Fishing – LakeLife 24/7 Magazine

Front of the boat

Love of fishing deepens father & son bond

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free

Zeke Gossett has loved fishing as long as he can remember. A smile spreads across dad Curtis’ face as he tells of Zeke watching him get ready for tournaments when the toddler was just two years old. “He’d watch me get ready and if I didn’t take him, he was at the window all day waiting on me to come back home.”

By the time he was six years old, Zeke was soaking in every bit of information he could on fishing – the conditions and variables that make an angler successful.

At that time, Curtis would watch him and challenge him, insisting that he fish in the current, not in the easier flat water. “He struggled because you have to use certain angles to make different baits work correctly,” explains Curtis. “He’d cast and cast. I’d watch him a while. Then I’d ask him if he wanted me to show him how to do it. When he was just six, I took him out with me, and he rolled that spinner bait across that stump, and he caught one. It gave him the confidence he needed.”

From that point on, Zeke got to fish in the back of the boat with his dad in many tournaments. “One of my earliest memories is when we used to fish club tournaments,” recounts Zeke. “I was probably eight years old. He could have fished with anyone, but he chose to fish with me. He was so much better, but it was him and me together.”

They were competitive then, just as they are now. “We kept the fish separate,” Zeke remembers. “We were kind of fishing against each other, even on the same team.”

From the moment you meet these two, you can feel the close bond they share. Curtis is intensely proud of his son, who has gone on to become a professional B.A.S.S. angler. The pride is evident when he brings in the six-inch-thick binder with photos and laminated clippings heralding the achievements his son has earned on his fishing journey.

“I got serious about fishing when I was about 10,” says Zeke. Beginning the next year, the focus paid off. He’s been reeling in trophies since he won his first tournament at age 11 – first place in the B.A.S.S. Alabama Junior Bassmaster Tournament for his age division and second place overall. The following year, he won first place overall in the Alabama Bass Federation/FLW Junior Tournament.

Zeke continued to excel throughout middle school and high school, winning and placing in more than 50 tournaments and receiving recognition from numerous fishing organizations.

He was named B.A.S.S. Alabama Nation High School Angler of the Year in 2015 and was named a B.A.S.S. High School All-American. After high school, he continued fishing in college at Jefferson State Community College, then Jacksonville State University and was named 2020 B.A.S.S. Collegiate Angler of the Year. His team won the national championship.

Zeke is just as proud of his dad as Curtis is of him, describing his dad as competitive, encouraging and loving. “He was always so patient, as a parent and as a coach. He’s always supported me from the time I decided this is what I wanted to do.” In addition to being his dad, Curtis was his fishing coach for seven years.

A former school principal and high school fishing coach, who also coached middle school volleyball, Curtis spent many years exercising the patience required to inspire extra effort from his student athletes.

During his nine years as principal at New Directions Alternative School, he also served as head coach for Pell City High School’s fishing team, then for Briarwood Christian School for another three years. In that time, he led his teams to six top five finishes in high school national championships, including two B.A.S.S. High School National Championships at Pell City. He’s coached three B.A.S.S. High School All-American Anglers.

The end of 2020 took a difficult turn for the Gossett family. That October, while Zeke was in Kentucky at a fishing tournament, both his dad, Curtis, and his mom, Laura, were hospitalized with COVID. Laura was released within the week, but Curtis, who suffers from asthma, struggled, eventually being put on a ventilator. “We didn’t tell him right away because he needed to stay and win that tournament,” admits Curtis. After Zeke returned, he was able to bring his mother home, and the two focused on praying for Curtis. “We’d get video calls from the hospital every night,” says Zeke. “It was not really a conversation with him being on a ventilator, but we spent time with him.”

After nearly a month in the hospital, Curtis was strong enough to be released. “His hair was long, and he was so skinny,” recalls Zeke. “But he got his strength back after about a month.” They won the first tournament they entered after that. Winning a tournament is great, but for these two, any day spent fishing together is a win. “Since COVID, fishing with Zeke has become even sweeter,” says Curtis. “I do not take it for granted!”

