humor as they evidently sent out a memo to all bass that day to “not bite the spinnerbait Steve Graf is throwing!”

But that’s OK, I have a plan “C.”  I decided to start fishing a small worm in and around boat docks and brush piles. This is how I thought I could win this event, as 90 percent of my bigger bites in practice came off brush piles. 

But my day went from bad to worse as I had three fish break off on the hookset. I lost two huge fish (both over five pounds each) when they pulled off beside the boat as I was playing them down so I could land them. 

I knew it wasn’t my day when I lost a $400 Daiwa rod and reel combo that got hung up in the net I was using to land a fish. I lost 45 minutes of valuable fishing time trying to drag and snag the combo with a crankbait — with no success. 

Then the final straw came around 1:45 that afternoon as I bent over to pick up a certain rod and almost blacked out due to how hot it was. This has never happened to me before and I had been so conscious of making sure I was hydrating properly. 

This was a wakeup call for me personally as at the age of 64 I’ve come to the realization that I don’t handle the heat like I used to. Even though I wear good quality sun protective clothing and sunscreen, it’s the heat that you just can’t escape when you’re on the lake trying to win a tournament. 

If you think you would like to be a tournament bass fisherman, understand that there will be days that will frustrate you and make you question every idea you had on how to catch a bass. But it could be worse; you could have decided to pursue golf rather than tournament fishing!

Have you ever wondered how many people there are in the world with the same name as yourself? That thought ran through my head one day and gave me the idea to Google my own name. Don’t ask me why I decided to act on the idea to search my own name because I have no idea! But probably due to boredom and curiosity, I took the time to look myself up on the world wide web.

What would I find? Would I be impressed or disappointed with my findings? Would I be jealous or envious of others with the same name?

If you’re not sure who you are, just Google your name and see not just who you are, but how many of YOU there are! What I found was that there are many Steve Graf’s around the globe, but surprisingly I have yet to run into myself at any point in time. I came across 100 plus people with the same name as myself. But one good thing I did discover, it appears that no one with my name is an inmate anywhere! 

Here’s what I did find. Steve Graf is a dentist, a banker, a doctor, vice president of sales, a consultant, and a neuroscientist. He’s also an engineer, retired educator/coach, and a YMCA CEO! Wow, I was very impressed with myself and the “brothers” that carry the same name.

Others with the same name were also a bridge operator, a veterinarian, an athletic director, a senior programmer, a maintenance coordinator and a pilot for Delta Airlines. So, the next time you fly Delta, poke your head into the cockpit and make sure it’s not THIS Steve Graf at the controls.  

But surprisingly, I found another Steve Graf that played professional baseball! He played for the Cardinals and Pirates organizations at the same time I was playing in the Montreal Expos minor league system. Small world!

It is amazing that after seeing how many Steve Graf’s there are, I have never come across myself. There are several versions of me that live in California, New Jersey, New England, Kansas, Denver and Wisconsin. There’s more SG’s in Massachusetts, Indiana, Minnesota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Ohio along with one in Oregon, Iowa and Nevada just to name a few. 

I was always told as a youngster growing up, that the only thing you have that’s truly your own in this life is your name. Well, I guess that’s not true, but don’t ruin or tarnish your name by doing something stupid. This Steve Graf wants to be remembered for the good things I’ve done in life and not for the bad.

After doing this Google search, I thought how cool it would be to start a Steve Graf Club! Have an annual get together of everyone that shares the same name, or would that be a little weird? 

After reviewing a lot of these fine folks, turns out that if you are a Steve Graf, be proud! The one thing we all want in life is to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. We all want to be content with what we do and who we are. 

So, no matter how many people there are with the same name as yourself, there’s only one YOU. Be proud of who YOU are and do things that will make people remember YOU as a good person.  

Growing up there’ve been all kinds of jobs I’ve had; some I hated and a few I really enjoyed. As a teenager, I worked part time for a parcel shipping company, a lumber yard, summer baseball leagues, worked two summers for Brown & Root Construction and two summers for the Texas Highway Department.

Each of these jobs taught me different things that would benefit me later in life. So many lessons can be learned through working and holding down a job, especially at an early age.

Today, I want to recognize a group of people who deserve a lot more respect than what they are given — game wardens!

It takes a special person to be a game warden. These men and women who take on the job of policing our land and waterways are a special breed, and in many cases never get the credit they deserve.

Talk about a thankless job, these folks do what very few want to do. It’s their job to enforce the rules and regulations of the hunting and fishing world. They go through intense training and schooling to become a certified fish and wildlife official.

