PAA Spirit Burns Strongly

PAA Communications

Each year during the July 4 holidays we hear about the “Spirit of 1776” that helped lay the foundation of our great nation.

Men and women came together, fibers in the fabric woven to create the tapestry of a new country. We know of some of the famous individual “fibers” from our history books … George Washington, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, the signers of our Declaration of Independence, Lewis and Clark, and others. Those are the stars who guided and led, whose names are familiar.

We also know hear about the other individuals who may not have achieved international fame but provided strong fibers throughout the budding nation. Bootstrappers who set forth into an unknown wilderness, literally, with expectations, dreams and courage. They established new communities, spread new ideas and were as important in helping build our nation as those other well-known stars of history.

The spirit of the PAA was alive and well during the recent Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series event at Table Rock Lake. In what seemed like a non-stop test of patience and intestinal fortitude, PAA members and staff met every challenge head-on.

“As president, at your first event you want everything to run smoothly and this was a true test of organizational skills and leadership,” said PAA President Dave Mansue. “Danny provided most of that the entire week. It seemed like every turn, something was going wrong.”

Hurdle No. 1

PAA Program Director Danny Blandford got a phone call about 9 p.m. Monday evening, which is normally when the staff arrives in the host city to begin setup the following morning.

Thinking he needed to give Tournament Director Randy Knight some directions to the hotel, Blandford instead found out that Knight’s truck was broken down in Oklahoma … with the weigh-in trailer. Blandford began working the telephone. Knight and his tournament staff slept in the truck waiting 12 hours for a tow truck.

Wohali pro Terry Butcher of Oklahoma offered his dually with gooseneck to haul the trailer. Early Tuesday morning, Blandford took off to Oklahoma in the truck, picked up the PAA trailer and turned around with it and the tournament staff. They arrived in Branson and immediately began setup at Chateau on the Lake marina.

The trailer was spot-on when the tournament began less than 48 hours later. Then, another PAA member – Skeeter pro Bradley Hallman of Oklahoma – drove from Branson to his home, dropped off his boat and then went back to Branson to get the PAA trailer and tournament staff to return to Oklahoma. He dropped them off near McAlester, where Knight’s truck was being repaired.

“He was ready to take us to Texas if I needed him to, and I wouldn’t let him,” Knight said. “Bradley and Terry came through in a big way for us and I certainly appreciated it.”

Hurdle No. 2

With any morning launch, anglers are eager to get to the blastoff site and get out to start their day.

Strike King pro Mark Menendez of Kentucky found himself in a pickle on Day 1, though. He ran aground on a long, shallow bar and was helpless until PAA members pitched in with ropes and good will.

New member Phil Rein tied up to Menendez’s boat, and Cody Bird tied up to Rein’s boat. Good intentions don’t always prove reliable though. With many other members pushing Mark’s boat, the group was successful in getting Menendez’s boat off the bar, but Rein was flooded by outboard spray from Bird’s boat. Rein’s rig sustained significant damage.

Rein was able to fish a little bit on Day 1 before boat troubles sent him in, but rebounded to catch ‘em on Day 2. Mansue emailed Rein with his thanks and gratitude for exhibiting the spirit of the PAA.

“It’s my understanding that you went to great length to fish our event and like so many, you were looking forward to competing,” Mansue wrote. “I’m certain you had no idea that your generosity and kindness would eventually take you out of contention. However, it is this exact spirit and camaraderie that makes bass fishing such a wonderful sport. The fact that you jumped right in to help Mark Menendez get his boat back in the water to the detriment of your own boat was exemplary. I can’t tell you how delighted I was to see you back on the water on Day 2 and how happy I was for you that you caught ‘em!

“Bass fishing and the PAA needs more anglers like you, for it is the spirit you exhibited that will make us all better people and successful. I hope you will continue to be a part of the PAA.”

Mansue said looking back a few weeks after the event, he’s still amazed at how even in the heat of the moment people react to help.

“Terry Butcher and Bradley Hallman stepping up was amazing,” he said. “When Mark ran aground, the fact so many guys stopped to help is so evident of the character of the PAA. Phil Reins saved his money to fish with us and sustained some damage to his own boat helping get Mark unstuck, but didn’t hesitate to help. The PAA was the organization Phil wanted to fish with and we’re certainly glad to have him among our ranks.”

Hurdle No. 3

Big events always have hurdles, so it’s not surprising that something goes haywire at some point during the planning process. Everyone loves the sausage … no one really wants to see or know how it’s made, though.

But those backstories are what help bind people and organizations into cohesive units. Things happen, people step up. They put on another cap or two and get the job done.

The week wasn’t over at Table Rock. Blandford was involved in an incident and sustained damage to his personal vehicle. Roughly an hour or so before the Day 2 weigh-in, a gust of wind ripped off part of the awning on the PAA tournament trailer, and on Day 3 at the Bass Pro Shops at Branson Landing, another gust toppled two of the portable tents over the weigh-in tanks. As a final exclamation point on the week, Office Manager Lisa Bell was rear ended by another motorist while she was leaving Branson Landing after the final weigh-in.

“There were moments that were brilliant and feverish, and moments that were just unreal,” Blandford said. “But everyone came together and got the job done.”

Mansue was effusive with his thanks to the anglers and staff who stepped up, including the anglers who provided seminars for fans at Bass Pro Shops on Registration Day, and the final day prior to the weigh-in: Guy Eaker, Brian Snowden, Charlie Ingram, Woo Daves, Justin Rackley, Chris Hines and Matt VanMeter.

“Hallman and Butcher competed in the Elite Series events at the Arkansas River and Wheeler Lake the two weeks prior to the PAA tournament, and then came to Table Rock to fish with us,” Mansue said. “I know they, and other anglers, were tired and ready to be home with their families. But they are part of the PAA”.

“These are guys who went above and beyond to help the organization. Talk about angler-owned and angler-driven? I couldn’t be prouder to be a PAA member and to be associated with these guys who made commitments of their own time and finances to help out.”

The spirit of the PAA lives on, stronger each day.

Tags: PAA, Professional Anglers Association, Table Rock Lake