I would like to introduce my self, explaining who I am, what I am not. My name is Bob Szymakowski, judging from my last name you should be able to tell that I am not Southern, born and bred. I am from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and moved to North Carolina about 20 years ago. In Wisconsin i fished for walleye and used the Lake Michigan shoreline as my 'backyard'. In the 80's I fished from shore in Milwaukee three times a day. In the morning before work, the afternoon in a white shirt and tie from the Milwaukee pier and in the evening after work. I caught and ate so much salmon that even today i just cannot eat any, too much of a good thing, I guess. I was a member of the Great Lakes Sport Fisherman Society and wrote a monthly article for the news letter which was titled "THE SHORE LINE". The  focus of the column was to present technigues that worked from shore to catch 'kings', 'lakers' and browns. It ran for six months until I made the move to North Carolina and what a move it was.

I arrived from Milwaukee equiped with the best spinning tackle, I thought, which, again back to the thought, would work in 'bass country'. After all, you had to be quite and secretive to catch these 'shadow fish'. I was so wrong.

But lets go to 'who I am not".

I am NOT A PROFESSION BASS FISHERMAN. Never have been, nor want to be. It is just too hard . Alright maybe if I wasnt fifty five years old, didnt have a house and a mortgage, two dogs and a cat that need attention  and a whole bunch of bunch of common sense, I might venture out. But  that wont happen.

So 'who am I', you have every right to ask. I was, am, still, very lucky. After moving to North Carolina I learned some important lessons. Unlike my home state where water is plentiful, lakes in North Carolina are a precious asset. I came with 9 horse Evinrude motor, a Moterguide trolling motor thinking I could rent a boat and fish. Lakes in Wisconsin generally have boat rentals. Not so here. I found out quickly if you dont own a boat you are land locked. Not necessarily a bad thing, unless you come to the realization that bass are different then the shoreline salmon I was catching with the downtown profile of Milwaukee in the background. Disappointed. Here I had one of the best largemouth bass centers and I couldnt fish it. Another thing I learned was 'posted water'. In Wisconsin I had never seen a ten inch by four inch bright yellow sign nailed to a tree that stated  "posted water no fishing".  I thought I could fish ponds, after all pond fishing for bass was supposed to be one of the best ways to land a lunker. A truism, but I was locked out of ponds. What now?? I could not afford a bass boat, and I couldnt find owners of ponds that would let me fish. Something about 'legal liability' which I would further  understand after learning about the 'sue me, sue you" world we live in.

Here 's  where the luck comes in. I was working as an entrance gate attendant for a Forsyth county park call Tanglewood. Many golfers will recognize the name as the Senior PGA tournament course, but for me it had two public lakes with bass and as an employee I had access to the private water holes and lakes on the course. I could finally bass fish. While there I met Randy Baehre, who like me fished the public lakes and was land locked. One day he asked me if  I would like to join a bass club called the Carolininan Bassmasters. Randy, like me was a 'yankee' and didnt have a boat. The club allowed non boaters to join. Both of us attended a meeting, me with my Wisconsin fishing coat decorated in patches proclaiming membership in the Walleye Federation, the Great Lakes Society, etc. In hindsight I had to look foolish and arrogant. Thank goodness the members were patient, or perhaps wanted a good laugh.

Like many clubs, they drew partners. I was teamed up with a young man named James Marshall. The lake for the tournament was Falls of the Neuase. We could practice but due to time frame didnt. I arrived tournament day with my spinning gear and ready to catch fish. I had never backed a boat in the water. I had never been in a bass boat that moved at over 45 miles per hour on the water. After my teeth stopped chattering and I checked my pants we fished. On the first cast James made I heard this splash that sounded like a bowling ball hitting the water. He was throwing what I later learned was a Carolina rig with a 3/4 oz sinker. My 1/4 Texas rig seemed small and impetent. After eight hours of fishing James had five fish, twenty pounds and we finished second. I lipped each one, caught one non keeper and concluded I had alot to learn. Randy and his partner finished first throwing a spinnerbait, which I didnt even own. I had alot to learn.

Back to the luck.

While  working at Tanglewood, a burley guy pulled through the gate wearing a cap  with a logo on it. The logo  was Morgan Bait Co--Hawg Caller. I asked him about the company and he gave me the owners name, Bill Morgan. I looked him and his company up in the local yellow pages and found and address and submitted a resume. I was on my way back to Wisconsin to fish a walleye tournament and waited to hear from him. I submitted the resume in the most humble fashion I could. I was willing to sweep warehouse floors, anything to get in touch with a Southern bait company. Arriving back from Wisconsin with bragging rights on winning the tournament I heard from Hawg Caller. I had an interview. As luck was having, Bill Morgan was looking for a Sales Rep. After the interview, he decided to hire me. Luck.

After Bill decided to hire me he introduced me to a writer named Dan Kibler, more on him later, but Dan's first reaction was the question, 'what's a Yankee doing selling the South's best spinnerbait'?? Being me, I replied, 'let me try".

I didnt know then, but appreciate so much now. that HAWG CALLER had the best bass fisherman on Staff in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. Hawg Callers staff read like the 'who's who" of southern bass fishing. In 1989 Hank Parker won the Bassmaster Classic on a Hawg Caller spinnerbait. Bill Morgan and his partner, Roger Davis had a Staff the likes of, David Fritts,Ray Sedgwick,Rick Morris,Randy Howell,Gerald Beck,David Wright,Marty Stone, Ed Belkin,Ben Lee,Joel Richardson,Rick Damon, Roger Fulk, Todd Fulk,Joel Page

 to name a few. Countless other Bass Pros used the product. I talked to them all, because Bill and Roger made me Sales Rep and Staff co-ordinator. Incredible luck.

Building on this luck, I met the top bass fisherman in the country in the 1990's.I  wrote for BASS INFOR magazine, a monthly North Carolina fishing report and had a special monthly article on how to get sponsors entitled "BEHIND THE LINES". I co hosted a local television show "CAROLINA BASSEN' with Scott Norris, opened a tackle shop with Carolinian Bassmasters Champion, Brad Hensley and today co manage Salem Lake, one of the top three bass lakes, according to North Carolina Wildlife, in the stateof North Carolina.

I have never won a bass tournament. I do fish with my old buddy, Randy, on some local things and have done reasonalby well for old men. But  for over a decate I have listened and learned. Everyday I hear what is catching bass and what is not, not just at Salem Lake but all over the state, and country.

So  thats it, a long read I know, but I thought 'you all' ( see I have turned kinda Southern) might like a true picture of me. No ego, just the truth, I was lucky to gain some knowledge, and now this forum allows me to share. I will be writing about various styles and technigues, including equipment. I will start with the premise that David Wright told me..'always listen, everyone can always learn something new about fishing'.  So some of the writing will be basic, to the expereinced reader, and hopefully somewhere in the writing will be something for everyone. I will try to mix in a few 'tales' to keep it light and hopefully insightful.

Hope you find it worth reading.