Don Barone: The Toyota Texas Bass Classic

B.A.S.S. writer Don Barone takes you behind the scenes at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic.

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Welcome to...
Welcome to…
…the Toyota...
…the Toyota…
…Texas Bass Classic...
…Texas Bass Classic…
…where we had 30...
…where we had 30…
…of our Elite anglers competing...
…of our Elite anglers competing…
…including all of Team Toyota.
…including all of Team Toyota.
This is registration where they talk about a lot of things I don't listen to which is why I...
This is registration where they talk about a lot of things I don’t listen to which is why I…
…get looks like this from tournament directors. This is Randy Knight, the tournament director here, but trust me, I get the same kind of look from Trip as well at times.
…get looks like this from tournament directors. This is Randy Knight, the tournament director here, but trust me, I get the same kind of look from Trip as well at times.
After all the blah blah blah stuff I sit down to do a selfie with Randall Tharp but frankly neither one of our arms are long enough to make me look halfway decent so his wife Sara took this photo. BTW…Sara was born and raised up North in Connecticut in Simsbury just a couple of towns over from me up there.
After all the blah blah blah stuff I sit down to do a selfie with Randall Tharp but frankly neither one of our arms are long enough to make me look halfway decent so his wife Sara took this photo. BTW…Sara was born and raised up North in Connecticut in Simsbury just a couple of towns over from me up there.
I forgot what I said to Mike to get this reaction, but whenever I can turn the tables on the dude…yeah, that's a good thing.
I forgot what I said to Mike to get this reaction, but whenever I can turn the tables on the dude…yeah, that’s a good thing.
So the next morning all 50 of the anglers go fishing while I was, sort of, you know, sleeping, but what was going on out on Lake Fork was looking pretty much like this, rods, basses, you know...
So the next morning all 50 of the anglers go fishing while I was, sort of, you know, sleeping, but what was going on out on Lake Fork was looking pretty much like this, rods, basses, you know…
…but back on land it was hot, real hot, sticky-clothes hot, so I spot this vendor...
…but back on land it was hot, real hot, sticky-clothes hot, so I spot this vendor…
…and go up to cool off but got scared when I saw the word
…and go up to cool off but got scared when I saw the word “carrot” but trust me…
…it was dog-gone hot!
…it was dog-gone hot!
KMOO was on site, love the name, listened to the station a bit, was pretty cool...
KMOO was on site, love the name, listened to the station a bit, was pretty cool…
Dudes…DON'T FORGET MOTHER'S DAY…this is a reminder shot.
Dudes…DON’T FORGET MOTHER’S DAY…this is a reminder shot.
CW…over there cleaning the cash register cap.
CW…over there cleaning the cash register cap.
Gotta love this: Texas High School Bass Association…get 'em off the street and on to the lake, do that enough we may turn things around regardless of what Miley or Justin thinks is cool.
Gotta love this: Texas High School Bass Association…get ’em off the street and on to the lake, do that enough we may turn things around regardless of what Miley or Justin thinks is cool.
Do I even need to caption this? Let me begin it…you finish it…here goes:
Do I even need to caption this? Let me begin it…you finish it…here goes: “Daddy…
I don't know this personally, but I'm thinking, this makes parallel parking a whole lot easier…but speaking of parking…I sneak my Tundra inside the fence and park it behind the booth of my friend Chris at Rigid's booth...
I don’t know this personally, but I’m thinking, this makes parallel parking a whole lot easier…but speaking of parking…I sneak my Tundra inside the fence and park it behind the booth of my friend Chris at Rigid’s booth…
…only to come back a couple of hours later to this sight…which makes me freak so I keep walking...
…only to come back a couple of hours later to this sight…which makes me freak so I keep walking…
…and ask if there was a chance I could take this for a spin…
…and ask if there was a chance I could take this for a spin…
…but end up back to Rigid only to see this…we had a discussion about it and all I will admit to is something about: Night. Darkness. My ability to drive within those two things...
…but end up back to Rigid only to see this…we had a discussion about it and all I will admit to is something about: Night. Darkness. My ability to drive within those two things…
Did I say it was hot? I stepped up to the saloon and ordered a beer…Root Beer...
Did I say it was hot? I stepped up to the saloon and ordered a beer…Root Beer…
Ah, hm, guess when I'm REAL hungry, that'll work...