Curtis displays championship fishing rings

At 27 years old, Zeke is out on the water about 200 days a year, either in tournaments or as a fishing guide, doing what he loves. “These days,” laughs Zeke, “it’s Dad who’s waiting by the window for me to come back from fishing.” Zeke is in the front of the boat and putting the bait “on a dime,” just like his dad taught him. And that, he explains, is the difference in a bite or not.

Curtis’ own dad worked a lot, so it was his mom who taught him to fish, taking him fishing from the age of four. He credits his mom with choosing to make family time a priority by taking him fishing as often as she could. When Zeke came along, Curtis passed along that gift of time with his son and the love of fishing grew, just as their love for each other matured.

The fishing duo is really a fishing trio, as both say they couldn’t do what they do without the support of Zeke’s mom, Laura. “She’s Zeke’s biggest fan,” says Curtis. “She never complains about us being away. Without that support at home, you can’t do what we do.” Both agree that she is the most loving, hard worker they know.

Laura and Curtis have been married 31 years. Another fine catch from that year, a six-pound two-ounce Alabama Coosa Bass, hangs on the wall, reminding Curtis of great times had on Logan Martin Lake.

Today is another sweet day for the pair. They’re spending the day fishing together on Logan Martin. With Zeke’s busy professional fishing schedule occupying 43 out of 52 weekends this year, the two still make time to fish together at least a couple of times a month. “There are not many things in this world I would rather be doing than fishing with Zeke and enjoying the great outdoors,” Curtis says.

The two had a banner year in 2022, when Zeke was named Angler of the Year and Curtis, Co-Angler of the Year, for the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation. Their combined scores earned them first place the same year at the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship.

These days, the roles are reversed for the pair. Zeke is in the front of the boat, the place that controls the boat and the decisions for the team. And Curtis wouldn’t have it any other way, adding “the day he took over that position was a great full circle moment.

It’s almost trout season

Noccalula Falls Park luring more fly anglers

Story by Paul South
Submitted and staff photos

Flawless casting in fly fishing is like a Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie routine, explained veteran Rainbow City fly angler and guide Frank Roden.

“The perfect rhythm in fly fishing is almost like the perfect dance. If we’re dancing with a lady, we’ve got to show her what we intend to do next, without pushing her around or stepping on her feet, that kind of thing.”

It only takes a gentle touch.

On Black Creek, that gentle touch – an elegant meeting of rhythm and cast, water and rainbow trout – begins Oct. 15 and continues until June 30, 2025. It’s a new chapter in the City of Gadsden’s successful effort to grow fly fishing at Noccalula Falls.

Twice a year, as weather permits, the city stocks Black Creek with 1,800 pounds of Rainbow trout. The effort to bolster the fish population is in its sixth year. Funding for it comes from the sale of fishing permits on the creek, as well as some state tourism dollars, Roden said.

Black Creek is a “delayed harvest” stream, meaning that up until May 1, 2025, anglers must practice “catch and release” and cannot keep any fish. After May 1, anglers are subject to the state creel limit of five fish per day.

Fishing of any type is prohibited in the park after June 30.

Roden called the city’s efforts to grow and promote fly fishing, “a great success” for Gadsden’s growing tourism industry and for the sport.

“It’s allowed a lot of people who say, ‘I’ve always wanted to fly fish,’ or ‘I’ve always wanted to trout fish, but I never got a way to do it.’ Well, right here, locally, it’s given them a way to do it.”

Black Creek has also introduced the sport to a new generation, both locally and across the Southeast.

“People that have children bring their kids right hereto the water, and they don’t have to travel any distance,” Roden said.

As for fly angling-related tourism, Roden says it’s growing. And he has an unusual way to gauge that increasing popularity. Along with his wife Tammy, he’s the co-owner of Rainbow City Auction & Fly Shop.

“This last October through January, when we were trying to get fish in (Black Creek), I was just covered up with phone calls, saying ‘Frank, when are we going to get fish in?’ ”

The calls came from South Florida, Kentucky and Illinois, Mississippi and points in between, Roden said.

