8 days in the life of Don Barone

Follow Don Barone as he covers the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend and journeys onward to Austin, Texas.

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Another 8 days…another 500 miles or so…these 8 days are basically from point
Another 8 days…another 500 miles or so…these 8 days are basically from point “A” to point “B”…
Point
Point “A”…Many, Louisiana and Toledo Bend where…
...2014 Elite event #4 is about to take place but first, Tournament Director Trip Weldon talks to all the Elite anglers about…
…2014 Elite event #4 is about to take place but first, Tournament Director Trip Weldon talks to all the Elite anglers about…
…Elite angler, and my good friend, Kevin Short, who wouldn't be fishing this tournament because a tornado destroyed the home of Kevin and his wife, Kerry, in Mayflower, Arkansas. Trip also told the anglers how they could help the Shorts by...
…Elite angler, and my good friend, Kevin Short, who wouldn’t be fishing this tournament because a tornado destroyed the home of Kevin and his wife, Kerry, in Mayflower, Arkansas. Trip also told the anglers how they could help the Shorts by…
<p>…going to the website that was written down on a pinned up sheet of paper on the tournament board, and making a donation. <a href=
…going to the website that was written down on a pinned up sheet of paper on the tournament board, and making a donation. My prayers go out to all those hit by the storms.
I have to tell you I was pretty upset to hear of all the destruction left behind by the tornado that hit Mayflower and several other southern towns. Whenever I see photos like this I always wonder how nature can do something like this...
I have to tell you I was pretty upset to hear of all the destruction left behind by the tornado that hit Mayflower and several other southern towns. Whenever I see photos like this I always wonder how nature can do something like this…
…while also doing something...
…while also doing something…
…like this. Surround us in beauty one moment, and downright ugliness the next.
…like this. Surround us in beauty one moment, and downright ugliness the next.
Back at the Elite registration, photographer James Overstreet is going downright Hollywood on us. Here he's being interviewed by someone who asked him if he could be a Super Hero, what would be his Super Hero name…I came up with several names but to my knowledge they didn't use any of my suggestions.
Back at the Elite registration, photographer James Overstreet is going downright Hollywood on us. Here he’s being interviewed by someone who asked him if he could be a Super Hero, what would be his Super Hero name…I came up with several names but to my knowledge they didn’t use any of my suggestions.
I figured this was the best way to show you what Stephen Browning's week was like…fish the Central Open, win the Central Open, rush to the Elite event the next day, practice 2 1/2 days, then fish the Elite event. He told me the last few days was pretty much a blur…seems he was right.
I figured this was the best way to show you what Stephen Browning’s week was like…fish the Central Open, win the Central Open, rush to the Elite event the next day, practice 2 1/2 days, then fish the Elite event. He told me the last few days was pretty much a blur…seems he was right.
Myself and my roommates, Shaw Grigsby and Paul Elias, spent the week with Bassmaster Classic champion Tommy Martin and his wife, Sheilah. We spent a bunch of time on sitting on their back porch...
Myself and my roommates, Shaw Grigsby and Paul Elias, spent the week with Bassmaster Classic champion Tommy Martin and his wife, Sheilah. We spent a bunch of time on sitting on their back porch…
…er…Paul spent some time sitting elsewhere, but...
…er…Paul spent some time sitting elsewhere, but…
…thank you Tommy and Sheilah for the great hospitality and food, but not so much for...
…thank you Tommy and Sheilah for the great hospitality and food, but not so much for…
…this crazy little dog who always ran down the driveway and stood there barking at me every time I came or left. I finally made friends with him the last day I was there when I gave him one of my last Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
…this crazy little dog who always ran down the driveway and stood there barking at me every time I came or left. I finally made friends with him the last day I was there when I gave him one of my last Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
I don't know what these are but as far as I know, we don't have flowers like this back up there in Connecticut.
I don’t know what these are but as far as I know, we don’t have flowers like this back up there in Connecticut.
And then it was underway...
And then it was underway…
…the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at...
…the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at…
…a very windy Toledo Bend.
…a very windy Toledo Bend.
You see the dude in the cowboy hat, that's Eric Lopez, E-Low as we call him. He's in charge of basically making the event, AN EVENT….truth is though, E-Low is from Chicago, big U2 fan, Cubs and all that. Not much of a cow-wrangling kind of guy, but I have to tell you, the guy is great wearing any hat like...
You see the dude in the cowboy hat, that’s Eric Lopez, E-Low as we call him. He’s in charge of basically making the event, AN EVENT….truth is though, E-Low is from Chicago, big U2 fan, Cubs and all that. Not much of a cow-wrangling kind of guy, but I have to tell you, the guy is great wearing any hat like…
…the hat he has to wear to get the sponsors at the event to put their sponsor things where E-Low wants them and then the hat that...
…the hat he has to wear to get the sponsors at the event to put their sponsor things where E-Low wants them and then the hat that…
…somehow finds an 11-foot tall cowboy, but I have to tell you something E-Low, just between me and you...
…somehow finds an 11-foot tall cowboy, but I have to tell you something E-Low, just between me and you…
…11-foot cowboys walking around talking on tiny cell phones creeps me out about just as much as clowns. So for the sake of my sanity, and possible flashbacks to 1968, if an 11-foot clown with a cell phone wants to be at an event…please say no, E-Low. Please.
…11-foot cowboys walking around talking on tiny cell phones creeps me out about just as much as clowns. So for the sake of my sanity, and possible flashbacks to 1968, if an 11-foot clown with a cell phone wants to be at an event…please say no, E-Low. Please.
Just in case you think that the only people who show up to watch is the camo crowd…you'd be surprised at just...
