Bearing False Witness

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"
Exodus 20:16

This Email about the BP was sent to the Baxter Bass Snatchers, by a false accuser and coward (I don't know any Jon Beaupre):

-----Original Message-----From: Jon Beaupre [mailto:fishincops@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 7:23 AMTo: Subject: Dave Maas-KNOWN CHEATER

If you have allowed Dave Maas into your club, you better think again!

He has a history of pre-fishing the morning of a tournament, fishing off limit waters during a tournament and knowingly fishing for bass out of season.

Here is proof of his pre-fishing on the day of the tournament (cheating) from his own blog:

______________________________________________________
posted by Basspastor 6:49 PM 0 comments
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Proof Positive that BP is a bass tournament cheater: http://basspunditthq.blogspot.com/2006/03/team-bass-guygal-sylviatwin-july-23rd.html

http://basspunditthq.blogspot.com/2006/03/team-bass-guygal-sylviatwin-july-23rd.htmlDoes this make me a Bass "Perp"?????
_____________________________________________________


Now, he says that "he didn't think it mattered", but he took second place, cashed a check and was subsequently asked to not return to the club.

Here is the quote from his blog: "Technically I think this was against the rules but it's the guy/gal tournament and so I didn't think it mattered. I wasn't pre-fishing. I knew this spot holds bass in the early morning and that I would not visit the spot in the tourney, and probably nobody else would as well."

The Team Bass club rules specifically stated that there was no pre-fishing the day of the tournament and just the fact that it helped him pattern a bite makes it cheating in most books. How did he know that no one else would fish that spot? It is just a bad excuse for his cheating.

Read the link and make your own decision!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have already once blogged about this "Cheating" accusation here. I also responded to the "Cowardly Lion" in the comments section of a blog post.

In this email that was sent to members in my new club, there are two outright bald faced lies.

I have never fished "off limit waters during a tournament."

I was not "subsequently asked to not return to the club"

As for the charge of "knowingly fishing for bass out of season," this has been thouroughly vetted on my blogs and it is neither illegal or unethical to catch bass out of season provided that you are legitimatly targeting a species of fish in it's open season. Do I catch bass trying to catch Dogfish and Crappie and Pike in the Spring? Yes, but so does everybody else who legally targets those species. The "Cowardly Lion" obviously cannot let a settled issue rest.

As for the "Cheating" at the Sylvia/Twin Guy/Gal tournament and the so called getting kicked out of the Team Bass Club. I think a further apology on my part is in order.

The Team Bass Club 2005 Guy/Gal Tournament was held July 23rd at Sylvia/Twin Lake in Wright County MN. My family had a cabin on Sylvia/Twin until I was 31 years old and is the lake I know better than any other and have fished more than any other. On the morning in question I arrived at the access early and headed to a shallow flat rocky point that doesn't have any pronounced drop off located on a weed flat. I went to this spot because I knew it held lots of little bass that bite on topwater in the morning before the sun gets up to high. I have fished this spot many mornings with buzzbaits and other topwaters and I can't remember ever catching a fish bigger than 12" off of it. The Guy/Gal tournament got off to a late start at 8AM or maybe it was 9am and by that time the little bass scatter from the exposed rocks and go onto the weed flat. The notion that I was establishing a pattern is ludicrious, there isn't another spot on the lake like it.

My plan for the day and what we did was fish Slop for 95% of the day. I did catch 1 keeper bass off a point but that point doesn't have rocks, isn't part of a weed flat, has a very sudden and distinct drop off, was wind blown, and I have caught many bass over 12" off of this particular point. That is 5 distinct differences between the two "points"

The Guy/Gal tournament does not count for any points in the Team Bass Standings and was a tournament I thought the club did for fun and trophies. I did not know money was on the line until we were at the weigh in and they handed out checks to the winners. Had I known money was on the line and someone would be hyper anal rententive about it, I would not have gone out and fished for fun early. There literally was nothing for me to gain by doing what I did except to enjoy myself and that is what I did. I probably caught a dozen 7-10" bass just like I thought I would. The spot has been consistant that way and I am willing to sacrifice size for topwater when I'm fishing for fun. I used a topwater popper to catch all of these little bass. I did not use a topwater popper at any time during the tournament. Yet another gapping whole in the theory I was "pre-fishing" to pattern fish.

How does my "sticking" little bass the morining of a tournament in any way benefit me for the tournament day?

The place I was fishing that morning was directly between the public access and the place where we headquartered the tournament in an area where the lake narrows down. While I was fishing I waved at several club boats as they passed by. I am sure at least 3 tournament boats saw me, and no protest was filed the day of the tournament. My sister-in-law Erin and I came in 2nd place and won a whole $100 and two trophies. I believe the "entry fee" to fish the tournament was under $20. In Team Bass you pay a flat fee at the beginning of the year and that is divided among all the tournaments.

