Obviously I have some free time on my hands with the shelter in place thing going down. I thought I would share some stories of some pretty cool things I have had the pleasure of experiencing.

So a few years ago I am working the booth for North TX Marine at the Dallas Market Hall Boat Show. I am wearing my Triton Jersey and answering questions for folks about the boats we had on display. Little did I know that Ray Scott was supposed to be there that day. So sure enough about 10 am in walks Earl Bentz and Ray Scott! Ray Scott was one of my heroes for many years. As many of you know Earl Bentz was the founder of Triton Boats and a former world champion Formula One Tunnel boat driver for Mercury Racing.

They set up up a little table for Ray and a line soon forms. He is selling his book BASS BOSS & signing autographs at this table. He shows up wearing his signature cowboy hat, bandana around his neck and suede leather vest. Ray Scott is an icon to the fishing industry and has a personality larger than life and he never met a stranger. He is another true southern gentleman much like Bill Dance.

I wait for the line to die down to meet Ray and I look at my watch. It is a little after noon on this nice Saturday in February. So I think, What tha heck. I walk over to him and say, “Mr. Scott, do you like Pappadeaux’s Seafood?” He tells me to call him Ray and says, “Boy do I ever!” I say well sir it is about lunch time and I would be honored if I could buy your lunch -there is a Pappadeaux’s about 5 minutes away. He says, “Come on let’s go!”

So we slip out the side door of Market Hall. We get into my truck and take off down Stemmons Expressway headed for the restaurant. All the while he is telling me stories of many of the greatest bass anglers of all time that he has met and fished with. I am completely star-struck.

We get to Pappadeaux’s and he is calling the hostess Darling and our waitress Baby girl. He has them literally swooning over him. He loves raw oysters so we order a dozen. He goes on to tell me about the roots of BASS and how much he loved the sport and how good it had been to him. We finish lunch and sit and talk for another hour. He literally had a story about every professional angler that had ever walked across his stage during his time at BASS. I was relishing every minute and time just flew by for me. I mean, how many folks can say they had a meal with the man that INVENTED competitive bass fishing for pay??

We get in my Suburban and head back to Market Hall. As we walk into the booth I see Earl Bentz perk up and come over to Ray. I figured they had some business to discuss so I stepped away to let them talk. I see some folks looking at a Triton boat so I go over and start helping them.

A few minutes later Joe Wallace, owner of NTX Marine comes over to me and asks, “Where did you & Ray go?” I tell him we went to lunch, not realizing we had been gone for two & a half hours. Joe goes on to tell me that Earl started looking for Ray a few minutes after we left. It appears that Earl & Ray had flown into Love Field in Earl’s private plane to attend the Dallas show. It also appears that Earl had paid Ray for his presence in the Triton booth for four hours and that I had just taken two & a half hours of that!

Earl was not a happy camper!!

Awesome story!

Great story Ken. Thanks.

Great story and although I didn't join yall for lunch I was there at the Triton booth that day. I was just there looking at all the boats and next thing I know Ray Scott walks up to me and hands me a book and starts talking fishing. Of course I didn't hand it back to him and tell him no thanks. Instead I asked him how much to get him to sign it. Don't remember what it cost me but I bet he has sold a million books that way. LOL! I still have it.

Ha! Thats classic Ray Scott!

What a great story and awesome memory! I bet you were mesmerized!

My best "meeting a fishing icon" was at the Gaylord hotel in Grapevine probably 15 years or so ago. My wife and I had gone to see some friends play in a band (we both played professionally back in the day) at the Glass Cactus. We were wandering around the hotel before the band started having a "few" cocktails. About the time I was feeling no pain we wandered down towards one of the great big convention halls where our band had played a Christmas party. A young gal was sitting out front at "her sign-in" table where the banner behind her said..."NITRO DEALERS OWNERS CONVENTION". I looked at my wife and just whispered..."we're going in". The look of horror on her face as she knew what I was up to! LOL! As we were walking up about 5 feet from the gals table I turned to my wife and said, "Dang it, I left our stupid badges in the room and it's on the other side of the hotel. It will take us 30 minutes to walk up there and back." The little gal looked at me and said, "don't worry about it, come on in!" BAM. As we walked it looked like every Nitro boat that they made that year was on the show room floor and only 20 or 30 people in a room that probably held 700 - 800. Standing next to a brand new 20 footer were two guys casually chatting that I instantly recognized. In my opinion the two GOATS of bass fishing...KVD and Rick Clunn. I was already pretty lit up so I just walked up, stuck out my hand, and introduced my wife and myself to them both. I guess they assumed I was a dealer, although they never asked. Since there were not many people there we chatted with those two fishing giants for about 30 minutes. (my wife had NO clue who they were or I would have worn them out!!) They were actually very humble and cordial and I got a picture with them both. IT WAS AWESOME!! I've met tons of famous people ( Mick Jagger, Frank Zappa), but this was my close encounter with fishing greatness!

Great stories...thanks for sharing...

Great story Randy!

Something tells me you've given out a few autographs over the years yourself.

That's really cool Justin!

Ken, I always brought a brisket and set a lunch up in my booth for the booths around me and Joe Wallace’s workers. That was the Saturday
I had that. Earl Benz came and sat in my booth and ate. He told me he had flown down and picked Ray up but Ray had disappeared. Now that’s the rest of the story.

The only legend in the bass fishing I have ever met, was a man that use to guide on the lake fork in Texas. I got to go to Pappadeaux in grapevine in Texas a few years back and we talked for a couple hours. He was really nice and down to earth guy. I seem to remember his name has Mr Addington. Great guy

So how'd you dig yourself outta that hole Ken?