It all started with a note on Facebook.   It read something like, "Hi JR, there's a guy wanting to fish for Shoal bass and I gave him your contact info".  Being someone that's only seen a few of these striped, bronze beauties from the weigh in's at Lake Seminole tournaments, I wasn't sure where to go with this.   The fellows name was Matt "Royal Slammer" Price from Australia, who was chasing a dream to become the first angler ever to complete the IGFA Royal Slam in each category.  Already traveling to different regions of the Pacific Ocean to fulfill his quest, Matt had recently become the first Aussie to complete the Billfish "Royal Slam", along with only 93 others worldwide.  Matt's first couple messages did not contain any of this information, but peaked my curiosity when I found out who he was.  I informed him I was working on "hooking him up” so to say, and would get back with him very soon.  Matt wrote back to say he was on a schedule and needed to finalize the details for his 10 day trip to the states that included stops along the East Coast to chase Shark, Tuna and Bass.  

About a year ago I had invited B.A.S.S. Elite Series Pro, JTodd Tucker to do a show with me for New South Outdoors.  While filming, the subject came up about running way up the Flint River to do another show on the ever exclusive Shoal Bass.  After a couple phone calls, and three weeks of preparation JTodd and I met at the county line road just north of Vada, GA and made it happen.  

Two weeks after my last on-line chat with Matt, he must have been getting nervous as I had several new message alerts that I had yet to reply.  Finally I had some good news for Matt.  JTodd had agreed to be Matt's guide for the day.  Not wanting to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity, we were able to coordinate a tag boat and camera crew for the big day.

While hurricane Lee was making its’ way up the East coast, subsequential winds ripped through the treetops as we prepared to launch the boats.  With lack of summer rainfall the Flint River level was now at 2.6’, over 3' below normal.  As we backed our jacked up 4wheel drives 30' into the river, I couldn't help but wonder what was next.   Those who've ventured that far up the fast waters of the Flint, soon learn the need for boats that draft less than 5" of water.    Boulders the size of mini vans, trees, rapids, and a 7mph current makes for some of the most hazardous navigation one could ever encounter.  After 45 minutes of white knuckle, knee squeezin’, teeth grittin’, one eyed open, most exhilarating boat rides in my life, we arrived safely to our fishing destination.

In boat #1, a 20' aluminum Triton with a 115hp Optimax, was Matt, JTodd and our producer Jason Lynn.  I was in boat #2, an 18' Gator Trax with a 60hp Yamaha captained by Fred Jones of Parkway Marine.  Both boats were equipped with hydraulic jackplates and strong trolling motors to combat river conditions. 

Several scouting trips by JTodd had made the lure selection pretty easy.  Top water prop baits were going to account for most of the days fishing, with jigs coming in a close second.  My lures of choice were a Heddon Baby Torpedo and a 1/2oz Jigdinger in Nutter color tipped with a small plastic craw.  My reels were Shimano Curado’s, spooled with 15lb test Big Game line, mounted on 7’ Deep South Fishing Rods.  It didn't take long for the action to get started.  Fred's first cast with the top water resulted in a huge blow up, but the fish missed.  Two pops later he came back and Fred hauled in his first ever shoal bass, a beautiful 5lber!  20 yards downstream, JTodd directs Matt's casts to high percentage targets that will yield his prey.  As they drift quickly toward an upcoming stretch of rapids, Matt casts near a large boulder; "sput sput sput" goes his bait and POW, the fight is on!  As Matt's first Shoalie jumps 3 times like a Marlin, he plays it like an expert.  But alas, it comes unbuttoned.  What I'd read on shoal bass proved to be correct.  Very acrobatic fish, they fight similar to a Smallmouth Bass of Northern waters.  Living in a current laden environment makes these fish stronger than normal.  A two pound Shoalie will equal the fight of a 4lb largemouth.

 Frustrated, and now more determined than ever, Matt resumes his KVD (Kevin Van Dam) like assault with cast after cast to more structure.   With his accuracy and ability to use a baitcaster, you'd never know this is his first time fishing freshwater.  Blow up after blow up, all ended the same way.  Was Matt ever gonna complete his mission?  He's flown half way around the world, spent thousands of dollars and now everyone had caught at least 1 fish.  Everyone but Matt that is.  And then it happened, "pawoosh"!  Another nice 2lber slams Matts' bait on the surface and again, the fight is on.  This time Matt is the victor with 1/8^th of his bass challenge complete.  Even after two great leaps and a run down current, Matt's fishing prowess prevails. 

At the end of what would be one of my top 3 fishing trips of all time, everyone involved was a winner.  We caught over 20 fish and our top five Shoal Bass would total over 20lbs. 

Later that night Matt was making plans for the next leg of his journey.  Three more days of fishing on 3 different lakes for 5 different species of bass.  Finding transportation to South Carolina on a Saturday night is no easy task.  Then Matt spat those magical words, "hey mate, would you like to go with"?  What do you think my answer was!   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoal_bass