Trout are stocked in the river to make sure there are plenty fo fish

“This is something people in our area have been and should be very proud of, bringing tourism in,” Roden said.

Polly Dean, the associate editor of the fly-fishing site, OntheFlySouth.com, agrees that the sport is growing in the region, both in fresh and saltwater.

“I see greater interest in the sport of fly fishing, especially with women and young adults, even children,” Dean wrote in an email. “I see the sport growing in southern states, since fly anglers aren’t just targeting trout in warm water.”

The COVID-19 pandemic may have also played a role in fly fishing’s increased popularity, Dean wrote.

“Folks were looking for more recreational opportunities outdoors,” she wrote. “All in all, fly fishing can be quite rewarding and addictive.”

According to the American Sportfishing Association, between 2010 and 2020, the number of fly anglers grew from 5.5 million in 2010 to 7.8 million in 2020.

Some may shy away from fly fishing in the mistaken belief that fly fishing is too expensive, Roden said. But the sport is affordable.

“You can go down here to (a chain sporting goods store) and buy a $49 outfit,” Roden said.

In the six years of the restocking effort on Black Creek, the trout population is mature, Roden said. He is an Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing instructor. Orvis is one of the iconic brands of fly fishing clothing and equipment. He’s toiled as a guide on local waters for nearly 20 years, he said.

But a guide isn’t necessary on Black Creek, he said.

“You don’t need a guide because it’s one of those streams where you can go in and do everything yourself.”

Just as the amount of rainfall in the area – the source of precious oxygen for trout – impacts Gadsden’s restocking efforts, precipitation also affects the quality of fishing on Black Creek.

The new fish introduced to the creek are anywhere from 12-16 inches long. Anglers have reported fish as big as 24 inches. “If the rainfall comes, it will be good,” Roden said.

Along with the fishing, there’s $11 million worth of renovation going on at Noccalula Falls Park Campground, which should also boost tourism, Roden said. “It should be a whole lot better environment,” he added.

The key to success for first-time anglers on Black Creek? It’s all in the cast, the graceful 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock motion at the heart of the sport.

“First, take a fly rod and go out and practice your casting,” said Roden, a disciple of the late fly-fishing icon Bernard “Lefty” Kreh. “If you wait until you’re on the stream to get your casting down, it’s not going to work out nearly as well.” Experience is the best teacher.

“Fly fishing is more than just putting a hook and a fly on the water and waiting for something to come get it,” Roden said. “You’ve got to learn where to put it, how to put it there, what to expect when a fish does get it. Get your drift (of the fly) right, then how to handle the fish once it gets on that fly.”

Successful fly anglers have what Roden calls “soft hands.

“It’s not how sure our hands are, or how strong our hands are. It’s how we angle that rod and that line and how we finesse that fish and also how we are going to handle that fish once we get him to the net.”

It’s comparable to how a golfer is able to gingerly chip the ball close to the hole, or a quarterback uses touch to fit a ball into a tight window between the receiver and a defender.

“You’ve got to be able to put the fly where you need to put it for it to have a natural drift in the water. You have to allow the fly to do it.”

A successful cast allows the fly to gracefully float down to the water, not slap it, added Roden. And at the end of the day, it’s all about the dance – elegance and perfect rhythm.

“If you want to spin the lady around, if you just take that left hand out just a touch, they will turn and make (the spin) for you,” he said. “They can make you look good. It’s the same way with the fish,” he added. “If we do what we need to do with this rhythm, this dance, everything else will work out.”

WANT TO GET HOOKED?

Interested in fly fishing? Check out the Rainbow Fly Fishing Club. The club meets on the first Thursday of each month at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1885 Rainbow Drive in Rainbow City. Dues are $25 annually. For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page or call 256-490-5450.

Siblings vs. Crappie

Brother and sister return to the scene of ‘big catch’ year after year

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Richard Rybka

Kentuckians Gloria Spangler and Richard Donoho don’t know much about sibling rivalry. Their only tussles since childhood have been with a fish – a battle they’ve enjoy fighting together for decades.

From an early age, they developed a love for fishing. Their grandfather taught them on rivers, ponds and creeks, and that passion for fishing sparked long ago is a shared bond that only strengthens now as they age well into their 70s and 80s.