Ah, hm, guess when I’m REAL hungry, that’ll work…
…or maybe this...
…or maybe this…
…for sure this.
…for sure this.
Now normally I don't take photo's of Ter-lets…BUT…this was a PORTABLE toilet backstage…thing had wood floors…molding…thing is better than I have at home…if all these stars and movie types get portable toilets like this…dudes stop yer complaining.
Now normally I don’t take photo’s of Ter-lets…BUT…this was a PORTABLE toilet backstage…thing had wood floors…molding…thing is better than I have at home…if all these stars and movie types get portable toilets like this…dudes stop yer complaining.
My friend Matt Reed, we're going to be doing a story together with...
My friend Matt Reed, we’re going to be doing a story together with…
…this guy, Kelly Jordon about Texas and fishing, that will be up soon.
…this guy, Kelly Jordon about Texas and fishing, that will be up soon.
I'm thinking this guy is taking photos with the Hubble Space Telescope so I turn to see what planet he is aiming at...
I’m thinking this guy is taking photos with the Hubble Space Telescope so I turn to see what planet he is aiming at…
…but it turns out he was shooting the anglers coming back in from Day 1. So all the anglers start docking the boats...
…but it turns out he was shooting the anglers coming back in from Day 1. So all the anglers start docking the boats…
…and all the fans start Instagraming and Facebooking shots...
…and all the fans start Instagraming and Facebooking shots…
…of these guys as they come ashore...
…of these guys as they come ashore…
…and say cheese.
…and say cheese.
So I figure, what the heck, I'll start doing it to…so here I'm paparazzing Edwin and Cliff...
So I figure, what the heck, I’ll start doing it to…so here I’m paparazzing Edwin and Cliff…
…John and Brandon...
…John and Brandon…
…Justin and his wife BreeAnna (hang this one on the wall guys)...
…Justin and his wife BreeAnna (hang this one on the wall guys)…
…Jay (from the service crew) and Tommy (who uses lots of the service crew).
…Jay (from the service crew) and Tommy (who uses lots of the service crew).
Then comes the boys…Keith Combs who won this last year and who...
Then comes the boys…Keith Combs who won this last year and who…
…looks like he may double up. Day 1 he caught over 40 pounds including this fish that weighed in at a shot glass or two over 10 pounds.
…looks like he may double up. Day 1 he caught over 40 pounds including this fish that weighed in at a shot glass or two over 10 pounds.
My friend Kevin comes in to a huge hand from the crowd and he brings with him...
My friend Kevin comes in to a huge hand from the crowd and he brings with him…
…a pretty huge fish but as we walk backstage together he tells me,
…a pretty huge fish but as we walk backstage together he tells me, “db I saw the biggest bass of my life out there, maybe 13, 14 pounds…I’m gonna go try and get it.” I had no doubt about that.
So, weigh-in is about over and me being a guitar freak I see these up on the stage and as I shoot them I see...
So, weigh-in is about over and me being a guitar freak I see these up on the stage and as I shoot them I see…
…this, a guy named Mike restringing a guitar. Mike tells me that he restrings EVERY guitar before EVERY performance, sometimes when the band is sweating he will restring the guitars DURING the performance when the band members pick up different guitars.
…this, a guy named Mike restringing a guitar. Mike tells me that he restrings EVERY guitar before EVERY performance, sometimes when the band is sweating he will restring the guitars DURING the performance when the band members pick up different guitars.
The main guy using the guitar that Mike is restringing is Grammy-nominated, country western singer, Pat Green...
The main guy using the guitar that Mike is restringing is Grammy-nominated, country western singer, Pat Green…
…I've got a few of his songs on my iPod including his hit song, Wave on Wave so...
…I’ve got a few of his songs on my iPod including his hit song, Wave on Wave so…
…it was cool to meet the man.
…it was cool to meet the man.
And then they fired up the speakers (this is just ONE SIDE of the stage) and...
And then they fired up the speakers (this is just ONE SIDE of the stage) and…
…the concert began. Thanks Pat for the time you took out for the photo, and thank you Texas and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic for the invite and the hospitality. Big state, big hearts.
…the concert began. Thanks Pat for the time you took out for the photo, and thank you Texas and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic for the invite and the hospitality. Big state, big hearts.