They are constantly dealing with the public, who in many cases are carrying weapons. They must have good people skills allowing them to deal with some of the toughest people on earth, hunters and fishermen.

Most of the time as they approach people on the water or in the woods, they are often met by disgruntled anglers or hunters aggravated about being checked.

They have to deal with people with attitudes, who give one excuse after another why they don’t have the necessary licenses, or decided not to follow the rules and regulations that are in place.

Game wardens too often deal with folks who would rather lie than tell the truth. Many times, the wardens must go above and beyond the call of duty, like being first responders to help and rescue people after a hurricane or any type of natural disaster.

They are the guys who must retrieve our loved ones who may have drowned while fishing or been shot in hunting accident. This is a job very few people would ever want.

Growing up in East Texas and now living in Louisiana, I’ve been blessed to get to hunt and fish all across this great country. Hunting and fishing are privileges, not rights, and these men and women we call game wardens do a great job at making sure we are safe.

Today, I want to salute those who carry the badge while patrolling our lakes and waterways making sure the rules and regulations of the hunting and fishing world are enforced.

The next time you see or have some kind of interaction with a game warden, make sure to tell them, “Thank you,” and share that you appreciate the job they do. They’re not the enemy and are not out there just to write tickets. They are out there to keep you safe and enforce the law.

‘Til next week, good luck and stay safe while hunting or fishing. Make sure to follow the rules and regulations set by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in your state.

As a guy that played baseball on all levels in the ‘70s and ‘80s from the age of 7 ‘til 27, I never thought I would see the day where robots would be calling balls and strikes. But fast forward to 2025 and that’s where baseball is headed as this year’s MLB All-Star Game showed.

This new technology for calling balls and strikes has been in the works for quite a while, but I feel it has no place in professional baseball! Call me a purist, or just an old fogie, but there are certain parts of the game of baseball where the human element is so important. Calling balls and strikes is one of those areas that does not need a technological update.

I like the fact that a human is making those calls and appreciate how each umpire is different on how they call the game. Pitchers and hitters have always had to adjust their perception of the strike zone depending on who is behind the plate. IT’S A PART OF THE GAME OF BASEBALL THAT MAKES IT INTRIGUING!

The human element of umpires calling balls and strikes, as well as safe or out, is what makes baseball so pure. I’m OK with instant replay on whether a guy is safe or out or if a ball is fair or foul, but when it comes to calling balls and strikes, let the human umpires do their jobs.

Remember this, for all you hitters, prepare to strike out a lot more than you have previously! That’s right, the robotic strike zone is not forgiving at all. If the baseball just touches the outer edge of the rectangular square, it’s a strike.

Those inside or outside pitches, that used to go in the hitter’s favor by usually being called a ball, will no longer be such. Pitchers and hitters are already paranoid on how certain umpires call the game, and now with technology calling balls and strikes, there will be more challenges by both on questionable calls with regards to balls and strikes.

This is similar to how technology and forward-facing sonar is affecting professional bass fishing. Anglers no longer spend their days trying to figure out where the fish are. All they must do now is drop the trolling motor and turn on their forward-facing and look for fish on a screen.

Professional bass fishing has lost the integrity of the sport. Locating fish has always been the number one skill anglers had to develop. They do this with time on the water while understanding bass behavior based on the time of year, weather, and what they are feeding on.

But now with the flip of a switch, anglers can look at a screen in real time and see the exact location of where bass are set up. All the guess work and fishing skills have been eliminated. While seeing fish on a screen does not always equate to catching fish, locating the fish is 80 percent of being successful as an angler.

I’m not trying to be “Debbie Downer,” I just think there are certain elements with all sports where we need the human interaction. Technological advancements are great and can really simplify all our lives, but we must proceed with caution.

As a fan, this new technology sounds boring to me and if it’s implemented, it will discourage me from watching Major League Baseball. Next thing you know we’ll have robots as designated hitters with the ability to hit every kind of pitch man can throw while never striking out.

If you need proof of how technology can ruin a sport, look no further than professional bass fishing as its TV viewership has fallen off considerably due to new technology and forward-facing sonar. Fans have made it known they do not want to sit in their living rooms and watch as anglers stare at a 14 or 16-inch screen and catch bass.

Hopefully Major League Baseball will re-evaluate the thought of using this new technology.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to use your sunscreen and wear good UV protective clothing during these hot summer days.

