MONETA, Va. — Getting excited is a part of professional bass fishing, there's no doubt, but John Crews … well, we'll let him tell you.
Said Crews: "I pulled up to a spot, that's a good spot. I got a bite on a worm. I set the hook. And when it jumped, I knew it was a big fish, so I took my time and played him, and then I lipped him. And when I lipped him, I went to set my rod down, behind me, and I got excited."
Crews continued: "Usually — I've done it before — you throw it, and the hook'll catch, because it's on the line. I threw it, and the hook had come out. So I just threw it in the lake."
And he finished: "I turned around and I saw the rod butt sticking out of the water, and I went, 'Oh, my God!' I put the fish in my hand, I locked tight, and I went over there and grabbed the butt of the rod and threw it in the boat, and threw the fish in the livewell. (Question: "If it had come down to the rod, or the fish?") Oh, it's no question. I've got eight other of those rods, but that fish wasn't getting out of my hands. Unless his lips came off."