Apparently the "Cowardly Lion" learned about what I did because they read my blog about it. This person obviously reads my blogs even though they hold a grudge against me. "Know your enemy" I guess. The "Cowardly Lion" has never addressed me directly but annonymously went to the Tournament Director Dale Glader and filed a protest months and months after the fact. I assume it is the same coward who sent the email to my new club. The Team Bass Tournament Director got my side of the story and did not DQ me and ask for the money back. If that would have been the punishment than I would have paid the money back. I was "punished" by not being allowed to fish the first tournament of the next season in WI. The Tournament Director was aware that I had no intention of fishing this tournament and so the actual punishment was less than a slap on the wrist.

As I noted above it is a bald faced lie that I was "subsequently asked to not return to the club." I fished two tournaments in 2006 and was headed to my third at the Horseshoe Chain in early July when I hit a deer and totaled my truck. I no longer had my vehicle to get to the tournaments and so I didn't go to any more tournaments that year. In 2007 I elected not to rejoin the Team Bass Club on my own, I was never asked to leave.

Since the "Cowardly Lion" still frequents my blogs, why don't you show a little courage and admit who you are and renounce the lies you have told about me. I want to hear about this incident where I fished on "off limit waters" during a tournament. I am not gonna hold my breath, but I am gonna say this:

The Guy/Gal tournament is supposed to be a for fun and money just happened to be on the line. My actions were predicated on the fact that I did not take that particular tournament seriously. I think your attitude and actions make you a Grade A Royal Prick, "lighten up Francis."

BTW "C.L." the guys who got the email think what you did is bush league and they have made up their minds and have allowed me to join the club.

The real Bass Poachers

Today is the 2007 MN bass opener, the day that the annointed self righteous sportsman of the world stop complaining about those that they perceive as fishing for bass during the closed season. The bitch fest happens every year on FishingMinnesota.com, which I have documented on my blogs.

In addition to following the whining and complaining this spring I have kept a close eye on the DNR Conservation Officer Reports. From following these reports I've learned that people keeping bass out of season is a fairly common infraction with which people are getting caught. I would bet a dollar to donuts that most of these lawbreakers are really fishing for fish that are in season and get the bass as an incidental catch, but the temptation to keep all that meat is just to much.

How much talk do these poachers get every spring? NONE

How much talk should they get. Well from the frequency of the infractions I would think this would be on top of the annointed self righteous sportsman's radar. This is just one more reason for me to hold these "do gooders" in contempt.

Proof Positive that BP is a bass tournament cheater: Monday, March 27, 2006
Team Bass Guy/Gal @ Sylvia/Twin July 23rd

Does this make me a Bass "Perp"?????

BP's Philosophy of MN Closed Bass Season

For those unaware, Minnesocold has a time from late February to late May, when it is illegal to not only keep, but even fish for largemouth and smallmouth Bass. The Minnesota regulation for fish "out of season" is this:

You may not intentionally fish for any species during its closed season.

Updated to add: The actual rule/law is 6262.0100 GENERAL RESTRICTIONS ON TAKING FISH Subp. 5.B Possession of fish while on state waters, which says:

"A person shall not angle for, including catch-and-release, or reduce to possession any species during its closed season."

I have all kinds of issues with this particular regulation.

#1 I think it is immoral for the state to make catch and release fishing with artificial baits illegal

I do not believe the state has a compelling interest in prohibiting catch and release fishing. Catch and release fishing has proven itself not to be harmful to a fisheries resource. If there is no harm done than the state should not be able to regulate against the activity, PERIOD! This regulation is a very mild form of tyranny that prohibits the God given freedom and rights of man.

#2 Any law or regulation that depends upon a subjectively derived "intent" for enforcement when it could use an objectively arrived at standard is bad law.

In other words, this law should not be allowed on the basis that it is vague. If the state is going to by default ban certain fishing techniques than they should be named, not left to be guessed at. Sure the regulation book would get bigger, but it would also get better because the CO would then have something that could be specifically and objectively enforced. To ban specific lures would show in fine detail that the regulation is indeed heavy handed and overly restrictive of an anglers freedom.

#3 The problem of cross species "targeting."

FYI-In Minnesocold this regulation is often paraphrased thus: "It is illegal to target an out of season fish."