Once upon a time, there was such a thing as courtesy and etiquette with all people who loved to go fishing. Today those two words do not exist on our area lakes and waterways. Why is that? Is it because people don’t care anymore? Or is it because we have raised a generation of anglers who have never been taught the unwritten rules of the water?

People today, I believe, no longer have patience and think that when they are on the lake, there are no rules. We have become such a “me” society that no one thinks about how their actions might affect others on the lake; and to add to that, they don’t care!

I want to take the high road here and give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to courtesy. But then, you pull up to a boat ramp and watch how people are oblivious as to what is going on around them. They’re in their own little world blocking the entire boat ramp while they get all their junk in the boat. 

You would think by now, in 2025, that word would have gotten out about how to manage a boat ramp the proper way. You should load all your gear into the boat AWAY from the ramp, not once you line up to launch your boat. 

People talk about road rage and how people have forgotten how to drive. Well, this same rage is now taking place on our area lakes. Boaters with little to no experience are on the water now and have no idea on navigation do’s and don’ts.

Even experienced tournament anglers are doing things they know are not right. The worst and most common thing happening today is one angler cutting off another angler. While I don’t have a problem with sharing a particular stretch of boat docks or a point, there’s an unwritten rule on how you should approach another angler that’s already there. 

The rule is if you approach another angler on a stretch of boat docks, you don’t come in on him and start fishing one dock away, especially if his boat is pointing in the direction of the dock you pulled up on. Go down 5 or 6 docks, start there and go away from the angler and fish in the opposite direction … not towards him.

If you pull up on a point with another angler already there, either go to the next point or ask permission to share the point with him. The rule in fishing goes back to what we’ve always heard, “First come, first serve.” You’re always better asking for permission to share a point than to just bulldoze your way in. 

So, to all the up-and-coming anglers, listen up! There are two things to always remember. One: Never cut another angler off when he’s fishing a stretch or fishing boat docks. ALWAYS pay attention to the direction the guy is fishing and go the opposite direction!

Two: Never pull up on a point when another angler is already there. If you just insist on trying to fish there, ask the other angler for permission and how he’s going to fish it.

Bottom line, follow the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Good luck, good fishing and hopefully cooler weather is coming soon! 

Over my many years of fishing lakes all across this country, I’ve had a few bad encounters with dock owners, but never had I been told by a public official that I couldn’t fish in a particular area. Today, I’ll tell you about an incident that I experienced on a public body of water in Texas. 

With every passing day, anglers’ rights to fish and navigate certain bodies of water is being threatened by different activist groups like PETA (People for Ethical Treat of Animals). 

For some reason, people who live on a public lake and own a dock think they have the right to tell an angler that he can’t fish around their dock. But legally, anglers can fish there because the dock itself is on a public body of water. You can own the dock, but you don’t own the water underneath it. 

This is a concept so many homeowners who live on a public body of water seem to have trouble comprehending. Look, if you don’t want people to fish your dock, then don’t build your dream home on the lake! I too live on a lake and never have I told any angler that they can’t fish my dock, even though I have plenty of brush (that I put there) that holds fish. 

But on a hot summer day on Lake Palestine a few weeks ago, I was fishing a two-day tournament. On Day 1 I weighed in 15.80 pounds of bass and was sitting in fourth place overall.

Let’s not forget that on Day 1 I lost a fish that was well over seven pounds off one specific boat dock. When the fish came off, I thought to myself that I might be able to catch that fish again on Day 2 since I did not get a good hookset on that fish. 

As Day 2 rolled around, it was apparent that the fish just were not biting the way they were on Day 1. So, with three fish in the live well at 10 that morning, I decided to go back to the dock where I had lost the seven-pounder the day before.

Running across the lake and into the pocket where this certain dock was located, I shut down and jumped up on the front deck to drop the trolling motor into the water. It was at this time that two Texas Game Wardens approached me. At first, I thought they were pulling up to do a routine boat and license check.

But no, that was not the case, as they proceeded to tell me that the pocket I wanted to fish was off limits for the day. At first, I asked if they were kidding, but they begrudgingly told me that due to a party on the main lake point, the entire pocket (1/4 mile long) was off limits for the day and that I would not be allowed to fish there. 

Standing on the front deck of my boat and in shock that I was having to leave because of a party, this did not sit well with me. I expressed my displeasure with the wardens’ request. They fully understood as they reiterated that this pocket was off limits. 

