FishingRomantis

By SHERYL KAY Times Correspondent
Published September 21, 2007

TOWN 'N COUNTRY

Some of Bob Van Vliet's best childhood memories are of lazy, sunny afternoons fishing on Lake Padgett alongside his grandfather and his dad. Never a weekend went by when they didn't go.

But his most dreaded recollection involves fishing as well.

It was exactly 30 years ago this December that Van Vliet lost his father, brother and a friend 80 miles offshore from Tarpon Springs when their boat sank in a winter storm. The three fishermen were never seen again.

"After that, I could hardly go near the beach and look at the ocean, never mind go fishing," he said.

It took almost two years for Van Vliet, 54, of Town 'N Country, to get back to the sport.

"My dad died doing what he loved doing, and I said to myself I've just got to get back out there," he said.

Then he came upon a local fishing club and slowly returned to his favorite pastime.

The group was called the Brandon Rebel Bass Club at the time. But after many years and several contentious meetings, they disbanded and a few core members reorganized as the North Tampa Bass Club. The first meeting in 1995 had just half a dozen in attendance, including Van Vliet, owner of a tree farm and nursery. Today the club has about 30 members including a half dozen women.

"There's just nothing like bass fishing," Van Vliet said. "You're out there first thing, and you see the sun come up. You watch the ospreys and the other wildlife, and then there's the fishing."

Bass include several species, all belonging to the order perciformes, or perch-like fishes. They're known to gather in certain spots, often hiding in wood, rock piles and weeds. Bass are aggressive carnivores and are notorious for putting up a strong fight when caught.

With close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Van Vliet said he could go saltwater fishing any time, and within 30 minutes of setting his boat in the water he'd be guaranteed a catch. Bass fishing is completely different, he said. Sometimes you can go four or five hours without even a nibble.

"Maybe the bass are smarter fish," he joked.

And therein lies the challenge and the enjoyment.

"It's the thrill of the hunt, knowing where they are, and having a plan" Van Vliet said. "Then you get that bite, and you know it's a nice fish, so you want to make sure you get it up and get it on the boat."

Fellow angler and club member John Scott grew up fishing in Illinois.

"I fished in just about every pond, creek, lake or river up there," said Scott, 47, of Valrico.

Although he, too, could fish in saltwater now, Scott said he spends 80 percent of his time going for freshwater bass. A fairly competitive angler, he said his many years of freshwater fishing have helped him gain a broad knowledge of bass, including how they feed, when and why they change location, and what bait they might be chasing on any specific lake.

Scott also has learned to read the water conditions, the structure of the lake and the sea bed and the wind conditions, all of which give him a tremendous competitive edge.

"There are so many things to consider, and they all matter," he said. "I stick with bass because it's what I know best."

Still, Scott doesn't know everything, and that is part of the reason he belongs to the club. Many of the members have decades of fishing experience and are glad to share tips. Once in a while he even learns something from a novice.

"Sometimes they try something that seems stupid at first, or maybe something they know from saltwater fishing, and all of a sudden it works, and they're catching a bass," he said.

Contact reporter Sheryl Kay at skreporter@hotmail.com or call 813 230-8788.

 Fast facts

Hooked on bass