Bassmaster Classic Family

I’ve written about my fishing family before but I realized that I have another adoptive family: my BASSMASTER CLASSIC family.

Pete jokes about wanting to be adopted by the Kennedy family, although I’m starting to think he truly wants papers written up. He wants to live like Soso and SJ, sit sidecar with Coco, talk about SK with Julia and talk shop with Steve. A few years ago he basically invited himself to stay at their lake house and that just made him want a place at the table even more. It’s not signed, seal and delivered yet, but the Kennedys and Pete have an ongoing text chain that keeps them in contact.

I have a similar situation. I love seeing and spending time with Steve and Barbara Bowman at Bassmaster events. They ALWAYS include me in their family plans.

This year was no exception. We planned our days around where we would be first thing in the morning, at lunchtime and when to meet at the arena for the weigh-in so I could sit with them while Pete was in the media room writing.

Each night after the weigh in we were included for dinner plans with their family.

It’s a shame we don’t live closer and don’t get to more events to better our “family” ties. I hope our future makes that happen more often. I cherish our friendship and will be bringing my adoption papers to you in September at the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame dinner so I hope you have a pen.

While they may not want to adopt me, I also got to reunite with several other members of my traveling fishing family in Tulsa. You may recognize some of the faces below.