I could tell from the very beginning of my encounter with the wardens that they did not want to tell me this. But once again, it became evident that whoever was hosting the party on the point had a lot of financial influence. If there’s one thing that still holds true today, it is if you have the money, you can rule the world — or shut down a lake! 

After returning home, I did a little research and found out that in order to eliminate any section of a public lake, you must have a permit signed by the local lake authority before it’s legal. Knowing this earlier, I could have requested to see the permit. 

But being the good guy that I am, I just cooperated and moved on to a different part of the lake, even though six of my best boat docks were in this pocket that I was not allowed to fish on Day 2.

Did this cost me a win? Probably not, but it did possibly cost me a few places in the final standings as I dropped from 4^th to 9^th while being unable to fish my best six docks.

These confrontations are becoming more common place on lakes and waterways all across the country. It’s up to us as anglers to stand up for our rights to fish. So, the next time you’re confronted or being told a part of the lake is off limits, make sure to ask and see the permit that was granted by the local lake authority. Or maybe asked to see the cash that was given in order to block off a part of the lake! 

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and enjoy your time on the water, while you still can!

As athletes, and no matter what sport you play, the day comes when you must ask yourself, “Am I having fun?” At the age of 35, softball was a sport I truly enjoyed, and I was fortunate enough to play on two national championship teams while making friends for life.

But after winning the last championship, I knew my time was up as I walked out the gate of the USSSA Men’s Softball World Series in Shreveport. I knew this because it was no longer fun. Additionally, my kids were now playing sports as well and it became my time to give back and start coaching.

Tournament fishing is very similar in the fact that there comes a day when you are no longer having fun. Once it becomes a grind and more like work, that’s your cue to do something else.

Being competitive on any tournament trail requires commitment and time on the water, otherwise you’re just donating to the rest of the field. In today’s tournament world, the competition is so good it’s ridiculous.

Twenty years ago, out of 100 anglers in a tournament, maybe 15 were a legitimate threat to win. Today, out of 100 anglers there are probably 40 guys who are capable of winning. The competition level has totally changed with young anglers on the rise and having access to so much information while taking advantage of their ability to use their electronics so much better than the older guys.

Then there’s the mental side of bass fishing that can really take a toll on an angler’s ability to compete. Just like any other sport, you have to believe in yourself as much as you believe in the bait you’re throwing in order to catch bass.

There’s so much thought and preparation that goes into a tournament that it can be exhausting. The research it takes to get ready for an event can be overwhelming, especially if it’s a new body of water you’ve never fished.

That’s why for an angler, it’s important to make sure you enjoy what you’re doing. Never take an event for granted no matter how many times you’ve been to a specific body of water. Have fun and enjoy your practice days because the only way to stay focused is if you’re enjoying the process.

When fishing becomes too much like a job, it’s time to get out and do other things with your time like playing golf or going camping. Do something that you enjoy! Do something that you look forward to and not something you dread.

For me, tournament fishing is still fun, and I enjoy the competition probably more today because at the age of 64, it’s pretty satisfying knowing that you’re beating guys half your age! But most importantly, I enjoy my time with the guys I travel with as we share our experiences on the water over a good meal.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and happy times! Make sure to stop me and say hello when you see me at a boat ramp or on the lake.

Last week I expressed my feelings about summer bass tournaments. This week we’ll break down and go over the results of my last two ABA (American Bass Anglers) summer events.

First, the Texas Pro League event was held on Lake Tyler on June 21 as hot temperatures and high winds made fishing difficult for some, but not for everyone.

It seems that no matter how difficult the fishing might be in any bass tournament, someone will figure out how to catch a big bag. It doesn’t matter if there are 200 boats or 20, somebody will figure it out!

That was pretty much the case for the Lake Tyler event, as Zach Fogal (2024 Angler of the Year) decided to show out a little as he came to the scales with five bass weighing over 36 pounds! That’s right, you read it right- 36 pounds! To put this in perspective, the next closest angler was Wyatt Frankens of Corrigan, Texas, with 27.84.

This event was dominated offshore by these two guys who are really good with forward facing sonar. It’s just another example of how good some guys are with this technology.

For me, this was a tough tournament as I struggled to catch a five-fish limit and only brought four fish to the scales. But the fish I caught were descent size fish as I managed to finish ninth with a little over 13 pounds and got some good points, keeping me in the Top 10 (seventh) in the overall points race.

Next was the ABA Solo 150 held June 27-28 on Lake Palestine. Once again, Fogal, a Longview native, backed his boat in the water and blew the field away as most everyone knew he would. Some anglers are just on another level and Zach is that guy!