It’s what brings them to Logan Martin Lake twice a year, where they catch a boatload of Crappie with the help of their fishing guide, Curt Simpson, who also lives in Kentucky.

Why Logan Martin, Alabama? The answer is easy on this sunny day in late March at University Marine, where their boat is docked. Just a glance at a nearby table reveals a spread of 60 Crappie – all over the 9-inch requirement – caught earlier in the day. “We caught 22 Crappie in two hours,” Richard said. “The Crappie here are bigger than Kentucky. If you caught one that big in Kentucky, we’d be screaming!”

By week’s end, they’ll have 100 plastic freezer bags chocked full of Crappie filets to bring back to family and friends and of course, to savor for themselves. “It’s more than we can eat,” Richard said.

They return to Logan Martin each Spring and early Fall on the same quest – catch as much Crappie as the law allows. “We enjoy being here,” said Gloria. “We love this place.”

They should. It’s paid them more than a whopper in dividends, judging by the catches they proudly display and disburse. “Curt provides everything – the bait, rods, reels. Deep, shallow, he knows where to fish,” Gloria said.

The boat is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including a live scope, and they head out each morning with Curt about 7 and return to the marina about 4 or 5. That’s the drill for their seven-day stay.

They have aunts in Gadsden and Lincoln, so they were already familiar with the area. They’ve fished the Coosa River chain of Weiss and Neely Henry, too, but they keep coming back to Logan Martin.

Curt’s the one who encouraged them to try Logan Martin. Since then, it has been a return engagement twice annually for years. Gloria worked at Franklin Bank & Trust for 50 years in Bowling Green, and that’s how she met Curt. He had retired from IBM but was working as a courier at the bank. “When he found out I liked to fish, every five minutes, he was in my office,” she said.

Curt’s own love of fishing led him to the fishing guide business in retirement and with Gloria and Richard’s zeal for the sport, it was a perfect match. “He’s a good guide and a good friend,” Richard said.

Curt was steered toward Logan Martin back in 2004 by a guide on Weiss Lake, Butch Young. “He introduced me to Logan Martin. I fell in love with it.” Now, he guides 30 to 40 trips a year.

He always liked his job at IBM, a job he held for 31 years, he said, “but IBM didn’t let me fish a lot.” Retirement did, and Young mentored him. “All my skills were honed through Butch Young.”

Curt’s enthusiasm for Crappie fishing is contagious and along with the day’s limit of Crappie, the siblings have definitely caught it. Richard and Gloria enjoy their time together out on the water with Curt leading the way. “The rest of the family thinks we’re crazy,” Gloria said. “We have fished when it’s been snowing and scraped the ice off the seats of the boat to fish.”

They’ve fished after a tornado. They’ve endured hail and lightning. “That’s the best day. After that, you can catch fish,” Gloria said.

The enjoyment of it all is evident from the smiles that never seem to leave their faces as they recall their angling adventures over the years and their close-knit kinship. “We’ve never had an unkind word in our whole life,” Gloria said.

She credits their upbringing with the closeness of their family. They have a sister and brother, too. “She’s the oldest,” Richard said, pointing toward Gloria. “So, I take care of all them,” Gloria retorted.

“Our mother was soft spoken,” she added. “She worked hard, and she always wanted the best for her children. She was proud of us, and she told us that. We’ve always tried to live up to that.”

As Richard and Gloria pull in another day’s limit of Crappie, it’s suspected it would be a sight their mother would be proud to claim.

Crappie tips from a successful guide

Ask what fishing guide Curt Simpson fishes for, and the reply is simple: “Just Crappie.” His website gives more than a hint of that laser focus – crappiecurt.com.

He “fell in love” with Logan Martin years ago, and the lake has been his getaway and his treasured ‘fishing hole’ ever since.

Curt shares his knowledge with clients and was willing to give a few tips to our readers.