Now any fisherman worth half his weight in twister tails and tube baits knows that fish of all shapes and sizes will bite a variety of the same baits. I've caught panfish on bass spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastics and jigs. I guarantee that bass will bite on every lure designed to catch panfish; Add to this another fact any fisherman will know about how fish of all shapes and sizes will share the same habitat. Thus in the general area where there will be panfish there will be bass and where there are bass there will be panfish.

These two facts together bring us to the inescapable conflict that fishing for fish that are "in season" means you will catch out of season fish whether you intentionally try to or not. Still some people insist on the artificial notion that you can "target" your species outside of sight fishing for individual fish. The regulation is based on an angling lie that defies common sense and experience. If you intend to catch panfish you will undoubtedly catch bass as well. Therefore, everyone who fishes for panfish is in reality also targeting bass albeit for catch and release purposes. The logic of this reality is inescapable.

Caveat: Now it is true that you are more likely to catch a bass on a 1/2oz jig than a sunfish or crappie, but it is not necessarily more likely that you will catch a crappie or sunfish on a 1/32oz jig than a bass.

#4 As long as you are fishing for a species that is in season than it is allowable that you can catch and release fish that are not in season.

Point #4 follows on the heals of point #3. If targeting legal fish than one is allowed to catch fish that are not in season all one wants and still be fishing within the law. This is a loop-hole that shows the law is absurd on it's face. During the Bass closed season it is completely legal to intentionally fish for panfish and roughfish including dogfish. After the 2nd weekend of May a licensed angler can also intentionally fish for pike, and walleye. If you target a legal species and you catch bass as a "side effect" than your angling is on the up and up, otherwise all anglers fishing during the bass closed season are guilty of breaking the law.

#5 It is an economic injustice that fishermen of means can fish bass legally in the river or other states, while the fisherman without means is stuck without remedy for being able to angle bass.

The argument is made that fishing for bass out of season is inexcusable because other options exist for fishing bass legally by visiting the river where there is no closed season or other states where bass season is open. Obviously not everyone has an equal opportunity to take advantage of the other options due to financial concerns. The law should avoid creating such inequalities if possible and in this case the remedy is possible without negatively effecting the natural resource.

In summary I have 5 reason's why I find this regulation to be bogus.

Because of this regulation the conversation starts again every year. The self appointed defenders of all that is holy writ in Minnesocold Fishing Law get on their moral hobby horse and condemn all those that would defy the law as they see it.

...As the season gets closer to opener More and More boats and more and more fisher People Are fishing for Bass. (I’M TALKING ABOUT THE WALLEYE OPENER NOT THE BASS OPENER!!!!).how do they call themselves sports men in one breath and a outlaw in there actions . what is the boards view on Targeting fish that are out of season?

THANKS
Chisago Docksitter

My response to the Docksitter is that he should mind his own business and let other people mind their own business in return. A sportsman will do what he can to see this bad law changed. Those who know my history know this bass fishing out of season controversy is what contributed to the Banned Pastor, BP designation, as well as other various creative name calling.

The genesis of my passion for this issue goes back to me being falsely accused and harassed by some jerk when I was fishing for northern pike, not bass. My beliefs on the issue have evolved and strengthened the more I have thought about it.

Do I Cheat the Law?

I speed from time to time.

Ohh, you meant "do I intentionally fish for bass out of season?"
If a tree falls in a forest and there is no one there to hear it, did it make a sound? Unless I say something is my intent and actually mean it, there is no way to objectively gauge what my intent actually is on the matter. You will NEVER here me say that my intent is to catch a bass during it's closed season.

Also I do believe non-violent "civil disobedience" is a proper response in redress of bad government in an otherwise worthwhile governing system.

In addition to those considerations, at all times in the Spring while fishing during the bass closed season I have the very deliberate intent to catch a species that is legally in season whether that be panfish or dogfish. I believe this fact settles the issue once and for all. In reality I do not "cheat the law," because I am FISHING LEGALLY.

The only issue with some resonance from FM.com

It's not fair that the majority of us follow regulations

It is to some degree true that those who fish for bass before the season opens are doing something that is unfair to all other anglers. What they are doing is educating the fish which makes them harder for others to catch. Of coarse that means it's making them harder to catch for meat fisherman. Also fish that can be educated are desirable stock for the future of a fishery as well as for the section of the economy based on fishing. This issue is at best a push when larger questions are considered.

FYI-Permission is granted for anyone who wants to copy and paste this response all or in part to the WHAT ARE Sportsmen to do ? thread at FM.com

Now I must get back to my hunt for the state record dogfish.