Turns out, Zach came to the scales and spanked all of us with a two-day total of over 56 pounds, winning this event by an amazing 18.4 pounds! Catching this kind of weight in June used to be unheard of, but not today with forward-facing sonar as it’s becoming more of the norm no matter what lake it is.

This event for me was the tale of two days, as on Day 1 I came in with 15.80 pounds. and was sitting in third going into Day 2.

But what a difference a day makes! Day 2 was filled with one lost fish after another, as I lost a four-pounder on the first dock I pulled up on. Then I lost two three-pounders in 10 minutes, not to mention the eight-pounder I lost four feet from the boat on Day 1.

I wound up in sixth place overall, as I had a two-day total of 25.47 pounds. Day 2 really hurt me, bringing in five bass just under 10 pounds. The fish just didn’t seem to take the bait as well. Several guys complained about losing fish on Day 2.

Bass fishing is a funny sport that sometimes defies explanation! You would think in a tournament this time of year (summer), and with no major weather change, that the fishing would be the same day in and day out. But no, for some reason the bass decided they just weren’t as hungry on Day 2 as they were on Day 1.

But make no mistake, I still hate summertime bass tournaments! It would not bother me in the least if tournament trails suspended bass tournaments for the months of July and August. It’s just not worth everything you have to go through as anglers with the heat, babysitting fish all day, and constant fighting against recreational boaters.

Hope everyone has a great summer and please be safe out there with regards to the heat. Heat exhaustion can creep up on you quickly if you’re not paying attention. Make sure to always drink plenty of water the night before you hit your area lake, either for fishing or just having a good time.

Today, I’m going to hop on my soap box. There aren’t many things that I truly hate, but summer bass tournaments would be at the top of the list! 

Now why would this be? For several reasons that I’ll get into later, but the most obvious one –IT’S BLAZING HOT! It’s a time of year when anglers become babysitters, trying to keep their 5-fish limit breathing for eight hours in a live well.

Summer bass tournaments in the South are a grind for both anglers and the bass. The fishing is good the first hour, but can be horrendous the rest of the day. With daytime temperatures reaching the mid to upper 90s and humidity levels over 90 percent, it takes all the fun out of fishing, especially during the months of July and August.

A few tournament trails have or will drop their daily fish limit down from five to three which really helps in so many ways. For one, it allows for better survival rate, as there are less fish to manage in your live well and it means less bass being handled at the weigh-in. 

Some anglers hate the three-fish limit tournaments as they think it levels the playing field too much. They feel anyone can get lucky and catch three good fish. But if you go back and look at three-fish tournament results over the years, it turns out that the same guys who win with a five-fish limit are still at the top of the tournament standings with three fish. 

My personal reasons for hating summer tournaments would begin with the exhaustion you feel at the end of the day fishing in high temperatures. Fishing in 95 degree-plus temperatures drains the life out of an angler.

Next gripe — I hate it when sweat is dripping off my nose or running down my butt! The heat just makes fishing difficult and unenjoyable.

But what I really look forward to the most is nighttime cramps that occur after fishing in the hot sun all day. There’s nothing more fun than waking up in the middle of the night as your calf muscles or hamstrings decide to tighten up like a guitar string. Thank the Lord above for pickle juice, as there’s pretty much nothing better for eliminating cramps! 

Another gripe — everything in your boat is blazing hot and will leave a mark on your butt if you sit on one of those latches that’s a part of the storage lockers. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up being branded like cattle at a stockyard. 

Then there’s the wear and tear on your electronics which are large investments, as these units can cost up to $5,000 each.  It’s also hard on your rods and reels and the fishing line spooled on each reel.  Nothing is harder on your equipment than the hot sun!

As anglers, we must take precautions to protect ourselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays. As a Melanoma survivor, I can attest to all the things I have to do in order to fish in high temperatures. These days, I always wear long sleeve UV protective shirts, a wide brim hat, long pants (most of the time) and plenty of sunscreen.

But my main reason for hating summer bass tournaments — it’s just not fun! It’s a miserable way to spend your day sweating to the oldies on the front deck of a bass boat! ZERO FUN!

The next issue (as if I need anymore) would be dealing with all the crazy recreational boaters like pontoon boats, jet skis and those awesome stupid wake boats that put out four-foot-high waves and disrupt everyone and everything on the lake! Sorry wake boaters, but there should be a limit to the size of the waves you all put out! 