On this week in March, where they caught the day’s limit every day for a week, these were the tools of the trade:

The lure: Black Chartreuse Charlie Brewer Sliders and fishing grubs
The rod: BnM 7.5-foot
The line: 4-pound K9 Clear Fluorescent

So, take a tip and try your luck when Crappie season hits February to May and early Fall, and your “Gone Fishin” should hold a lot more promise.

Alabama Fishing Show and Expo

Event returns to Venue at Coosa Landing

Story by Paul South
Submitted photos

On the Saturday of the 2023 inaugural Alabama Fishing Show at The Venue at Coosa Landing, Gadsden’s director of economic development, John Moore, decided to check things out.

What he saw was jaw dropping.

“The doors opened at 10. I pulled in about 9:45, and I swear to you, there were at least 400 to 500 people waiting to get in,” Moore says. “The thing stretched out from the Venue, and it just wrapped around in the parking lot.

“I was like, ‘What the heck?’ There’s something here on this. I was just amazed. People starve for stuff like this.”

Indeed, there was. An estimated 7,500 visitors streamed to the event, anglers shopping for everything from handmade rods and tackle to high tech electronic fish finders.

The Alabama Fishing Show returns to The Venue at Coosa Landing, March 8-10. Daily prices are $12 for adults, $8 for kids. Children under 5 get in free. Food and drinks are available for sale. Parking is free.

Hours are 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Gadsden event was years in the making before its debut. Alabama Fishing Show organizer Shelia Bunch began discussions with the city several years ago about bringing the East Tennessee Fishing Show to Alabama. For Bunch, geography was the draw.

“You guys have some of the greatest lakes down there. You’ve got some of the best pro fishermen from that area. One thing that was missing was a true fishing show,” Bunch says.

A true fishing show is about more than watercraft, she adds. “I’m talking about bringing vendors from all over with products that you can’t even get anywhere else except for this show. You’ve got handmade fishing rods, you’ve got crankbaits. You’ve got jigs that you can’t buy anywhere else but this show. And a lot of these vendors are small business people. Their passion is all about fishing and about catching fish. They work day and night on their products.”

Along with featuring more than 100 vendors casting their wares upon the water to sell, Bunch hopes to reach a new, younger generation of anglers. The 2024 show will host a kids’ fishing tournament at the Venue on March 9.

Introducing kids to fishing is a goal of the show, Bunch, a mother of three, says. “We feel like kids are our future when it comes to fishing. Our goal is to give kids the opportunity to fish and make it a big deal, right there at the show.”

Pro anglers will appear at the show, and seminars are also slated to educate anglers on how to use the equipment and make their fishing experience more enjoyable.

“We try to make it a fisherman’s paradise,” Bunch says. But the show has something to hook the entire family.

“The mothers are really involved in the kids’ fishing tournament,” Bunch says. “We honor the women and give away hats to the wives who put up with the fishermen. The first 200 (women) through the door get a free hat. They really love that.”

She adds, “It’s a great place for families to connect.”

The show will highlight the hottest trends in fishing. Electronics lead the pack.

“Every year, Lowrance or Hummingbird or Power-Pole or any of them, they come out with something new every year,” Bunch says. Those will be on display at the show. A lot of people buy this equipment and don’t know how to use it, so we will have people who come and do seminars to show you how to use your electronics.”

Safety and environmentally friendly equipment are also trending, Bunch says.

“Safety and taking care of your lakes and taking care of your fish is a big thing. That’s why you have catch and release … When you catch fish, you need to save the fish.”

Like Moore, Bunch was “shocked” by the big turnout in the inaugural show, because it was a new event in unfamiliar waters, so to speak. This year, she expects an even bigger turnout.

“We’re wanting about 10,000 this year,” Bunch says. “That’s my goal.”

As an aside, one in six Americans are anglers. And, the sport is growing.

For Bunch, putting on the fishing show are measured in smiles.

“Truthfully, my favorite part is seeing my vendors do well – for them to walk away with smiles on their faces and me knowing that they did well at the show. My second favorite part is seeing the people leave there with smiles on their faces, knowing they got supplies they couldn’t get anywhere else.” Anglers – from offshore to fly fishermen – who attend the fishing show can up their game without breaking the bank, and they share a common mission with vendors.