Appendix FM: (A compilation of FishingMinnesota.com bulletin board threads on this topic that is if I can ever re-find the links now that the board has been changed and everything has a new url. Much of the time "Anonymous" is the Banned Pastor but not always)
"RE: Largemouth Bass"
"Whats With All The Talk About Fishing Out Of Season" (10 pages of comments)
Regulations... clarification?FishingMinnesota.com archives (I didn't actually participate in this thread where I was slandered)

"To bad all people who fish don’t have that attitude."
You don't like my attitude and I don't care for the attitude of the self-righteous chumps that presume a person is breaking the law or doing something wrong when they are not.

Did you see the thread "Basspoacher tries to strike again." Same place, same baits, same time of day and all I got was those crummy Crappies and Sunnies some of which I kept to eat (Yum Yum). Fishing is that way a lot of times and people who accuse others for "targeting" out season need to be a little more liberal with how they regard what is proper and what is not. People have gone out of their way to accuse me of breaking the law and being unethical so I go out of my way to be provocative on this issue to piss you Pharisees off.

When someones intent is to catch fish period and would be as happy with a bass as a crappie does not mean they are breaking the law or doing anything wrong. Cyb had a blast catching all those bass, but was disappointed that he didn't get any nice crappies or bigger gills. Had he fished the same spot a week later it looks as if the results would have been different from what I caught.

That's fishing.

excerpt from Keeping BASS Dilemma Fishing Minnesota archives (4 pages)

How many more days till the Bass opener?? (thread has 11pages, many of which contain BP posts.)

Seasonal Ethics

Dark Christianity and Rick Clunn

In an interview with BassFan Rick Clunn talks about the "Dark Side of Christian Spirituality" as he terms it; Rick Clunn is a bit of an individualist maverick when it comes to spirituality, especially in the conservative evangelical dominated world of Professional Bass Fishing. As examples of this "Dark Side" he talks about how in his youth his sister was condemned to hell for being a ballet dancer and how that moved his family away from their church and away from Christianity; Clunn also references F.O.C.A.S. (Fellowship of Christian Angling Society) and how some people within this group have used what he considers negative and coercive peer pressure tactics, as well as how he believes they had distorted his own beliefs.

My response to Rick Clunn:
It is impossible to deny that Christianity has a "dark side." But "Christianity" as Clunn uses the word is nothing but a multifaceted institutionalized ideology acted out in the lives of individual and corporate human lives. The clear lesson of history and immediate human experience is that human beings are all morally flawed and prone to mistakes ranging from the individual occasional minor offense all the way to mass directed grievous evil. If one wishes to focus on the negative and problems than they will find them without much effort when human conduct is considered.

Clunn obviously considers himself a self-enlightened individual, but that self-enlightenment obviously contains a prejudice against evangelical Christian's and evangelical Christianity. The majority of Clunn's opinion has apparently sided with the negatives of "Christianity" so that the positives are discounted. Just as Clunn judges the arrogance of Christian's so he is condemned by the arrogance of his own enlightenment which surely is not without this significant flaw. Rick Clunn may be the "Greatest Professional Bass Fisherman ever, a great father, husband, and generally be a pretty good guy, but he is not without his issues and flaws. I know that because I know myself and I know all beings have issues and flaws either real or imagined. Clunn obviously has some issues with Christian's that appear legitimate, but I question whether his consideration of Christian's and Christianity is deep enough to have merit. For if I were to discount all of Clunn's accomplishments because of his failures and mistakes than I could esteem Clunn negatively and that with ease. But why would I choose to do such?

Well actually I wouldn't, because I have a great deal of respect for the guy as a man and as an angler. Obviously if I were a P.E.T.A. believer than I would have a different view. Consider that.

The race of Aragorn and Faramir

Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

Since I'm too lazy...

to post something of my own. I am outright gonna steal a post from the Blog Running on Coffee.

Here is The Fishing Lesson.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005
The Fishing Lesson

My grandfather fought in two wars in his time in the Army, WW2 and Korea. He was wounded 5 times between the two wars. He held the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. I want to share something my sister wrote shortly after our grandfather passed away last year. With Veteran's Day approaching, I thought it appropriate.

