Happy angler holds up a 7 pound bass caught during a tournament on Lake Eufaula, AL. Photo credit: David Muenker
Nothing keeps a serious bass angler away from the water – and the chance for big prize winnings. Not rain. And certainly not raw chilly temperatures. The first Saturday of February, more than 100 boats with two anglers each, sped into Lake Eufaula to compete for that day’s bass tournament purse. The ambient temperature was in the low 30s with a stiff wind blowing.
Known as the Bass Fishing Capital of the World, Lake Eufaula is the bass fisherman’s Mecca. Tournaments throughout the year give them countless reasons to haul their sleek bass boats (worth as much as $200,000) to the marina at LakePoint Resort State Park, pay the entry fee, partner up with a stranger (keeps the anglers honest), and fish from safelight (pre-sunrise) until mid-afternoon.
Then they weigh in. Perhaps place. Possibly win some big bucks. And then they release the caught bass, dead or alive, into the lake.
Bass fishing obviously has its rewards. An excuse for another “toy” (rod, boat, etc.). A day on the lake away from it all. Camaraderie. And the sheer joy of reeling in a big one!