“The goal is to catch a big fish,” Bunch says.

Moore believes the COVID-19 pandemic that kept folks shuttered for two years played a role in the huge turnout, and something more.

“I think (the pandemic) had something to do with it. Number two is that there’s nothing like it within a 60-mile radius. You have to go to Birmingham to the (Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center) or to Huntsville to Von Braun to see a show of this magnitude with this many vendors.”

And vendors were hooked on Gadsden.

“They signed up that day for (2024),” Moore says.

The show fits with Gadsden’s branding efforts as a tourist destination, Moore says.

“The mayor (Craig Ford) always says that not only do we have a responsibility to our citizens, but we have a responsibility to our merchants, too, bringing stuff like this in here.

“It actually helps grow our economy. Every hotel room in Etowah County is filled. The shops will be filled. It’s perfect. The wife may go and shop downtown, while the husband looks for fishing supplies. There were a lot of buddies going to the show in sort of a guys’ trip.”

At the end of the day, he adds, “what we’re looking for is to be ‘Fun Town’. We’re looking to be that city that people look to spend three, four, five days enjoying the river, the mountains, the downtown area, the shopping,” Moore says. “I think the fishing show plays into that.”

Along with a crowd, Bunch hopes to hook something else – for vendors and attendees alike. “I just want everyone to do well and be happy.”

Clearly an evangelist for fishing, Bunch captures the spirit of the show. “Fishing is a great time for families, and you can’t get those times back.”

Pell City High anglers compete at national level

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

Their early story is much like any other boy growing up around the water. When they’re old enough to walk and talk, they’re old enough to hold a fishing rod and reel them in. After that, they’re perpetually ‘gone fishin.’

That’s the story of Peyton and Colin Smith, a pair of Pell City cousins who just returned from national competition, representing their bass fishing team at Pell City High School. It’s the first time a Pell City team went to nationals since the team captained by now bass pro angler, Zeke Gossett, did it back in 2016.

“We’ve been fishing on the team for five years, and we finally did it our last try. It’s a compliment to fish with the best of the best,” said Colin, noting that they were thankful for “the opportunity to make it there.”

“It was an accomplishment just to be able to go and prove we can do it,” added Peyton. “It was a humbling experience.”

The road there was not an easy one. On the state level, they fished in Alabama Student Angler Bass Fishing Association (ASABFA) tournaments, finishing in the top tier to earn a state finals spot. They finished in the top five to capture a bid to the nationals, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Among 480 teams competing from across the country, they finished “middle of the pack” at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. While it wasn’t the finish they hoped for, the two are proud of their angling successes so far in their careers, and they’re pursuing even more.

Both graduated in May, and now they hope to head to collegiate level competition – together. They plan to attend the same college and compete on the same team. “We want to do it together so we don’t have to split up,” Peyton said.

Peyton and Colin’s fishing history together goes way back. “We’ve been fishing since we’ve been able to walk,” said Colin. “We’ve always fished together. We’ve had our ups and downs for sure, tempers flare when you lose a fish, but …” “We’re a team and family,” Peyton said, finishing the sentence and the sentiment they share.

They have been teammates for Pell City since eighth grade and earned “Angler of the Year” honors in 8^th, 10^th, 11^th and expected – 12^th grade – when the final tally comes in. Their 9^th grade year was when COVID hit, and activities were cancelled.

As for their younger counterparts coming up through the ranks of the Ronda Parker-coached high school team, they do offer advice:

“Be patient,” Colin said. “There are times when we didn’t finish out the limit until five minutes before. Don’t give up on what you’re doing. Just fish, really.”

And from Peyton, “Keep your grades up. You can’t fish if you don’t have the grades. Keep your head down. Stay focused. Never give up.”

Tackle BOX

Small store in Oxford has big impact on regional fishing

Story and photos by
Graham Hadley

For decades now, the Tackle BOX has been giving a leg up to fishing enthusiasts from its location in historic Downtown Oxford.

The name should sound familiar to anyone who has seen their iconic stickers on cars and trucks driving down I-20 or putting in boats at places like Lincoln’s Landing, Pell City Lakeside Park or Coosa Landing in Gadsden.

