Editorial by Bobby Tingle

 

The Orange Leader recruited me, in 2013, to help out with an event at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. Apparently a number of ‘elite’ fishermen were coming to town to catch fish. They even had a name: Bassmasters.

I was living on the west side of the Neches River at the time, working for our sister newspaper, and many of us graciously agreed to help out with the event. It never occurred to me that fishing was anything more than a place to go, where you sit on a bank, chew on a piece of grass and wet a hook, enjoy a beverage and soak up some sunshine. Of course, the hook had to have something nasty attached to it. Normally that nasty something comes from a tackle box, jar, trap or some other container.

In the unlikely event a slimy creature happens to attach itself to your hook, in the water and begins to tug on your fishing pole you are forced to deal with another nasty mess attached to your hook once you reel it in. I suppose nasty things on hooks in the water attract bigger nasty things.

Go figure. And folks travel around on purpose to do this.

When I arrived as the Bassmasters event in 2013 I found Van Wade at The Orange Leader tent, fully equipped with printed material, artistically displayed, where I dutifully relieved him of his chore, assuming those duties for my allotted time slot.

After exchanging pleasantries, Van moved on and I settled in. I looked around to take in the big attraction. I could not find one person sitting on the bank, chewing on grass with a hook in the water.

But there were plenty of people and most were eating, drinking, laughing, riding rides and having a good time.

Apparently, they understood the good part of fishing.

This week the City of Orange will place another Bassmasters event on its ‘stringer’. I believe that makes five fishing tournaments now. The Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Bassmasters Opens event at the city of Orange boat dock June 15-17. It is sure to be a great community event.

Each day of the event, festivalgoers can enjoy a carnival., Friday and Saturday will feature a Kids Fish Tank and Gator Country shows with live entertainment beginning at 6 p.m. Colt Ford is the headliner, who, according to his website, has two hit singles, “4 Lane Gone” and “Reload” (featuring Taylor Ray Holbrook). His hits are available on his new album, “Love Hope Faith”. Joining Ford will be Britt Godwin & Company on Saturday night while Curse and the Cure, LN and the Crush and The Ruxpins will handle Friday night entertainment duties.

Fishing is not for me, but Bassmasters are making Orange, Texas one of their go to sites for their fishing events.

Lunker bass beware, the Bassmasters are coming to town.

 

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.