|
CSBA
HOOKS ANOTHER ONE!
By: Ron Wilson
August 15,
2002…. I attended the monthly meeting of the Modesto Chapter of
the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA) last week. Fishing and
hunting talk was going on, where the fish were biting, prospects of
upcoming hunts, etc. I Met old friends and was Introduced to new ones.
Get a bunch of sportsmen together and they talk about everything!
Joel Hood the new
Outdoor Sports Writer for the Modesto Bee showed up with a guy whom I
haven’t liked from day one. Red Bartley, one of the board members of the CSBA, took
Joel into the bar to talk while we carried on with CSBA business.
A
short time later they returned and Joel was introduced to the group.
Joel had nothing to say after his introduction, but when Red Bartley was
asked if he had anything to say about the new outdoor writer, he came
forward with, "Lets get together and start writing letters to the
Modesto Bee to get rid of Joel and bring Ron Wilson back". I was
kind of shocked. I don't know what Joel had talked to Red about in the
bar, but evidently Red didn't like what the youngster had to say!
I guess Reds threat worked because when I left the meeting
Joel was writing his heart out with pad and pencil as Red Bartley was
talking up a storm telling Joel what he wanted him to put down for
print! I am sure we will be reading Reds words of wit through Joel in
the near future!
At
least CSBA will get some newspaper coverage. That’s more than what I
have done for them since a past president and I got into it!
The
sad part of all this is that Joel was hired to do a job and he is doing
the best he can for the Modesto Bee. Brian Clark, head of the sports
department at the Modesto Bee, chose to no longer accept my outdoor
columns for whatever reason and replaced me with Joel Hood, so if
the Modesto Bee readers are displeased at what they are reading, its
Brian Clarks fault and not Joel's, he is only trying to do the job Brian
hired him to do!
As
for my feelings on the subject, I look at the Modesto Bee as your paper
and you deserve the best bang for your buck. If you feel you are not
getting it, then write letters and complain. Hey it works; I understand
that’s what got me replaced!
As for me, I have no plans on writing for the Modesto Bee again. I have
never claimed to be a writer and never will. What I do is go out and
enjoy Mother Nature and then relay it to the readers in the form of what
I see and do so that hopefully they can enjoy the outdoors as much as I
do!
I
apologize for not writing about the New Melones Kokanee Power Fishing
Derby held last weekend but the Ripon Record requests first run rights
on all stories and I have submitted my column for their consideration.
If accepted by the Record, the story and pictures will appear here after
it runs in their newspaper.
But,
I will tell you the fish have started their migrations upstream and are
holding near drop-offs in 70 feet of water. Uncle Larry’s gold spinner
is still working along with green hoochies and green apexes!
Winners
in the Sportsmen Division
1) Norma Menoza
2) Jeramy Raven
3) Lonnie Schardt
Winners
in The Pro Division
1) Ron Wilson
2) Bruce Hamby
3) Jim Franco
14-year-old
Jeremy Barbour took 1st place in the Junior division.10-year old Mathew
Baker of Ripon was 2nd!
|