The Fishing Lesson

I could never figure out as a child why my grandfather loved fishing so much. It was fun to go with him as a kid every now and then, but I could never understand why he went day after day. It wasnt until I went fishing with him last April that I finally knew. It was a cloudless day the last time my grandfather ever went fishing. I had promised him two years earlier that I was going to take him fishing. He couldnt go out on his boat by himself anymore and so he did wait patiently for two years for me to come home. The last time I was home, before we even knew he was sick I knew in my heart that I had to take him. My grandfather, my dad, my nephew and I spent four hours on that lake that day without a single nibble all day long. Not a tug, not even a little pull on our lines. The one thing I do remember about that day is how the water was so calm. It was like glass all day long. It was calm and serene and I cant remember a day in the last seven years of my life that was so calm and peaceful. There are two things that I could never figure out about my grandfather. One was his love for fishing and the other was that besides a few comical antidotes about his wartime experiences you would have never known that he was on Normandy beach that day in 1944 and later went to Korea. He was never sad like a man who had seen so much war. I saw only a glimpse of war in 1999, 2002, and 2003 and it still makes me sad sometimes. I realized that day, that he fished not for the chance to catch anything, but for quiet, still moments like those we shared that day. And I also realized that he wasnt sad because he had us, his family. His family had been his salvation all of those years. I knew this because of all of the veterans in the VA hospital he was one of the few that had family next to him every minute of every day. After fishing my grandfather dropped all three of us off at the dock so we could prepare the truck to put the boat back on it. He trolled away from the dock, and as I thought he would turn the boat around to come back in he kept trolling out past the buoys. Once he got past the buoys I saw him turn his hat backward and open up his boat for the last time. Maybe he knew in his heart too. And so for a few minutes he sped across the lake all while a gorgeous Texas sunset was fading behind him. There were no boats on the water that day, and he flew across the calm water with nothing in his way. It was just him and his lake. Thats how ill always remember him. I wont remember him with all of the tubes coming out of him, or his lack of hair from the chemo. Ill remember him teaching me a lesson that day. To remember whats important and why I do fight all of these wars, and what will take me through my nightmares and memories. My family.
We didnt catch anything that day, but it didnt matter to any of us.
We were together and no big bass can ever beat that.
My grandfather passed away on Saturday. Called back to duty by his commander in chief in heaven.

Theres no doubt in my mind where he's at right now.

Hes on lake.

Fishing.

hooah, grandpa.

Misc. Stuff from the BP

Dang Spam Bots!

I have been busy beating them back in the comments section. Looks like I need to find that Blogger code to stop em.

Also I have an Apology and Wrap Up of 2005 over at The BP Fantasy Bass Fishing HQ

The Tournament Report is up for the Team Bass Horsehoe Chain of July 9th and I do plan to give reports for the rest of the season as I have time. I also hope to update the Fishing Log Blog some from 2005 as well as Bass Pundit Preach and B.P. vs. Cyberfish. We didn't face off much this summer and our last outing we both got skunked. Before that Cyb shived me at Mille Lacs during the Sept. full moon. He was ON FIRE that nite reeling in the piggies, thanks to my boat control and that Firetiger HJ.

Anyway soon I should be blogging again on a regular basis.

Coming Soon... a pic of a real Toad I caught in September.

Note: Even though the weather has been great in October, I've had issues, which I will get into in another post, that have kept me off the water this month, and when I have been out it has been whiff city even though the weather has been about ideal.

Oops this was meant to go over @ the main BP site. Ohh Well. The "more the merrier" and anything new content wise on any of the Franchise's is a welcome site to me anyway.

Broken Rod Stories

Didn't know where else to put this for right now. It is a long post for the WWW.lakestatefishng.com message board. Fortunatly I copied it just before sending because that site is on the fritz. I plan to put this on in the Log Blog and main BP eventually but I needed a warehouse and this seems to be the best fit.

St.Croix has terrible service!
I broke a rod I bought after 2000 and they told me I was wrong! And the rod was over 15 yrs old lmao! 15 yrs ago I was using a Fenwick with a Mitchell 300 I never even heard of them 15 yrs ago.
And for the price? They are not all they are cracked up to be, they break like any other cheap rod. I went to Jarvis Walker made by Penn, I have had great luck with them and if I break one? They are under 30 bucks.

I broke a 7'3" Avid Flippen stick while swinging a hog into the boat that had a bunch of weeds on her. St. Croix replaced it no problem. I am surprised Tim had any problem, St. Croix, Fenwick, and Shimano are known for their willingness to replace rods.

Here's my favorite busted rod story. Pilgrim/Cyberfish can verify the first part. I was using a 7'6" Fenwick HMG at the Golf Park Dam at on the Pike Creek in Kenosha County WI during the fall Salmon run. About 5 away from the face of the dam and about 4 feet off the waters surface is a railroad trestle for the Golf carts to cross. You can either fish the tail out side of the trestle, on a ledge under the trestle's North side or the dam side and I was on the dam side which gives you very little wiggle room for fighting and it's kind of a treacherous little spot as well. I got dialed into something a started fair hooking salmon regularly on Mepps Spinner. I had landed several nice Chinook's in a row and then I hooked into a really spunky 4 to 5lb Coho. I really wanted to catch it, cause it was a very pretty fish and also that size Coho is a great fish to eat.

