The Gorilla eating his cookie on the Red River. I have another nickname for him.

I gave Kevin a new nickname a few years back, but I may get punched in the face next time I see him.

were his initials involved?

It's really not even that great a story. Everyone is very protective of Kevin's reputation, as well as many of the other pro anglers. A number of years back, I was invited to dinner with Kevin, Kelly, Fouz, Tony and a few others, at Conroe. Fouz gave me a speech before we got over there, starting with, "Normally press isn't invited to these small gatherings..."

A few of the guys were fishing the next day. Tony, Fouz, and I were not, so we were hitting the brown water pretty hard. I sat next to Kevin, and I think he had one glass of red wine with his steak. I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with KVD having a glass of wine, but maybe some would. Who knows?

Anyway, a few months later, I decided his nickname was Vino Rojo.

K Vino Rojo

I always thought that if a man could spend the day in a boat fishing with KVD and Zona it would be the highlight of his fishing career

I never got a chance to hang out with Zona, but was around him a bit. He seems pretty much the same in person as he is on TV. Had a cool photo I took of him, but can't find it right now.

The guy I traveled with, Billy later became a Congressman, in the invitationals drew KVD the second day at Rayburn.
I have talked to him him numerous times and fished against him.

True story. I was in Traverse City, Michigan for pleasure. One morning I got up early and went out to the parking lot where we were staying. KVD was there getting his boat ready to go fishing on Traverse Bay. We started talking, and he said he was going by himself, and if I wanted, I was welcome to go with him. We were out for half a day. He was very patient showing me how to drop shot with baits Strike King hadn't even come out with. Side Scan had just come out, and Kevin was picking them off like apples. He was actually telling me where to throw. I caught small mouths up to four pounds. Kevin is the real deal.

A trip with Zona and Fieder or Hackney would be a hoot.

When we went to Brazil with Speed one of the guys said he had been friends with KVD since High School. The guy was pretty good size and a one time did the tough guy stuff. Won his first few fights. Then fought Butterbean who broke his nose. He said that was the end of his career. He only tried it on a whim. His group also dove off the top deck of the Otter. His group had been friends for a while. They did a lot of trips together. They rode pretty hard. One night they went into a town and drank hard with the locals. I fished with him one day. He dove in like the local guides and got the peacock out of a tree top. Next thing he’s on the back seat wrong out his shorts…..lol. He said “you either experience things or you don’t”. Somebody questioned his knowing KVD. He called him up on the satellite phone and had the guy talk to him.

Sounds Zona is going to retire from Bass

a class individual and real credit to our sport….

Don't be surprised if Zona and KVD team up for some shinanigans.

Aren't they already doing this? Zona's production company was listed on KVD's new show, if I'm not mistaken.

Man, what a cool story!