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Fishing with Bill Dance
#13521551
04/17/20 02:22 AM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,522
Ken A.
OP
Groovy
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OP
Groovy
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,522 |
A few years ago I had the privilege to travel to Memphis to Bill Dance’s ranch. We got to fish with him all day. This is about an hour from his home in Collierville TN. I don’t know how big his ranch is but he has a gorgeous 120 acre lake with cypress trees, dollar pads, and coontail moss all around it. Wild turkey & whitetail deer were running around everywhere. It is managed by his oldest son Bill Dance Jr.
Many of you probably recognize the name Bill Dance, but you may have not known he was B.A.S.S. AOY Three times, won 23 National Events and was inducted into the National Freshwater Hall of Fame in 1986. He is the host of his show that is the longest continuously running nationally syndicated fishing show in America. He is one of my bass fishing heroes.
We wound up fishing from a 17’ Tracker with a hand-controlled trolling motor. It was in October and the weather was perfect. Bill brought a bunch of rod & reels for us to use. I picked up one of his spinning rigs and flipped the bail & made an awkward cast with it then turned the reel up on top & reeled it backwards with my right hand to retrieve the worm. I just went on asking him questions about his career. He was watching me use this spinning outfit upside down and reeling backwards right handed and I could tell he wanted to say something. Finally he picked up another spinning rig and said, “Let me show you how I use this rod & reel”. I said, Oh cool, thanks. After a few more casts, I picked up one of his baitcasters he had rigged up with a Tx rig and I saw his concern right away. I made an underhanded pitch to a tree about 40 feet away. He said, “Are you messing with me?” I said, “Yessir I am”.
Bill ran the troll motor all day and we caught fish steadily on TX rigged worms, spinner baits, and squarebill cranks. No giants but just tons of fish in the 2-4# range all day long. It was an awesome fishery and very young. I believe he said it was only 5 years old when we fished with him.
I kept calling him Mr. Dance and he would say, “Call me Bill”. I like to change lures frequently when the fish are biting (I know, weird concept) to see if I can find something that will trigger a bigger bite. So I asked him if I could dig through his tacklebox. He said, “Sure buddy, get anything you want”. So I am digging through Bill Dance’s tacklebox and he is kind of looking over my shoulder as I look through it. I find a crankbait with most of the paint chewed off & set it aside and close the box. He looks at me and says, “You’ve done this before haven’t you?” and I said, “Yessir I have” I told him that I used to guide full time at Lake Fork and we had a good laugh.
As many of you know Bill is a very witty & funny guy. He is also a true southern gentleman. More on that later. He told us story after story of his bass fishing career. He is close personal friends with Jimmy Houston & Roland Martin. He told us about competing against all the great anglers of yesteryear. It was an awesome day.
We fished from about 9 am till 5 pm and decided to go into town and have dinner. Bill pulled into a local place that reminded me of Golden Corral. It was an all you can eat buffet. Bill is one of the most recognized folks in the bass fishing world. We walk in and the hostess seats us at a table. We go wash our hands then go to the salad bar. We make a salad and head back to the table. Bill gets one bite of salad and our waitress, that is probably 17 years old asks if he is Bill Dance. He says, Yes ma’am I am. She asks for his autograph and he gladly obliges. The table next to us sees Bill and also asks for his autograph and a pic taken with him.
A line begins to form at our table and for the next 90 mins Bill is listening to people telling him about their big ole bass or the 3 foot long catfish they caught from the creek behind their house. Bill actually pulled up a chair next to his and had the people sit down beside him as they told their stories to him. Like I said, he is a TRUE southern gentleman. As Bill tended to the flock we ate salad, dinner, dessert and watched in amazement at how engaged he was with every single person that came up to him. We got a plate of food to go for Bill and he ate in the truck on the way back to his home.
So one of my long time fishing heroes impressed me in more ways than one that day.
Last edited by Ken A.; 04/17/20 02:30 AM.
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521564
04/17/20 02:31 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,360
skeeter22
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,360 |
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521572
04/17/20 02:35 AM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,470
Hook'Em 79
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,470 |
Awesome story, always been a big fan of his.
How did you land that trip?
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521573
04/17/20 02:36 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11,008
BigDozer66
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11,008 |
Sounds like a perfect day on the water with one of the best ever!
2016 Ranger RT188 Charcoal Metallic Dual Console 2017 Yamaha 115 VMAX SHO (VF115LA) SS Prop Minn Kota Ultrex i-Pilot Link 45" 80 lb. Humminbird Helix 10 Mega SI BalZout Console Humminbird Helix 10 Mega SI BBT Bow Mount Trick Step
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521574
04/17/20 02:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,982
bassmanrudy
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,982 |
Great story!! I'd love to fish with him one day! Still tape and watch his fishing show. :-)
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521577
04/17/20 02:38 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,374
Chasin Hogs
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,374 |
Dang they asked for his autograph and not yours?
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521635
04/17/20 03:28 AM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,844
Duck_Hunter
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,844 |
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521637
04/17/20 03:36 AM
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12,209
sdavis24
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 12,209 |
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521642
04/17/20 03:50 AM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,769
TxDanFishMan
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,769 |
Great story and liked how you were messing with him on the spinning reel and digging in his tackle box. My brother said years ago when he was on his internship he had to extract a hook from him in an emergency room. Said this guy had a big orange T on his hat and he didn't complain one bit.
Slide right, coming in .... Fish On!
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521644
04/17/20 03:51 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 929
TOMCAT21
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 929 |
I was born and raised in Memphis. Have met him several times. He was just as nice as can be every time. One of my Dad’s friends worked at Strike King. He said Bill is quite the practical joker.
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521647
04/17/20 03:55 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,759
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,759 |
Awesome post. Thanks for sharing.
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521726
04/17/20 09:42 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 601
Larry Mosby
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 601 |
Great story and an amazing experience!
Larry Mosby
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521784
04/17/20 11:47 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,420
Okie Poke
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,420 |
All I want to do is be you for a week....amazing opportunity. Did he wear his big, tall Tennessee cap? Anyone could recognize him with his hat from 20mi away. He is definitely one of the patriarchs of bass fishing. Thanks for sharing....experience of a lifetime for any bassfisherperson.
😎 Dallas Cowboys....eventual Superbowl Champions 😎
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521799
04/17/20 12:03 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 25,826
T Bird
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 25,826 |
Okie by birth, Texan by choice. USAF "Thunderbirds" Alumni 1985-1989
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Re: Fishing with Bill Dance
[Re: Ken A.]
#13521812
04/17/20 12:22 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,516
lipjerk
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,516 |
How awesome, I remember waking up early on weekends as a child to watch his show, also loved Jimmy Houston and his crazy antics!
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