One rule I would like to see implemented strictly for wake boaters would be that they are not allowed on the lake until after 2 p.m. This way there would be no conflict with bass boaters and wake boats being on the lake at the same time, as most summer bass tournaments are over by 2 in the afternoon. 

Now I know I’ll get some good fan mail over my wake boater comments, but at least I’ll know they read my article! Just kidding wake boaters, hope y’all have fun as well, but keep your wakes down please! 

‘Til next time, enjoy your hot summer days on the lake as I hope and pray you won’t see me out there very often. 

In August of 1979, I loaded my ’71 Buick LeSabre and headed from east Texas to Louisiana and Northwestern State University. The opportunity to continue my athletic career was a scholarship offer to play both football and baseball at NSU. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I was also excited and scared all at the same time.

Back then, the NSU football staff would send a workout program at the beginning of the summer that you needed to follow in order to show up in shape for two-a-days. Being an incoming freshman and not knowing what to expect, I showed up in the best shape of my life. 

That summer I held down three jobs. One was working from 5-7:30 each morning for a company called Tex Pac, which was similar on a smaller scale to today’s FedEx. Then I would head for the Texas Highway Department from 8-5. My evening job was working for Dixie Youth from 6-9:30 keeping score and doing general field maintenance. Then I would do my NSU workout in the dark from 10-11:30 at the high school track and football field. 

Let’s just say that sleeping was not a problem for me during this time. I will also admit that a Tex Pac co-worker who was a close friend of mine (Bill Curry) had to knock on my door a few times to make sure I got up. But everything considered, I was fairly responsible at making sure I was on time for all my summer jobs. 

The day finally came to load the car and head for Louisiana. Little did I know at the time that this would be the greatest journey of my life. It would alter my future in ways I could never imagine. 

It was a three-hour drive from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, to Natchitoches and NSU. I can still remember asking myself, “Am I good enough to play on the Division 1 level? Will I be able to compete with these guys? Will my teammates accept me for the person I am, and will I fit in?” 

These are questions every athlete asks when making that jump from high school to college. But as I arrived in the parking lot at the football dorm on NSU campus, I was immediately greeted by a couple of Demon football players — offering me a solo cup of cold beer that was being iced down in three horse troughs. 

Being from east Texas and growing up in a dry town, I was raised on Kool-Aid and sweet tea, along with a daily glass of milk. The thought of a beer just did not sit well. Even over time, I never developed a taste for beer.  

It did not take me long to realize that I was no longer in east Texas anymore! Coming to Louisiana was a culture shock for me, to say the least, but one that I would embrace. All the guys (teammates) were so welcoming and supporting that it helped to make the transition easier. 

Leaving home for the first time in 1979 and being on my own really helped me to grow up. We all thought that when we turned 18, we knew everything, and our parents knew nothing. We thought we were ready to tackle the world, and while most of us were, we still made dumb decisions. But this is all a part of the maturation process that each of us goes through, and hopefully survives, coming out a better person on the other side. 

Looking back, my college experience was awesome as I played football and baseball with some of the greatest athletes that ever played at Northwestern. It was an experience that changed my life forever. I met my wife (Sherrie) of 44 years, and we raised three beautiful children and continue to live in Natchitoches to this day.

When we’re young, we don’t always recognize how great an opportunity is until it’s all over. To every athlete out there that gets the opportunity to play on the collegiate level, don’t waste it! 

Take advantage and make the most of your time in college. Additionally, make sure to show appreciation to those who granted you that chance to extend your athletic career. But more importantly, thank them for the opportunity to get a college degree!

Welcome to 2025 and the information highway known as the internet. Here a person can explore, search, and check vast amounts of useful and useless content. There’s literally nothing a person can’t find on the worldwide web. But for bass fishermen, it’s also an unlimited source of information that can help an angler understand any body of water with just a few clicks. 

But the word “information” can be a tricky term for tournament anglers. In some cases, you might say it’s a dirty word and can get a tournament angler in a lot of trouble. Bass tournaments have a plethora of rules that can boggle the mind of the intelligent.

How, where, and from whom the angler gets his tournament info is critical to being able to pass a polygraph test. This is a test given at the end of a tournament in which an angler is asked a series of questions pertaining to the rules of a particular tournament circuit.  

Not all tournament trails are the same and each one may have a few rules that might not apply to another trail. For example, the rules for team trails will be a little different than those of an individual pro circuit in which the angler fishes by himself. 