You guessed it, I wasn't paying attention while fighting the fish, the rod tip got stuck in the trestle and broke. I was pissed at my stupidity and then tried to yank the coho out of the water. As I was doing that, the line broke down by the spinner and the fish flopped back in the water before I could grasp it. Not only had I busted my rod, but I lost the hot bait and it was the only one in that size and color and that was the only one the salmon wanted. I melted down at that point pretty good, I was one pissed off dude.

Anyway I sent the rod back to Fenwick and they replace it no problem even though it was obviously my fault, so now I had a brand new 7'6"MH Fenwick HMG Spinning rod. Fast foreword to the next years Fall Run, same pool of water except I was fishing the tail out on the other side of the trestle. I'd had a couple of phenomenal days in a row having that spot almost all to myself and had caught dozen of Kings, Coho's, and even a couple of small steelhead, some of the Kings were 20lb plus monsters.

It was now the weekend and the hole was modestly crowded with maybe 10-12 people, but not super crowded like it can get with 15-20; that hole is really only suited to fish 7 or 8 to allow decent room. I didn't get there early enough and so I decided to wait for my spot to open up and went to the business of netted peoples fish. By doing that you get on peoples good side, which is always a good idea when "combat fishing," and they get to a limit quicker, so they tend to leave quicker. Anyways after netting several Salmon for the guys who staked out that North Side of the hole, one of them stepped aside to sit for a while and let me into fish.

For those of you who have never done it, combat fishing a hole full of Salmon with other guys fishing lines in the water is not a game of finesse. If the fish are really going you may have fisherman with multiple hook-ups fighting fish at the same time and guys will continue fishing while a fish is being fought because it can be a long time between hook ups and you want your line in the water as much as possible. That Fenwick HMG is the perfect action rod with plenty of muscle and I was using 20lb Trilene XT Solar which is excellent line for that environment cause it's tough and everybody can see the line and where a fish is heading.

Anyway, I hooked into a mid-teen King that was hot and was pressuring it hard, from the back of the tail out. It seemed like it was wearing a bit and was almost in netting range and so I pressured it harder, the fish made a burst and my rod exploded, it sounded like the crack of a rifle. Everybody in the hole including myself was just stunned and gapping, including me. Amazingly enough, even though the rod broke in 4 places, the line held and I caught the fish. I thought the rod exploding like that was the greatest thing ever, I've never seen or heard anything like it.

I suppose I could have sent the rod in to Fenwick again, but I figured I'd gotten my money's worth and didn't bother. That rod is more valuable to me as a souvenir anyway. I still have the handle section but unfortunately lost 2 of the pieces in the process of moving and I cannibalized the tip to use on another rod.

I also inexplicably had a Fenwick Techna Av break on a cast, which they replaced no problem.

(Man that's quite a story, I'll have to get a pic of the rod and then put it up on my blog.)

Open Letter to Senator Norm Coleman

Well a little Bass Pundit/Bass Pastor blogizan activism on the upcoming vote on new bankruptcy legislation that looks like it will pass. Honestly I don't have the answers, but I am very suspicious of the wisdom of this legislation and am quite skeptical as to whether or not a problem even exists that needs to be fixed or if it does that this legislation will do the job. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe not.

Senator Coleman,

I am writing regarding the upcoming vote on the bankruptcy legislation as a semi-concerned citizen. I say "semi-concerned" because I am not well versed on the bill or the issues involved. Also I am pretty sure that the ramifications of this bill will not effect me as that I have recently been Discharged of Debts under Chapter 7 and don't plan on ever putting myself in a position again.

Having gone through the bankruptcy process I am thankful that it was available and am also grateful that it was a relatively easy and painless process. Filing for bankruptcy was not something I am proud of or really wanted to do, but was the first good financial decision I've made in a long time. I recognize that I made a lot of poor and plainly irresponsible financial decisions along the way, but there were also significant contributing factors that were beyond my control. In addition, I think a strong argument in my case could be made that the Credit companies made poor and plainly irresponsible financial decisions that were about equal to mine.

I guess I am worried that the legal process might not really be broken and therefore might not need to be "fixed." Or if the law does need to be reformed, I am concerned that at the end of the day the only real winners will be already wealthy lawyers, and corporate interests while the people who are like me who really need relief will be left with a process that is far more difficult and expensive. Call me a bleeding heart liberal, but if it's a direct choice between subsidizing of the rich vs. subsiding of the poor, than I think you must side with those who "have not" over those that "have" provided of coarse you are not destroying the "haves" economically to do it because that really doesn't redound in benefit to anyone.

