Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
I’m writing this on Friday so I can spend next week and the week after with Becky and the kids. Right now I’m down on Guntersville trying to get ready for the Classic. Those of you who read this column on a regular basis know the drill.
This trip is not about fishing, although I have to say it’s tempting. This is a really good bass lake. What I’m trying to do is familiarize myself with the lake and see what’s changed since the last time I fished it. At this time it’s impossible to know what the conditions will be like in late February. We could be looking for prespawn bass, bedding bass or possibly even some postspawn fish.
Guntersville has a lot of different kinds of fishing in it. I need to find as many of the spots on the spots as I can. You never know when you might need them. That’s especially true when you stop to think about all the grass that’s here.
Grass changes from year to year and, because there’s so much of it in Guntersville, you have to figure out where and how to fish it. You can’t get away with throwing at a patch of weeds like you can on some lakes.
It’s important to nail down running times, too. I want to know how long it’ll take me to go from one spot to another, down to the minute. This is a Bassmaster Classic. Wasted time will kill you, and so will being late. With a field like we have there’s no forgiveness. One mistake that amounts to anything and you’re done.
My scouting work should be completed by this weekend. When you read this I’ll be home with the family getting ready for Christmas. All four of the kids will be there so it’ll be something really special.
We usually have a big meal — it’s more like a feast — on Christmas Eve and then we all go to bed early. During the night Santa will come and put out all the gifts. On Christmas morning we’ll get up early and open them.
The rest of the day will be spent playing with our new toys, telling stories about Christmas past and just enjoying each other’s company.
Becky and I haven’t gone out on New Year’s Eve for several years because the kids are little. This year will be about the same except that we’ll have friends over to celebrate a little. Our new house has a bar and a recreation area in it that’s never been properly broken in. We’re going to change that this year.
I want to thank all of my fans for their support during 2013, especially those that stayed with me during the tough times. (That was most of the year, wasn’t it?) It’s hard for me to express what you mean to me. Sometimes I don’t say thanks often enough to you, nor do I say it loud enough. Let me correct that today as best I can. THANKS!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Mike Iaconelli’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitteror visit his website, Mikeiaconelli.com.
