There are a several different factors that make good anglers good. The ability to stay focused throughout an entire fishing day is one.
Another is the ability to find fish in a short amount of time, but probably the most important factor is the angler’s catch phrase, the first thing that comes out of your mouth after catching a good one.
The biggest names in this sport have killer catch phrases. KVD: “Lights Out!” Iaconelli: “Never Give Up!” Zona: … well this article is not big enough to include all his crazy phrases.
I’m pretty sure my catch phrase is right up there with the best: “Yeah bass!”
“Yeah bass!” might not seem like much when you first read it, but give it time, it will grow on you. Say it loud, and with feeling, and you will get what I mean.
What separates a good catch phrase from just a boring “yes!” is that it stays with you even after you are off the water. If you’re bored at work or having a bad day, you just pick up the phone and call your fishing buddy and say those two little words “Yeah Bass!” and you’re feeling good again.
It all started about eight years ago when I was in high school. My buddies and I were obsessed with fishing and we watched fishing shows all the time. We saw one show where Ken Cook said “Yeah bass!” after catching a big one, and after that it stuck with us. I don’t know if it was Ken’s catch phrase, or if he just said it that one time. Either way, “Thanks, Ken, for the inspiration.”
For several years, there were at least five or six of us saying it. We would say it on the lake, at school, and pretty much everywhere. As the years went on, most of my friends quit saying it for some reason, and now only two of us still say it.
My friend, Roger, and I have kept the tradition alive. I actually have to give him credit because he got me hooked into saying it.
Roger loves night fishing and he would always try to get me to go with him on Friday nights after school. I don’t really like night fishing because I get too sleepy, but I would go sometimes.
One night, we had been fishing for several hours and the fish weren’t biting that good, so I decided to sit down to take a nap. I think I had only been asleep for 30 minutes when I got awoken with a 4-pound bass in my lap and a very loud “Yeah bass!”
He flipped the fish right in my lap and timed the saying perfectly. It was hilarious, and we laughed about it for hours. After that, I knew that “Yeah bass!” was the catch phrase for me.
Next time you catch a big ‘un, give it a try. I’m pretty sure your fishing ability will increase dramatically.
Just remember, the bigger the fish, the louder you have to say it. I hope I will be saying it loudly all next year! If I catch one in the double digits, it could get a little out of hand.
Yeah bass!