Please understand, I am not necessarily anti-lawyer or corporations as that I obviously had help getting the bankruptcy from an attorney and my oldest brother is employed by American Express here in Minnesota; American Express also happened to be the the credit lender that I owed the most money, therefore was the biggest loser when my discharge was granted. I recognize that corporations like American Express do a tremendous amount of good by employing thousands of people. I know the banking industry plays a key role in extending opportunity and economic prosperity and growth that benefits all of society.

At the same time however, I recognize that the banking industry is highly susceptible to the temptations that come from having immense institutional power and a concentrated focus on wealth which can lead to a pursuit of courses of action that are ethically questionable or sacrifice larger long term benefits for short sighted gains.

Here's the questions that I think you should answer before voting in favor of this upcoming legislation:

1.Specifically what about current bankruptcy law is a problem?

2. Who specifically is it a problem for and why do they need the reform?

3. What is the cost benefit analysis of the current law vs. a cost benefit analysis of the proposed law? Noting who benefits and how much under each legal paradigm.

4. How will the proposed reform effect everyone in the equation ie: lenders, debtors, lawyers? Noting both probable intended and possible unintended consequences?

5. Is the Credit industry currently profitable? If so how profitable and is this level of growth most likely sustainable under the current system?

6. If the Credit industry is the major benefactor of the proposed reforms than what steps are they taking to get their own house in order where they have contributed to the problems that they are seeking to address?

If it can be shown with a commitment to intellectual integrity that the proposed reforms are win/win/win situation than I think you should vote in favor of the legislation. However, if it only benefits lawyers and bankers than I believe the only choice is to vote NO!

I don't have the answers, but I think this issue is important and requires your careful deliberation because this is a vote for which I believe you may be held accountable by a Higher Authority than me at some point.

"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
Proverbs 14:31 (New International Version)

Thanks
Dave Maas

Pharisee Nation by John Dear

I made the mistake of running into a political blog yesterday called The Progressive Blog Alliance HQ. Where I found a bunch of what passes for thought and theology among the hardcore pro-gay and anti-war, anti-Bush, anti-everything else left. One of the pieces was this rant called Pharisee Nation by a passivist Jesuit Priest named John Dear

I just had to reply to such self-righeous utter non-sense.

"I believe war, weapons, corporate greed and systemic injustice are an abomination in the sight of God. They are the definition of mortal sin. They mock God and threaten to destroy God’s gift of creation. If you want to seek the living God, you have to pit your entire life against war, weapons, greed and injustice--and their perpetrators. It is as simple as that."

Dude, you need to Love the Lord thy God with all your mind, because when you do I think you will discover that your condemnation can never be so cut and dried in a fallen world among a fallen humanity. If it is so cut and dried than why are these pronouncements yours and not directly uttered by Jesus himself? I would submit much of your Bibilical interpretation is wishful thinking more than serious hermineutic. Jesus himself said render unto Caeser what is Caeser and the God that which is God's. A Christian cannot simply avoid civic responsiblity for wishful thinking of their own making. That is not true faith, but foolishness.

"War, weapons, corporate greed, and systematic injustice (What?ever that is) are certainly inevitable necessary evils. These things probably in FACT have redemptive qualities or uses by God that accomplish good and restrain evil along with preserving grace and creation in some kind of pragmatic manor that is beyond our comprehension. The weather is not evil and yet it kills, steals and destroys as if at times it is authored by Satan himself. I would submit that "war" (conflict), "weaponry" (the sword), "corporate greed" (economics), and systematic injustice (political and civic instituitions) are all similiar to the weather as that they are a law unto themselves in a fallen creation and therefore are NOT automaticaly abominations as you claim.

"We have to resist this new American empire..."

If you think "American Empire" is bad, who would you prefer to be ruled by? A totalitarian Soviet/Communist one? A totalitarian Islamic one? A fascist Nazi one? An Imperial Japanease one? A totalitarian Pan-Arab one? A truely brutal pagan Roman or Mongolian one? How about a truely fucked up French Imperial one? Or do you favor some other small time authoritarian despot, kingdom, tribe or fiefdom?

From where I sit the best Empires in the history of the world are British and by extension it's successor the American one. That is an objective judgement that is pretty easy to make.

...as well as its false spirituality and all those who claim to be Christian yet support the murder of other human beings.

This statement is about as morally obtuse an argument as I've ever seen. The options are not simply American empire vs. the utopia of the Kingdom of God. So the American Empire goes away and then What? Are you saying that the majority of people in Iraq where better under Saddam and the Bathists than they are with a true opportunity for self-determination and radical liberal democratic reforms?

