John,
Great tale.

I'v been bass fishing 46 yrs. (started late) Still learning and not catching
any more bass than I did in 1959.
Jim L
"John Kerr" wrote in message
...
I was stationed at Pensacola, Fl. 35 years ago...thats where I was
introduced to bass fishing. I always leaned torward salt water fishing
back then, but a young sailor from Alabama talked me into going bass
fishing with him. The kid was, and still is in my opinion, one of the
best around. That was back when a "purple" worm was about all the color
choices ya had g. The kid could skull a boat and cast at the same
time, he had all his fishing lures in a tackle box the size of a cigar
box...a dozen purple worms, a broke back rapala, a popper, and a couple
spoons. And he caught bass...big bass! We fished the Black Water River
mostly, and he taught me "the trade", I don't know whether to thank him
or cuss him g. But for years, all I carried in my tackle box was a
match of his...then I got "corrupted", started adding all those "touted"
baits untill I had a tackle box the size of a suitcase...but I never
caught any more bass than I did fishing with the "kid"!
Now I see my son with the biggest and fastest boat, a garage full of
tackle, eight poles in the pole locker, loaded and ready...and he
doesn't catch any more fish than the kid did...just gets paid a HELL of
lot more for it g! I don't think the bass have done any
changing...reckon it's that age old competion thing thats changed the
fishing, hu? I still have some old purple worms, a few "Otay Specials",
and yes...a broke back rapala too g.
Any "old timers" still around? grin
JK