Anywhere there are fishing enthusiasts you are as likely to see the Tackle BOX logo along with other well-known brands like YETI, Orca or … LakeLife.

“I go on vacation and see Tackle BOX hats in places like Gatlinburg. I run into people everywhere. It is kind of surreal when you travel hours from home and people recognize the logo on my hat,” said Jason Earl Gator Howard, who helps man the store.

Gator – actually his real name – credits much of the store’s success to the simple fact it is much more than just a store. Yes, Tackle BOX stocks everything a fisherman needs, whether it is starter gear for the beginner or everything you need for competition fishing, but the real hook is everyone there is ready to help with advice or to just chat and share stories.

“There’s good fishing stories always told here. It is to the point that we have people here to just help talk to customers. They don’t run the register, but they can answer just about any fishing question. Everyone hangs out, tells fishing stories – and lies (every good fishing story has a lie in it somewhere),” Gator said. “One of our biggest draws is our atmosphere. Good Southern hospitality. New customers can come in, we tell them where to fish. You are going to get good advice in the Tackle BOX.”

That perfect combination of great merchandise selection and sense of community have helped the store stay on top of its game, but Gator is quick to point out those are not the only factors that contribute to the Tackle BOX’s success.

The store originally opened in the late 1970s or early 1980s across Main Street in Oxford from its current location. The Main Olive and the law office for Baxley Maniscalco occupy the old building now, and the Tackle BOX has its own building and parking lot next door which can accommodate larger vehicles and boat trailers.

Owner Michael Pickette bought the business from the original owners around 12 years ago and oversaw the move to its new facility.

Gator also gives a lot of credit to Oxford for all the effort the city has put into revitalizing its historic downtown area with better parking, sidewalks and lighting – all of which help bring in more business, not only to the Tackle BOX, but also to the other shops and restaurants there.

“The city as a whole made an effort to redo all of downtown. Got rid of power poles everywhere, put in new sidewalks. They close the downtown for Oxfordfest in October.” All of which makes a big difference, he said.

Even though the Tackle BOX is not located on any specific body of water, it is only 15 to 30 minutes from many of the main regional fishing spots along the Coosa River and its tributaries, most notably Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes.

“In under an hour or so, you can move from one great fishing location to another,” Gator said.

As successful as the business has been since it opened, the past half decade has seen the popularity of fishing, especially competitive fishing, explode.

Gator says a big part of that is the expansion of competition fishing teams in schools, both in grade schools and in colleges.

Tackle BOX helps local high school teams by giving special discounts to groups who display the business’s logo on their gear.

“We sponsor almost all the local high schools here in Calhoun County, and they get discounts when they come in.”

Gator touts competition fishing as one of the best ways to get an athletic scholarship to a college or university. “One of the biggest things driving fishing these days is the school teams. There are a lot of college scholarship opportunities for students. That is especially true for girls looking for a fishing scholarship.”

Gator said the COVID lockdown was also another driving force behind the growth of their business.

“COVID was a terrible ordeal. We are still living with it today and are learning to cope. But it was phenomenal for the fishing industry everywhere, not just us. We were told to socially distance, not gather indoors, get out and get some fresh air,” and fishing was an obvious way to do just that, he said.

“People who had never fished before came in, bought rods and reels and started fishing. They still come in today.”

You can see the growing popularity of the sport all over Alabama.

Gator helps Dawson and Davis Stone of Alexandria

“All the cities like Gadsden, Southside, Lincoln, Pell City and Riverside are upgrading their boat ramps and parks, hosting big fishing tournaments and boat shows,” all of which are great for the businesses around the lakes, he said. “We have even found new brands for our store from some of those shows.”

As an added bonus, the attention to fishing helps raise awareness for preserving the waterways in the area. “That environmental focus, especially restocking lakes, helps make the fishing better,” he said.

Tackle BOX carries a wide range of well-known brands like ZOOM and YETI – they even do some consignment sales on used gear for customers. But they take particular pride in stocking equipment from companies with local Alabama ties – companies like Reaction Innovations out of Alabaster, and NetBait, which started in Greenville. Gator was quick to show off one of the rods from MMA Fishing, another local company.