But of all the rules in the tournament world, the “no information” rule might be the most abused, as there tends to be too much grey area depending on how the rule is written. It’s similar to the Bible in that it can be open to interpretation.

It’s also the rule that anglers tend to bend or break as they search for anything that can help them win a bass tournament. Some circuits do not allow anglers to talk to anyone or receive information about tournament waters from someone who is not in the event. 

For example, hiring or calling a lake guide during the dead water period can be a major no-no; and yet they do it anyway and feel they can pass the polygraph no matter what. Everyone is OK until the day comes when the tournament director calls their name to take a polygraph test. 

One thing I’ve been seeing on the high school level for years is how parents or boat captains are hiring full-time fishing guides, not to teach them how to find fish, but showing them where fish are! This is not helping these youngsters to learn anything. In fact, it’s handicapping them for future success!

Look, we all want our kids to succeed, but wouldn’t it be better if they did it on their own and not because the parents had the money to hire the best guide on the lake? What lessons are we teaching these young anglers by doing that?

The best advice I can give all the up-and-coming high school and college anglers is to learn to find fish on your own. Don’t rely on a guide or another buddy for information. It’s much more gratifying when you win with fish YOU found rather than just catching another angler’s fish. 

Always remember, it’s not easy catching another angler’s fish. Never rely on other’s fishing information because it’s usually old and unreliable. The reports you read, even on the internet, are more often than not two to three days old. When bass fishing, a lot can change in two or three days. 

Learn to trust yourself and your ability to locate schools of fish on your own. Because in the end, tournament fishing is all about you versus the fish, not you versus the other anglers. 

During the span of a lifetime, we are met with this question. For example, when is it time to change jobs, get married, have kids, or retire? Everyone has a different timeline for each of these questions. But the one thing we ALL want is the ability to make these decisions when we are ready and on our own terms. 
 
Everyone that has played a particular sport, especially at a high level, wants to walk away when they are ready, not when someone tells them they are no longer good enough. 
 
I’ve always wanted to be in control no matter what, and the one thing I’ve always told myself was, “When it’s no longer fun or I’m no longer competitive, it’s time to walk away.” I have applied this rule of thumb throughout my athletic career and will do so with regards to my fishing career. 
 
I’ve been fishing tournaments since the early 1990’s and have enjoyed almost every minute of it! Sure, there’ve been some ups and downs just like any other sport, but the friends I have made and the good times I’ve shared with so many can never be taken away. 
 
Another aspect I still enjoy today is trying to figure out how to catch bass. This never gets old for me. And the feeling I get when it all comes together for a tournament, well there’s just no better feeling in the world! It’s what motivates me and drives my competitive fire!
 
Over the years, people who don’t know or understand the sport of bass fishing think it is all luck. Nothing could be further from the truth because if that was the case, why are the same anglers always near the top of the standings?
 
They say luck is where preparation meets opportunity. I’m a firm believer in that saying because if you want to compete with the best anglers on any circuit, you have to do your homework and spend lots of time on the water. In bass fishing, “time on the water” is essential to being successful.
 
So, to answer the question of, “How do we know when it’s time?” – for me, it will be when I can no longer compete with the young guns of the tournament bass fishing world or when it’s no longer fun. 
 
But if all my fishing buddies continue to fish, I’ll still hang around. This has become the main reason I’m still competing today. I’ve been blessed with some of the best dudes an angler could ask for when it comes to travel partners. 
 
We’ve shared in some awesome times, ate some great meals and told a lot of fish stories, some true and some just pure lies! These same stories have been repeated time and time again and are told as if it was the first time we have ever heard them. But that’s ok, it’s all a part of the memories being made that make every trip special. 
 
One thing about tournament anglers, they are unique in many ways and are a little stingy when it comes to fishing information. We’ll try and help each other a little, but may not always reveal every detail on how we are catching fish. 
 
There’s also a great bond with all anglers that travel and stay together on the road. Each is always willing to help the other in their time of need, whether it’s a boat breakdown on the water or a blown trailer tire on the road. They are like the Marines; no man will be left behind!
 
This is why I’m still doing it at the age of 64 and will continue as long as my health is good, I can still get bites, and hopefully cash a check once in a while.

‘Til next time, here’s to wishing all anglers tight lines and good times fishing! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

As an athlete growing up, I always heard that practice makes perfect. Now we all know that statement might not always hold true. I’ve had a lot of practice over the years at such things as golf and bass fishing, but I’m still searching to get better at both. Today, we’ll look how practicing for a bass tournament has changed in the last five years. 