Just in case you think that the only people who show up to watch is the camo crowd…you’d be surprised at just…
…how colorful and how many show up to watch weigh-in. Thanks Toledo Bend folks for spending time with us, we appreciate it.
…how colorful and how many show up to watch weigh-in. Thanks Toledo Bend folks for spending time with us, we appreciate it.
And the weigh-in starts…that 1st angler there in this photo, Chris Lane, has already won a Bassmaster Classic…that 2nd angler behind him, Jared Lintner, will one day win a Classic as well.
And the weigh-in starts…that 1st angler there in this photo, Chris Lane, has already won a Bassmaster Classic…that 2nd angler behind him, Jared Lintner, will one day win a Classic as well.
New guy to the tour, Jacob Powroznik whispered to me as he went by,
New guy to the tour, Jacob Powroznik whispered to me as he went by, “My secret fishing spot, all day I was fishing it in a forest fire…”. I didn’t say anything but…
…I'm not too sure his spot was all that secret.
…I’m not too sure his spot was all that secret.
Guess who...
Guess who…
…yep Ott DeFoe, BeFoe and after.
…yep Ott DeFoe, BeFoe and after.
Er, sorry, this is what happens when your camera bumps into your big knee brace…I have many, Many, La., up close shots like this.
Er, sorry, this is what happens when your camera bumps into your big knee brace…I have many, Many, La., up close shots like this.
Me and my bud, the creole seasoning king, Tony Chachere, and when...
Me and my bud, the creole seasoning king, Tony Chachere, and when…
…Tony is stirring something with a shovel, in this case Etouffee, you know there is going to be a ton of the food…Ate-ouffee.
…Tony is stirring something with a shovel, in this case Etouffee, you know there is going to be a ton of the food…Ate-ouffee.
<p>Me and the Swamp People star, T-Roy Broussard. Did a story with him back last week some time, <a href=
Me and the Swamp People star, T-Roy Broussard. Did a story with him back last week some time, you can catch it here. Right after this photo was snapped, T-Roy — who had read in my story on him that I could drive an airboat — asked me if I wanted to take his airboat for a spin. I said, “Yep, would love to hold the stick one more time,”…and we will, can’t wait.
Then the weigh-in started weighing. That's my friend James Niggemeyer up on stage, and on the TV-tron thing. James is on fire this year, has made 4, FOUR out of Four top 50 cuts so far this year…way to go, my friend.
Then the weigh-in started weighing. That’s my friend James Niggemeyer up on stage, and on the TV-tron thing. James is on fire this year, has made 4, FOUR out of Four top 50 cuts so far this year…way to go, my friend.
Stereo Swindle…not actually sure what Swindle would sound like in stereo, could be kind of scary…love ya, G-Man.
Stereo Swindle…not actually sure what Swindle would sound like in stereo, could be kind of scary…love ya, G-Man.
Love…trust me…this is a family sport played by family members…that person sitting out there on the dock all by herself is...
Love…trust me…this is a family sport played by family members…that person sitting out there on the dock all by herself is…
…Trudy Tietje, and she is waiting for...
…Trudy Tietje, and she is waiting for…
…this guy, Elite Series angler Dennis Tietje to...
…this guy, Elite Series angler Dennis Tietje to…
<p>…weigh in…but things didn't go so well for Dennis on his home lake. I did this story about it called <a href=
…weigh in…but things didn’t go so well for Dennis on his home lake. I did this story about it called “Home Field disAdvantage” but even if this tournament didn’t work out as planned…
…you as a dad are a winner when your young son is sitting out in the crowd watching and being all proud of you, like Landon Tietje is of his dad. Dennis, my friend, being a champ dad is really all that matters, but you'll win one of these shindigs some day, I'm sure of that.
…you as a dad are a winner when your young son is sitting out in the crowd watching and being all proud of you, like Landon Tietje is of his dad. Dennis, my friend, being a champ dad is really all that matters, but you’ll win one of these shindigs some day, I’m sure of that.
Family...
Family…
…they are everywhere...
…they are everywhere…
…out...
…out…
…here.
…here.
This tour would be pretty boring without...
This tour would be pretty boring without…
…family out here to help create memories and...
…family out here to help create memories and…
…cheer you on.
…cheer you on.
This is what it looks like as you try to make the 12 cut and...
This is what it looks like as you try to make the 12 cut and…
…fish on Sunday, Championship Sunday. It's tough to get to fish that day, as we cut down from 108 to 50 to 12 to...
…fish on Sunday, Championship Sunday. It’s tough to get to fish that day, as we cut down from 108 to 50 to 12 to…
…one…Jacob Powroznik, the winner of the event and one of the new guys on the tour who is pushing some of the older vets in the sport, which, in fact, is good for both the new and the old, for the entire sport in general, but is especially good for you…the fan.
…one…Jacob Powroznik, the winner of the event and one of the new guys on the tour who is pushing some of the older vets in the sport, which, in fact, is good for both the new and the old, for the entire sport in general, but is especially good for you…the fan.
So, as the sun sets on the event, goodnight from Toledo Bend. I'm heading out to spend a couple days with...
So, as the sun sets on the event, goodnight from Toledo Bend. I’m heading out to spend a couple days with…
…my baby girl, my daughter, Ashley, and my nephew, Shawn, in Austin, Texas, and then I will be back...
…my baby girl, my daughter, Ashley, and my nephew, Shawn, in Austin, Texas, and then I will be back…
…on the road, this time from
…on the road, this time from “B” to “C,” which includes a stop at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork. Look for another one of these snapshot things in…8 days. See ya, db