As the sport continues to grow, so does business for the Tackle BOX, and that is keeping Gator and the rest of the staff and help busy. He would not have it any other way.

“It is one thing to know about fishing, but you have to have a passion for fishing, for the outdoors and for conservation. I am lucky. A lot of people dread coming to work every day. I love coming to work here and getting to talk about fishing all day.”

God is Bigger Tournament

Fishing event marks return to Logan Martin Lake

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

Just like the movement it represents, the God is Bigger annual fishing tournament on Logan Martin Lake continues to grow and inspire more and more to get involved.

The tournament returns Sept. 23 at Lakeside Park in Pell City. Ninety-four boats competed in 2022. More than 100 are expected to launch in this year’s tournament.

Guaranteed prize money is $6,000 and will be paid to 16 winning places. In addition, there’s a “No Weigh-In Drawing” for a chance to win $125. Entry fee is $130 per boat, which includes $10 for Big Fish.

In 2022, 94 boats competed. More than 100 are expected for 2023

Nitro, Triton, Tracker and Ranger Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards are for qualifying boats and sponsored through Sylacauga Marine. Bass Cash is available by AmFirst.

Tournament registration Is online at: gibmovement.com.

Pre-register by Sept. 21, and you’re automatically entered for a chance to win a seven-night stay at Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach, Fla. The beach giveaway winner will be drawn the day of the tournament, and presence is not required to win.

All paid anglers will be provided with breakfast, lunch and one free draw prize ticket. All registered boat numbers will be entered for a chance to win one of two $250 Bass Pro gift cards.

The event will center at the pavilion near the beach, Jerry Wood Memorial Pavilion, and while anglers are competing, there will be plenty of free activities, including drawings for prizes.

Bestselling author, Russell Estess will speak at the tournament and share his testimony on how the God is Bigger Movement impacted his life and the lives of his fans. His books will be available for autographs, and his new book, God is Bigger Than The Mountain You Are Facing, is tentatively set for release on Sept. 23.

Estess is one of the testimonies that has come out of the God is Bigger Movement. Someone gave him a God is Bigger bracelet, and it became his story and his mission because those three significant words, he said, helped give him the strength to fight the battle with cancer.

His friend, Shawn Dennison, Christian singer/songwriter will be performing in concert free to the public from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and will be showcasing his new song that he wrote for Russell about his battle. The song is called God is Bigger.

Refreshments from food trucks will be available for those in attendance.

The Genesis of God is Bigger Movement, Tournament

When doctors gave Rachel Shaneyfelt the diagnosis no one wants to hear – “You have six months to live” – the year was 2011, and she was in school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to become a nurse practitioner.

The diagnosis didn’t dissuade her. Instead, she leaned on her faith to help her through, and it sparked a movement with worldwide impact. Early on after much prayer, she told one of the doctors she worked with that her lesion had shrunk 70 percent and followed it with, “Praise God.” The doctor, a non-believer, casually responded, “Go get a Tshirt.”

So she did. She had the words, “GOD IS BIGGER” printed on them and gifted them to friends and family who prayed for her. Paying it forward, she then bought 1,000 silicone bracelets imprinted with the words, “GOD IS BIGGER,” and started handing them out to strangers. Within a week, they were gone.

Others quickly joined her movement and today, 800,000 bracelets have shipped around the world.

Rachel finished her degree and worked in her field before succumbing to Mesothelioma. Her six months turned into six years of life dedicated to spreading the message. Her wish was to keep the God is Bigger momentum going.

Her cousin, Stacey Reed of Springville, is the driving force behind it now. Six years ago, an idea from a 13-year-old friend, Evan Meers, gave birth to the fishing tournament to raise money for the movement. Now, it’s one of the largest on Logan Martin Lake.

“I have big shoes to fill,” Reed said. This ministry truly has become a movement. It has evolved into “their story and their mission” through those three words that made an impact and changed their lives. “It’s given them hope, she said, quoting Luke 1:37: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”