Meet Jason Swanson and his friend Buddy, from Plano, Texas. They are making a tenth consecutive visit to the Bassmaster Classic Expo.
Swanson is a member of the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation and just returned from a regional qualifier held on Lake Amistad. He wouldn’t miss the chance to visit the Classic, though.
Last year he flew on a commercial airliner to the Classic in Greenville, S.C., and Buddy missed the trip.
“More people asked me where Buddy was than how I was doing,” muses Swanson, a member of the Denton County Bass Club.
Just after this picture was taken a well wisher from the past stopped to say hello.
Buddy, 6 years old, is Swanson’s service dog. Swanson also fishes the Paralyzed Veterans of America tournaments. He’s not a military veteran and the organization welcomes any persons with similar disabilities.