Fish Schtick Episode 52 – Chad Morgenthaler
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Chad Morgenthaler is a professional bass angler. One of those wrapped bass boat guys. He’s been a top-tier pro for 8 years, and he’s fished both the FLW and BASS Elites. He’s had a big year, because among other things, he became the president of the Professional Anglers Association. That’s a position that’s been held by guys like Kevin VanDam and legends like Paul Elias. We’ll talk about that, but we’ll also pick his brain for stories. Before he was a pro bass guy, he was a captain in the Carbondale, Illinois fire department, on his way to becoming assistant chief. He’s fished in three Bassmaster Classics and the very first Forrest Wood Cup. And he’s spent thousands of hours in a boat. Think he’s got a few stories to tell? We’ll find out on today’s Fish Schtick.
Brian / Moldy Chum News
Oprah goes fishing
Teeg / Recycled Fish News
Stewardship Pledge events at DICK’S Sporting Goods in Dubuque, IA; New Orleans, LA; Gastonia, NC & Paducah, KY
Developing a new book: Stewardship On Ice
Now a member of the Clean Angling Coalition: http://www.cleanangling.org/
Around the world of fishing in 120 Seconds
www.GreenTackle.com
Election results are in! Landslide approval in Arkansas, Tennessee, and South Carolina for state constitutional amendments guaranteeing the right to hunt and fish. Arizona voters went the other way. No change to the constitution there.
Iowa changed IT’S constitution for a sales tax guarantee for conservation. The next increase will make up a current $100 Million budget shortfall.
Nationwide – The sport fishing industry is on pins and needles. HOW WILL THE EPA RULE? In August, The Center for Biological Diversity and four other groups filed a petition to ban lead fishing tackle. Ruling was due November 1. As of today, nothing from the EPA.
In professional fishing, BASS is sold! ESPN hands the reigns over to Jerry McKinnis and his group, but ESPN is still gonna air Elite tournaments and the Bassmaster Classic.
San Juan, Puerto Rico The Billfish Foundation is hosting a free Sportfishing and Science Panel in the ‘blue marlin capital of the world’.
In Yosemite National Park Oprah went fly fishing and the experience aired on her show this week. Guides Brian and Jenny Grossenbacher had nice things to say about fishing with Harpo.
Sheffield, Alabama hosted the Crappie USA Classic with nearly 300 anglers from 19 states. Two guys from Tennessee took home the top prize – nearly $40,000 in cash and prizes for catching a bunch of crappies.
This week’s Stewardship Tip – Slow down a little. Dropping your speed by 5 or 10 M-P-H could add as much as 5 or 10 M-P-G. Thank God for cars and trucks, but honestly – they’re not the best thing for our waters. Using less gas, that’s better. Going slow saves fish and helps fishin’. No kiddin’.
More fishing hoopla at MoldyChum.com – Stewardship Tips and more at RecycledFish.org.
I’m Teeg Stouffer and we just went around the world of fishing in 120 seconds with thanks to GreenTackle.com.
GreenTackle.com
Jig Heads – Green Tackle has a bunch of sizes and styles of lead free jig heads. Standard ball jig heads (with and without barbs) come in packs of 5 up to packs of 100. Salmon/Steelhead guys can get lead free salmon/steelhead jig heads which have extra strong Gamakatsu or Owner hooks. Even little 1/32 oz heads that could be used for micro-jigs in ice or fly fishing. Coming soon: pre-tied marabou steelhead jigs in 1/4th and 1/8th in five color patterns.
Guest Intro / Interview
Chad Morganthaler is a Midwesterner like me. Lives in Illinois. Wrong side of the Mississippi, but we forgive that sort of thing, us Midwesterners. Chad fishes PAA, BASS and FLW events, and just made the decision to fish the FLW rather than BASS in 2011. In 2006 he was the Stren Series Angler of the Year in the Midwest division. Finished in the top 10 in 10 BASS events, 5 times in the FLW. He’s good at fishing, he’s won over half a million dollars doing it. He’s also using his position for good. Organizes an annual fishing event to help Special Olympics. That, and we heard he just bought a couple elephants. Let’s get him to tell us all about it.
Let’s hear your best fish story of the year.
You get to fish in a lot of fun places – where are some of your favorite places to go?
What’s the deal with the elephants?
You used to fight fires. Ever miss that? Think it plays into what you do now, or who you are? Ever draw parallels between the two careers?
Fighting fires is life and death business. Ever had fishing become life or death?
Why do you catch more fish than all the rest of us?
Tell us all about the Special Olympics event you put together – what happens, how does it go, why do you do it, what is it accomplishing?
Your website isn’t just a brochure – tons of content there. How do you pull that off?
You’re current president of the PAA – that’s an honor and a responsibility. Give us the PAA elevator speech, and tell us what you want to see happen during your one-year term as president.
Conservation
You bring up conservation in interviews a lot – from your perspective as a pro, and as the current president of the professional fishing organization, why does it matter?
What a are the biggest concerns that you see, connected to the sport or affecting the sport, and what are the solutions?
Close:
Where can we find everybody on the web?
Need gear? Get it at www.GreenTackle.com.
That’s the Schtick for another week, remember that our lifestyle runs downstream . Good Cheer, Blessings and Great Adventures.
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