PALATKA, Fla. — Chris Lane’s 37-pound, 9-ounce bag from Day 2 of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River is the kind of thing anglers dream about.
And when he brought that sack to the scales, the audience jumped for joy, just like Lane had been doing all day in the boat while he was catching lunker after lunker. And, of course, he yelled “Pow!” when he was catching ’em.
Rght after he came off the water for practice at Table Rock in Missouri, Lane took fan questions in a B.A.S.S. Twitter chat, regarding that win. One fan asked why “pow” is his word of choice and not “bam” or “boom.”
“I don’t know,” said Lane, laughing. “I speak my emotions, and that just came out!”
Below is the transcript from the chat in its entirety. Check out transcripts from Twitter chats with other pros here, and follow @BASS_Nation on Twitter for the latest in everything fishing.
Hi, @ChrisLaneFish! Thanks for joining the Twitter chat, and congratulations on your big victory!
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Glad to be back on Twitter, that means things are good! Happy to join everyone and what a great opportunity to win in Florida!
What’s the weather like right now at Table Rock?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Cloudy, windy and hot!
Helen Northcutt @HelenNorthcutt
Hi, @ChrisLaneFish! Congrats on your win at the St. Johns! How are feeling about the upcoming @BASS_nation event on Table Rock?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
I’m looking forward to it! Trying to get my first check fishing a lake in the Ozarks.
HeltonvilleFishnTips @Helt_Fishing
Shallow in spring for bass right?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Yes, that is correct.
What is your favorite lure for the spawn?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Can’t go wrong with the new Luck-E-Strike that I used in Florida. It’s a soft stick style bait that works really well.
Awesome thanks!! Good luck the rest of the year. Rooting for you! You got me the W last week in fantasy!!
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Good, be careful who you pick this week!
I got a good lineup! Still rooting for you though.
Hey, @ChrisLaneFish. That was a huge sack of fish on St. Johns. What pattern do you expect on Table Rock?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Thank you! I expect a prespawn bite here.
You’re our most Twitter-chatted pro so far, @ChrisLaneFish! This is our fourth chat with you. You’re becoming a pro at this.
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
No, y’all are pros at this! I just respond to the fans’ questions!
Have you decided to do anything fun with your winnings from St. Johns?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
I haven’t had time to think about it, but I’ll probably take the family on vacation.
Chris, are you looking forward to the Delaware River?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish 32m
I’ve never been there, so yes! I like having new experiences.
Did you think your area held the caliber of fish it did?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Yes, I did. Anywhere in Florida you can expect a big bite.
Did you test out “Bam!” or “Boom!” before arriving at “Pow!” ?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Ha! Oh, man. That’s a good one. Pow came out at the Classic. I speak my emotions. I didn’t even think about Bam or Boom.
Chris, how do you enjoy the GoPro cameras in your boat?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
You don’t really play to them, it just allows for the opportunity for good coverage that you wouldn’t normally get.
What Elite Series fishery are you looking forward to visiting on the trail this year?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
We’ve done my two favorites already, but heading forward I’m excited about visiting Toledo Bend.
Ice just left here in Iowa. Should crank baits be my main focus for catching bass? What other baits would work?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Yes, crankbaits would be a good pick.
What gear changes do you make from St. John’s to gin clear Table Rock?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
You go from 65-pound Stren Sonic braid to 6- to 10-pound fluorocarbon, so that’s a big difference. Water clarity is a big on Table Rock & you don’t have any vegetation, so you don’t have to worry about getting hung up.
Chris, who would you pick for your Fantasy Fishing team this week?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
The local guys @StratosMike, Jeff Kriet, Brian Snowden and @kevin_short would be at the top of my list.
Florida is always dominated by guys from Florida. Why don’t guys from other states defend their home waters as well?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Florida is so much grass and vegetation that if you don’t grow up there, it’s difficult to figure it out.
Were you happy with the way your town rallied around the Classic at Guntersville this year?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
That was pretty awesome! It was an emotional day.
Chris, how did you feel when you realized you had a sack that big?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
It felt fantastic but it’s a 4 day tournament, not a 1 day tournament. I knew I had more days to fish.
Did you realize it was over 37 pounds?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
I did. The big fish were biting that day. You don’t get many days like that!
Daniel Goodwin @goodwindaniel83
What are your top three baits for pre-spawn fishing?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
You gotta go with a swimmin’ frog, a stick bait and a Rat-L-Trap or rattle-type bait.
Daniel Goodwin @goodwindaniel83
Thank you sir, good luck the rest of the season.
Chris, this picture was in the @BASS_nation gallery from St. Johns. Surely not! pic.twitter.com/3ruo3GdZpb
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
My day started out catching small fish & as the water warmed up I caught bigger ones. We all know ounces are crucial! And thanks for putting the photo of the big fish up here!
More like it! pic.twitter.com/GRs5BTWnsA
Is it hard competing against your brother sometimes or do you just root each other on?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
We root each other on! Over the past few years it’s been good to watch both of us succeed in this sport.
Chris, a little off topic, but need to know: who’s better at ping pong, you or your brother?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
It’s definitely not James Hall.
Best #GoPro mount for the boat?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
I don’t have the answer to that one.
Chris, what do you think makes Florida fishing so much different than other parts of the country?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Well, it’s all shallow water pretty much everywhere you go in Florida. You get much north of Florida and it’s deeper.
You have a kids’ event coming up soon. Are you looking forward to it?
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
The event is July 26. I love hearing the kids say it’s the first fish they’ve ever caught. This is our 8th year.
Good luck this week on Table Rock! Thanks for joining us, @ChrisLaneFish!
Chris Lane Fishing @ChrisLaneFish
Go catch a bunch of fish – they’re starting to bite!