Bass fishing has been a favorite pastime of mine since childhood. Regardless, I never joined the forces of the bass tournament craze that swept over the U.S. in the 70’s and 80’s and still continues to this day.
Fishing and competition seems an oxymoron to me. I fish to relax, not to compete with others to see who can go the furthest in debt to drive the biggest truck and pull the latest fashionable boat.
The ritz and glitz of it all wrinkles my idea of solitude and peace of mind while drowning a worm or flinging a spinnerbait in God’s watery creation. My primary reason for going into the outdoor world is to re-create myself. It’s my therapy. And I’m a much better person for it.
Chad Brauer, of Camdenton, Mo., and a three-time Bass Classics qualifier, has seen both sides of the track.
Having been born the son of bass fishing icon Denny Brauer, Chad didn’t fall far from the tree. Naturally, Chad followed in his father’s footsteps and made a name for himself in the world of competitive bass fishing.
“I grew up with one of the all-time best bass fishermen,” the young Brauer said. “It was exciting to watch Dad succeed at what he loves so much.”
Brauer also remembered the long trips and long hours that he and his father endured on the bass fishing circuits.
“The schedules were grueling,” Brauer recalled.
