Bass Fishing on Facebook: What Makes March 7 So Special?

It was the 2020 Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. This was literally one week before the entire world shut down. Not realizing this was the last large gathering of humans we would see for the next couple years, my wife and I somehow instinctively had an absolute, no-holds-barred, blast at this show. In this March 7 post, bass fishing media icon and pioneer, Mr. Bob Cobb, very graciously signed a copy of his book, The B.A.S.S. Story, Unplugged for us and posed for this photo. It was so cool to meet him and hear a couple stories.

On This Day 5 Years Ago -Big North Carolina Bass

As marketing manager for Shimano North America Fishing, I had booked a couple days at a small, private resort in North Carolina to shoot video for the launch of the Shimano SLX DC reel. It was a really great crew with one of my favorite videographers, Victor Cooper, and a couple of my favorite young pro-staffers, Taylor Metz, Lawson Tilghman and Matt Stearns. Everything went really well and we found ourselves with the work done and a couple hours of daylight left. Nothing like a big bass to top off an already perfect day!

On This Day 7 Years Ago -Tactical Bassin’ on Clear Lake

Like the rest of these memories, I can’t believe my luck. This March 7th found me on legendary Clear Lake in California, sharing the boat with Tim Little and Matt Allen of the popular YouTube channel, Tactical Bassin’. I learned so much. And at the end of a long day of serious fishing, Matt and I got a little less serious before turning these beautiful fish loose. I love this photo!

On This Day 8 Years Ago -Dinner With a Legend

This is from the Bassmaster Classic, I believe the day before the tournament began. I think technically, this dinner happened a couple days prior to March 7th, but this is the day Greg Yates (pictured in the group) posted and tagged me. That is a table stacked with fishing industry icons, and I was truly humbled to be among them. But for this bass fishing geek, I simply cannot believe I was seated next to THE Kevin VanDam--KVD! We chatted about fishing and absolutely murdered a couple thick-cut, rare, ribeye steaks. I look at this picture eight years later and still think, no way.

On This Day 8 Years Ago -Hank Parker

I was on my way home from the Classic that year. I took my seat by the window and settled in. A couple minutes later, someone took the seat next to me. I didn’t think too much of it, and didn’t really look up or make eye contact. Then I overheard him chatting briefly with someone on his cell phone, and something about his voice seemed familiar. I turned my head and absolutely could not believe my luck. I had never met Hank Parker before, but had been watching him on T.V. for years. I introduced myself and we spent the next hour or so, trading stories about the Classic and bass fishing in general. He was incredibly nice and easy to talk to. Once again, hard for a bass geek like myself to wrap my head around this March 7th experience.

On This Day 9 Years Ago -A Chance Tim Little Encounter

Nine years ago, I spent some time outside of the fishing industry. During that period I wrote a fishing blog, made fishing videos on YouTube and published a fishing novel on Amazon, but my nine-to-five wasn’t fishing related. Alex Wishard is a graphic designer I hired at that job and became friends with. He was not into fishing, but he knew how much it meant to me. So when he saw this story going around the internet, he forwarded it to me on Facebook. Until I saw it pop up in my memories today, I had no recollection of it. At the time I had no idea who Tim Little was, but I think it’s pretty crazy that I would actually get to know him a year or so later. Also crazy is that of course, Alex sent me this photo on March 7th.

A New Holiday Was Born!

I think the universe is trying to give me a sign. Sure, I get fishing memories popping on Facebook fairly regularly, since fishing stuff is most of what I’ve always posted. But March 7th is different. That’s a pretty epic group of bass fishing memories that all land on the same day nearly every year. This day needs to be commemorated, like my own personal bass fishing holiday. Actually, I’d love to share it with you—a special day, once a year, when we all have our bass geek dreams come true. But what to call it? Bass-mas Day? Fish-stivus? March-cropterus?(for the biologists out there) Siete de Marzo? (Sounds good, but what's it got to do with bass fishing?)

Sadly, March 7, 2024 is nearly over and nothing especially epic has happened yet. Here I sit, staring at my phone, assuming I’ll see the words “Incoming Call from Rick Clunn” any second now. Hmm. Well, I definitely need to post something.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these little stories of my fishing adventures and memories. And let me be the first to wish a very merry March-cropterus to you and yours! Maybe, I'll keep working on the name.