It's not that we support murder, but that there is a difficult and real problem somewhere that involves us and we are trying to do as nation what we can to set things right and doing that means engaging in a violent struggle. Avoiding the problem won't make it go away or make life better for one single soul in Iraq or the USA or anywhere else in the world for that matter. There is a time for war and a time for peace, a time to throw stones and a time to gather them in.

We have to repent of the sin of war, put down the sword, practice Gospel nonviolence, and take up the cross of revolutionary nonviolence by loving our enemies and discovering what the spiritual life is all about.

I don't recall Jesus or the Apostles speaking of a "Gospel of nonviolence." Jesus was not a prophet or martyr for any so called "gospel of nonviolence." I don't recall converted Roman soldiers and commanders being commanded to resign and renounce their position. I think this Gospel you speak of is not "Gospel" at all and should not be accepted uncritically and without serious reservations.

I especially have a problem with this:

put down the sword

The secular/political authority commands those within it's authority and has not only the right but the obligation to bear the sword. Jesus and his followers understood this, but you seemingly do not. If commanded by the political authority to bear the sword to not obey could be to disobey God and promote evil rather than discourage it. That is good Biblical theology, your position however is not.

take up the cross of revolutionary nonviolence by loving our enemies and discovering what the spiritual life is all about

I reject the notion that too unilaterally disarm, which is essentially to hand your enemy the gun with which an evil enemy will then summarily shoot you in the head consitutes what Jesus meant with the line about "loving your enemies" "taking up the cross " or has anything to do with discovering what "the spirtiual life is all about" unless reaping the the consequences of stupidity is a spiritual discipline we are to seek.

Wake up from your delusions and enter the world of angels/demons and men.

"My Lethal Weapon's My Mind" Ice-T

If I'm evangelizing for the blogosphere, Does that fall under theology?

I think Yes therefore this post lands here first, this ditty "My Lethal Weapon's My Mind" was written in responce to a internet message board question:

SUBJECT: # 41653: How do you get to be a prostaff team member?

From Bass Fishing Home PageTM Web, whatever! And whatever that thing is, it shure catches Bass Fisherman.

Here is my answer to the ? in full tricked out blog-o-link mode which that Uglo Klunklosaurus of an interface I wrote the original on can't pull off:
(BTW, do you think it is it a wee arrogant to myself in this way? Rhetorical Question or begging for comments? You decide!)

I have an alternative plan.

Get in on the ground floor of a revolutionary new media tool and have it revolve around the sport of Bass Fishing (we are quite campy, you know.) I have founded my "Blog Franchise Empire" and will continue to grow the thing and build momentum, networking with every bass fisherman who catches the blogging fever.

If you like Bass Fishing, tournament or not, and are on the internet, you should not only be writing in these message boards, but blogging. It's easy, it's fun, and you can link to your favorite message boards, you can "blogroll" the BP and/or link to Korean blogger bass fisherman Gar "The Bass Hole"'s: "Fishing Girl of the Week."

Did you know Time has now added a "Blog of the Year?" In 2004 it was
Powerline.com. Did you know ABC named Blogger's as their 2004 "People of the Year?"

Where else but on the bloggosphere does a bass fisherman from Minnesocold get to connect and share his passion with an aspiring female astronaut from Kuwait. The bloggosphere has a Kuwaiti Astronaut Diva and has plenty of room for Fishing Diva's too. (Check out Maryam's Blog "So I want to be an Astronaut" and leave her a comment telling her you like to catch those weird "green fish" and wish her the best in making her dreams come true; be sure to tell her BassPundit says hello.)

The objective is to become the Instapundit of the Bass Fishing niche within the bloggosphere. Once a hundred or so Bassin Blogger are networked with me and I'm gettin' several tens of thousands of unique hits a day, the fishing companies will start emailing me. And if I am not already into their product than I'll tell em': "I'll give it try and if I like it than YOU CAN BE ON MY PRO STAFF, DUDE!"

The BP
it all begins here

Yeah Baby! Time for BassCenter !!!!!!!

Sometimes it will come in my own words, not now.

Pronunciation: 'prEch
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English prechen, from Old French prechier, from Late Latin praedicare, from Latin, to proclaim publicly, from prae- pre- + dicare to proclaim--more at...

Preach (in part) according to Merriam-Websters

I was born a child of grace
Nothing else about the place
Everything was ugly but your beautiful face
And it left me no illusion

I saw you in the curve of the moon
In the shadow cast across my room
You heard me in my tune
When I just heard confusion

All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am... I am

from All Because of You by U2

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
Psalm 73:25 New American Standard Version

My flesh and my heart may fail...
Psalm 73:26&28 New American Standard Version