Over The Edge

Its a tough job but somebody has to do it

There’s a nasty cold wind blowing outside, a good day to stay inside. Though that is normally a bit of problem for an outdoorsman like me, I’ll admit it’s just good to be home for a while. I’ve been off bebopping around the southeast and the Ozarks with the rest of the Bass Edge crew for a good chunk of the fall.

But then I miss it a bit. I guess the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. Sitting here writing for “Inside Edge” has kind of got my mind drifting back to some of those warmer days on the lake, when fish were hitting plastic frogs in just inches of water. Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett was fishing with our own, Aaron Martin on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula. The week before that, we were all up on Tennessee’s Percy Priest catching them on topwaters with women’s Classic champ Pam Martin-Wells.

Now ol’ Aaron has a tough job, fishing all over the country with these big-shot anglers. It’s good work if you can get it. The rest of us have to watch from another boat or through the viewfinder of a video camera.

By this time Aaron has read this is and is firing up an e-mail to remind me that the fishing is but a small part of it all. I don’t worry about that kind of thing until they start talking about who signs the paychecks.

Actually, we’ll have fun with that. Of course I know what a big chore Aaron and partner Don Hertz has making this thing work as a business. Having fun is just kind of the Bass Edge way. We do have a good time. That’s part of the enjoyment of being on the road. There are a ton of inside jokes that develop along the way. I’ll fill you in a bit more when I’ve been here a little longer. Let’s see if I survive the good-work-if-you-can-get-it crack.

Though I’m learning a great deal about the television business, I find my personal talents best suited to fishing, watching fishing, talking about fishing and occasionally writing about fishing. The guys have let me spout a few words on our podcast, “The Edge,” but beyond that it has been suggested that I have a look best suited to audio and print work.

Though we are not out taping the next season yet, there are still plenty of cool things going on at Bass Edge. Ditch Witch threw a heck of a premiere party at their place in Perry, Okla., with about 700 Ditch Witch and Bass Edge folks. The shindig took place the night before our first show of the season, which aired Saturday, Jan. 5, on Versus. We kicked off with our friend Pete Ponds as he and Aaron fish Texas’ Lake Amistad.

I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to make the Texas swing, where we taped shows at Choke Canyon and Amistad … the land of big bass and good Mexican food, a couple of personal favorites.

Well, I’m not missing out next year; I’m going try to make all of the shoots. And don’t think I won’t have a rod and reel with me to sneak off down to the bank while Aaron is in his trailer getting his make-up done … Just kidding! Of course there’s no trailer, and obviously Aaron doesn’t wear make-up … wait, I didn’t mean it like that. I got distracted by the Mexican food.

That reminds me, we are still talking about going down to Louisiana to do a show in 2008 … shrimp, oysters, crawfish …Who Dat!

Well, looks like lunch. I’ll get back with you next month. By then we will know where we’ll be taping in the coming season … seafood, Mexican food, mesquite-grilled anything. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Steve Brigman is publishing editor for Bass Edge. His silliness in no way reflects the serious nature of the rest of the organization. He can be contacted at sbrigman@bassedge.com.