As former NBA great Alan Iverson stated one time in a press conference when asked about his practice habits or lack thereof, “Are we talking about practice? I mean we’re talking about practice! We’re talking about practice, man!” 

While he was obviously frustrated when the media questioned his practice habits, the point he made was that on the NBA level, it’s not about practice but rather what you bring to the floor on game day. 

Tournament bass fishing is pretty much the same way. You can go out and catch all the fish you want during practice, but the only thing that matters is what you bring to the scales on tournament day. 

Some anglers are great in practice and will tell the world how well they are catching them. But for some reason, when tournament day rolls around, they never seem to have the fish they need to win. 

There’s one thing I learned early in my career from a couple of mentors who took a liking to me and were willing to pass along a little of their knowledge that would help me become a better angler. They both told me that it makes no sense to sore mouth the bass two days before the tournament. 

They taught me how to cover my hooks with clear IV tubing on my spinnerbaits and jigs in order to make sure I didn’t hook fish while practicing. Because once bass are hooked, in some cases, it may take up to five days before they will bite again. 

They educated me about shaking fish off in order to ensure they are not hooked. They taught me how to use a screw lock which allows an angler to fish soft plastic worms without a hook, therefore guaranteeing they would not be hooked before the tournament. 

But fast forward to 2025 and you’ll see young anglers today scouting without a single fishing rod on the deck of their boat. They are totally tuned into and observing the electronics on their boats. 

Today’s younger generation of anglers simply idle around doing what they call “steering wheel time” while sitting behind the console of their boat looking at two or three computer screens scanning and marking schools of bass and baitfish that they will return to on tournament day. 

These anglers are so good with their electronics that they can tell if the fish they are looking at are quality or not. They will never wet a hook or even pull out a rod during practice, which for an old school angler like me, is insane!

But there are still a few old school anglers who will hook and catch every bass that bites during practice. They want to look and see the size of the fish that might be in a certain area they will be fishing on tournament day.

No matter how an angler practices for an event, he or she still must find and figure out how to make those fish bite. But this is what makes practice so important and is how anglers win tournaments. Practice, practice and more practice!

In today’s tournament bass fishing world, if you listen closely, you’ll hear the music to the popular soap opera TV series “The Young and the Restless” or maybe “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Today we’ll take a look at all the drama tournament bass fishing is going through that would make any soaps fan jealous. 

If you noticed, I was not specific to professional bass fishing. That’s because there’s drama on all levels of tournament bass fishing. Whether it’s a local bass club event, BFL’s, ABA’s, Toyota Series or a benefit tournament, no event is immune to drama. 

People have often asked why all the drama today? Well, I personally think a lot of this started when the Bassmaster Elite Series decided to split with over 80 anglers jumping over to the newly formed MLF, known as Major League Fishing. 

Tensions were high during this split in 2018 as anglers made career decisions on whether to stay with B.A.S.S. or go to MLF. Friendships were lost and enemies created over these decisions.

This split was similar to what happened with professional golf as the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour created a lot of drama as golfers made decisions based on the opportunity to earn more guaranteed money. 

Social media has thrived with controversy swirling around tournament anglers. Disqualifications for rules violations by highly-regarded anglers has had both of the professional organizations dealing with constant negativity. 

The “no information” rule has also been a problem as anglers have been failing polygraph exams. There’s also been controversy with anglers cheating when catching bass outside the mouth when site fishing, which is a rules violation. 

But in today’s world, bad behavior is rewarded with social media clicks. Anglers know that it’s all about how many “views” or “likes” they can gather on social media which draws more attention to them and their sponsors. 

It goes back to the adage, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Sponsors of both B.A.S.S. and MLF have learned to turn their heads when it comes to bad behavior with anglers not following the rules. 

So, back to our original question — is social media good or bad for competitive bass fishing? It all depends on who you ask. As far as the sport of bass fishing goes, I think it has been both good and bad. The good part has been the amount of information anglers can get about a particular body of water. It can also be a great place to share fishing information and celebrate a recent victory or a high finish. 

The bad side of social media is when people spread gossip; most of which is not true. They use it for what I call “feeding the beast.” It has also been known as a place where people vent their frustrations and express their feelings waiting on anyone to respond so they can engage in hate.

Like so many other things in today’s world, social media divides us and has become a landing spot for negativity. It’s up to us as individuals if we want to participate in the hostility or just keep on scrolling.

‘Til next time, good luck with your fishing and stay safe.  

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com