Downtime Means Time in the Woods for Pro Anglers 11-24-09

gengberg November 24th, 2009

Downtime means time in the woods for pro anglersSome of them will be in the woods. Some are in duck blinds, or getting blinds ready for waterfowl season. Others may head out with youngsters for squirrel or rabbit hunting.

When it comes time for the post-season after the professional bass fishing circuits end, the anglers put down their rods and pick up bows and guns. Chances are if you call some of them and ask what they’re doing, they may either (A) have their cell phones turned off, (B) you’ll go straight to voice mail or (C) they’ll say, “Hunting. Let me call you later.”

Later, of course, may be two days. Or 10. Depends on where they are and how keen they are on returning the call. Their phones ring non-stop during the boat show and tournament seasons. Even during practice for tournaments and on tournament days, they get calls. They don’t answer those on tournament days, but people still call.

Back in September when the Bassmaster Elite Series was holding its final two events in Alabama, I called Gerald Swindle for a little preview. Swindle, a good ol’ country redneck from Alabama, answered from some Godforsaken place out in New Mexico where he was trying to get an elk hunt started.

“Waiting on the tailgate for my clothes to get here,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to hunt if you don’t have anything to wear other than what you have on your body.”

He got his clothes and had a fine hunt, albeit without an elk to fill his tag, but otherwise enjoyed getting into the wilds. Last week, fellow Alabama pro Tim Horton returned a call after being in Canada for a deer hunt two hours north of Saskatoon with one of his sponsors, Jim Bishop Toyota.

“It was incredible just being up there in 120,000 acres and seeing some new areas, and getting to hunt for some really big bucks,” Horton said. “I passed on a 5-by-6 the first day that probably scored about 170 because I’d been in the stand for two hours and didn’t want to be done early for the week. But I never saw another one that big.”

Horton connected on a 140-class buck with a pair of drop tines, which have great character and always are a conversation-starter. He said the group of seven ended the hunt with a 197-class, 172-class and five 140- to 160-class bucks.

I talked with Swindle briefly last week and he was wrapping up a few errands and obligations before heading out.

“I’m going to the woods, I don’t care if it rains or is sunny and may just sit there in the quiet,” he said. “I’m going to hunt, sleep and enjoy being outside. A guy’s gotta have some downtime to dial it back a bit every now and then.”

Agreed.

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