Story by Todd Goade | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
As I’ve mentioned in other columns, my dad got me started fishing at an early age, and I used to ride my bike all over the farm roads of Rogersville, Missouri searching for new farm ponds and fishing holes. Found quite a few of them, too!
When we moved to just outside of Kingsport, Tennessee in 1983, this opened up a whole new range of possibilities of fishing spots. My dad and I first started fishing Boone Lake and later ventured down to Cherokee Lake, having success at both places. This really amped up my love of fishing.
When I turned 16, I saw a flyer for a team bass tournament during what they called “Springfest” in Johnson City. The tournament was in early April and first prize was $1,500. That was a lot of money in 1985! I asked my dad if we could fish it together. Unfortunately, he had to work that day, so I asked if I could fish it with a buddy. He agreed, which surprised me since I had only had taken our bass boat and 75hp motor out by myself a handful of times.
I was excited!
I found a buddy, and we were part of an 86-boat field that day. Just before we were to take off, a severe thunderstorm came through, and they postponed the launch by about an hour. Once we were able to take off, I headed to one of my favorite areas called “Deer Lick Hollow.” I hadn’t made 20 casts with my spinnerbait when I threw it between two rocks and saw a flash headed toward the lure. I set the hook and a 5 1/2 pounder came out of the water trying its best to get away. I managed to put that fish in the boat, and we were on the board!
Ten minutes later, bass number two ate my spinnerbait. It weighed 4 pounds.
I fished the remainder of that area without any bites and preceded to head to “Friday Hollow.” I was pitching a tube jig around a dock when bass number three bit — another solid fish weighing almost four pounds. I was ecstatic but didn’t really know just how good we were doing.
My buddy caught several 14 inchers that we couldn’t keep, and I caught a few as well. We had about an hour to go, and we went to this place called “Wagner Hollow.” (Yes, there’s a lot of “hollers” on Boone Lake.)
I was throwing my spinnerbait again and was waking it just under the surface when a three pounder ate it — our fourth keeper. We put it in the livewell and made our way back to take off since time was running out.
To my surprise, our four bass weighed 16.82 pounds, and we won the tournament. I was shocked, stoked, and all the other emotions of winning your first tournament. To make it even sweeter, this was the very first bass tournament I ever entered!
Back then there weren’t any cell phones, and my dad said his co-workers were asking him if he had heard from me yet since a good bit of time had passed after weigh-in. He told them I must have won because he hadn’t heard from me.
After we were interviewed by the local newspaper, and I was able to get to a gas station payphone I called my dad. He said, “You won, didn’t you?” I said yes and was so excited to be able to tell him that. I was also excited to have $750 in my pocket, as a junior in high school.
I was rich!
I’ll never forget the feeling of winning the first bass tournament I ever entered, which has fueled my passion to chase these fish around all these years. Now — at 56 — I’m just as excited about catching a bass as I was at that age. If that ever changes, that’ll be the day I hang it up.
Fortunately, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
See y’all on the water!
Todd Goade – Angler Profile
