Long time Wired reader Eric Breitkreutz attended the first Bass University in Philly over the weekend and thought it was exceptional. Below is his feedback:
Eric wrote:
Just got back from Bass University, had a great time and thought I'd pass along my experience.
I have attended several business seminars and conferences, but wasn't sure what to expect from Bass University. I was very impressed with the organization and production of the entire weekend, the entire program was very professional and well executed. Every speaker was not only an accomplished angler but an excellent communicator as well.
Dave Wolak's presentations were very informative and included footage from his instructional dvd's. It was great to have a pro instruct a session, use his video to highlight the lesson taught and then provide a more in depth look at the conditions of the day and what variables he used to make his decisions. It has been rumored that Gerald Swindle is quite the entertainer, he certainly did not disappoint! He could have easily been on stage at a comedy club, keeping the entire audience laughing throughout and providing some great insight and advice on the mental aspects of tournament fishing.
Pete Gluszek (Co-Founder of BU) captivated us all with his two way approach to smallmouth fishing, at one point on the second day, we demanded that the MC allow Pete to continue his presentation rather than go to break, (it was that informative and relevant).
Sunday's presenters included Dave Mansue, Dave won the Bassmaster Northern Open on the Chesapeake Bay last April. He broke down the winning strategy and gave an incredible presentation on tidal water fishing. I have not fished for bass in a tidal system, so this was of great interest to me. I really thought that the speakers and structure BU used was very effective, by incorporating local information as well as general knowledge the content was impactful to all the attendees.
Later on, Greg Hackney delved into his fishing strengths and how important it was that we know what our strengths are and capitalize on them. He also shared how he developed his game plan for the FLW Championship in Pittsburgh.
Of course, Mike Iaconelli gave high energy presentations and it was certainly interesting to learn that there is a actually a method to his madness. In the audience was a group of from a local youth fishing club, Rigging and Jigging, which included the NJ state youth champion and runner-up. Seeing Ike interact with this group really demonstrated what an ambassador to the sport he is.
Often at business seminars, the interaction at breaks can be the most informative part of the seminar. I can't say that the discussions at breaks were more educational than the presentations, but they were certainly interesting and informative. The attendees came from all levels of angling, some I met had been fishing less than a year, others had won their club championship the last four years in a row, everyone including the instructors shared techniques and information. In fact, that may have been the most impressive aspect of the weekend; the pros were very open about their techniques and strategies and I never felt like they were holding anything back.
Overall the weekend at BU was highly informative, entertaining and worth every penny. I would highly recommend attendance to anyone interested in becoming a better tournament angler, or for that matter a better bass angler.
Thanks Eric for your opinion on this first ever Bass University. Sound like this is a good one to attend!
The next Bass University is in Nashville January 23 and 24.
Click here to sign up.