If you have 48 hours and $140, do I have a deal for you.  No, I am not talking about the latest California swim bait delivered to your home overnight mail, but a class with LACE w:st="on">LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE>LACE>.

            In a sport that some might write off as luck and chance, I'm here to tell you that fishing is a skill that can be taught and passed to future generations that can build on past knowledge.  There is an old adage that goes something like this, "He that learns from his own mistakes is wise, but he that learns from the mistakes of others is wisest!"  That is what LACE w:st="on">LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE>LACE> is all about.  Where else can you get the world's top professional bass men in one room for two days, sharing their vast knowledge of bass fishing, for less than the cost of a two day bass tournament?  The fine people at Bassmaster reduce the cost even more by giving each student a $50 pack of bass fishing merchandise and a coupon for 15% off your next purchase at Bass Pro Shops.  If you are a member of BASS or BASS Insider, additional discounts apply.

            Located in 15 states and Canada, LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE> is available to anyone in LACE w:st="on">North AmericaLACE>.  Top instructors include Kevin Van Dam, Mike Iaconelli, Davy Hite, Shaw Grigsby, Mark Davis, Zell Rowland, George Cochran, Ken Cook, Terry Scroggins, Rich Tauber, Joe Thomas, Jimmy Houston, Larry Nixon, David Fritts, Greg Hawk, Denny Brauer, Woo Daves, Mark Menedez, Danny Joe Humphreys, Mike Autin, Mike Webb, and Gene Gillilard …more than a mouthful of the top notch anglers.

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            The University format is simple:  Two days of non-stop, ear bending information sessions at a dressed up conference center, featuring at least a half-dozen top bass pros sharing their secrets with each class.  The classes are held on the weekend, for all of us working people, and start on a Saturday and end on a Sunday.  Topics include everything you want to know, and some things you should know, but don't.  From formatting a strategy to win, boat positioning, cranking, spinnerbating and casting, to discussions on proper use of electronics and reading unproductive water, LACE w:st="on">LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE>LACE> has you covered.  It is a tried and true program that has been teaching anglers of all skill levels for over 30 years and is recognized by the National Freshwater Hall of Fame.

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            My first class with LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE> was in 2002 at the Wyndham Hotel near the LACE w:st="on">Richmond, VirginiaLACE> airport, February 16 and 17.  My father and I drove the two hours from metro LACE w:st="on">Washington, DCLACE> on his birthday weekend and arrived around 7:00 am on Saturday morning.  Bleary eyed from lack of sleep, but driven by a desire to be winner and meet some of my favorite pros, I picked up my name tag and free merchandise bag at the registration desk in the conference center lobby.  I then milled around like a big female on an early spring bed, awaiting the arrival of my fellow anglers and the big name pros.  Little by little the fishermen and women filled in, and then as if a trumpet had sounded, Woo Daves, still fresh off his 2000 Bassmaster Classic title came swaggering in to a bunch of wide-eyed, giddy anglers.  Everyone clamored for his attention.  The same knightly procession repeated itself every time on of the "big guys" appeared, seemingly out of no where.

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            The crowd settled down and in.  The emcee for the event introduced the first lecturer, Woo Daves and the crowd clapped and cheered.  Woo proceeded to teach us about what he called "creating a milk run" and also how to use soft plastics in shallow water.  Next up on this Saturday class was Rich Tauber on how to fish "Western Style"; jigs, tubes, doodle worms and gitzits.  Mark Davis was third in line and he told us to "get off the banks" and fish deep water structure, focusing on the jig and pig technique.  At 11:15 am we broke for a 50 minute lunch on our own.  Most of us, including the pros, ate at the 4 star restaurant located in the Wyndham Hotel, next to the conference hall. 

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            Around 12:15pm Woo Daves came back up on stage to teach us about spinner baits in deep water and tube techniques.  1:00pm and Rich Tauber finished up with finesse fishing and drop shotting, followed by Mark Davis on schooling and suspended bass.  By this time it was 3:00pm.  A round of applause and cheers as the day finished and then all three men got back up on stage for a "think tank" question and answer session with all of us neophytes.  Questions and answers came forth fast and furious as the pros did a great job staying animated and informative while getting to as many questions as possible.  I had brought a notepad and pen, but could barely keep up with copying down notes on each segment.  I wish I had brought a mini tape recorder.  Day 1 ended about 4:30pm.  We ate dinner at the same restaurant we had lunch at in the Wyndham Hotel, everyone gawking at the pros while we ate prime rib.  My father and I retired to bed in the Wyndham, which was very convenient, as the hotel and conference center were in the same building. 

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            The next morning started at 7:15am with a FOCAS (Fellowship of Christian Anglers) Meeting (it was a Sunday), and then bass king Shaw Grigsby graced us, starting his lecture on developing a versatile game plan for soft plastics at 8:00am.  Next up was fishing legend George Cochran.  George spoke of spinnerbait versatility and in-line spinners, amazing.  Greg Hawk took us to lunch time with an in-depth discussion of flippin' and pitchin', boat positioning and how bass relate to cover.  Another lunch break at the Wyndham and then back to the conference hall. 

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            Shaw Grigsby wowed us again by telling us that the LACE w:st="on">CarolinaLACE> rig may be the most versatile and effective bass catching tool available.  George Cochran hopped back up on stage to describe his top water techniques, his choices for clear or stained water, and how to work a floating or "trick" worm.  Greg Hawk finished out day two with everything we needed to know about crankbaits.  At this point it was about 3:00pm and another "think tank" with the pros got underway.  A final round of applause and it was formally over, however the pros were kind enough to stick around and pose for pictures and sign autographs.  Shaw Grigsby and Woo Daves handed out fisherman cards, looking just like a baseball card for the fishing world.

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            My father and I stayed until the procession was all packed up and leaving, then ate a final meal at the Wyndham, and drove back to metro LACE w:st="on">Washington, DCLACE>.  The added expense of a single night stay at the hotel Wyndham was nothing compared to the lifelong memories and knowledge of bass fishing that I gained those two weekend days.  If I was a kid, it would have been like going to Disney World.

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            Since that time I have started to fish professional tournaments on the East Coast and I think back to my time at LACE w:st="on">LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE>LACE> often, especially when the fish aren't biting, and ask; what would Woo do?  What would Shaw do?  How about Mark Davis?  And thanks to LACE w:st="on">LACENAME w:st="on">BassmasterLACENAME> LACETYPE w:st="on">UniversityLACETYPE>LACE>, I can honestly say that I know.