A couple of months ago I was asked by Johnny Moore, founder of the Bounty Hunter Bass Club & ALBC director for Area 5, to do a Sponsor Promotion for the Association of Louisiana Bass Clubs in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I was planning on talking about some of the new models of boats that my sponsor, Tracker Marine, was coming out with for 2006, starting with the new Pro Team 190 that is 19’ long and rated for a 135. This will also be my next State Team boat in the next few months.
Then I would talk about my sponsorship with Secret Weapon Lure Spinner-baits. SWL is one of the best spinnerbaits built today with its quick interchange blade system to where you don’t have to carry 2 or 3 bags of baits around with you. You can change the blades on the go as the conditions call for different looks. The last sponsor I wanted to talk about was Fish Hedz, a new safety product that is making a big name for themselves in the bass fishing world. It was this new product by Save Phace that made and kept the attention of the group with questions & answers. This new product may seem a little unnecessary by some, but praised by others who have used it. It’s called the “Fish Hedz” by Save Phace and it’s catching on like wildfire.
The Fish Hedz is a new space age facemask that comes in several colors from mild to wild. It can also save your eyes & face or even your life when used, whether it is cold or hot weather. While most of us can relate to using fishing glasses, goggles or motorcycle helmets during our trips on the water against Mother Nature, there seems to always be a downfall to each of these. The glasses & goggles seem to fog up or flop around on our face during high speeds & they don’t protect our face at all. The motorcycle helmet is big, heavy and takes up a lot of space in our boats, which is already packed with tackle. It can also be very hot during the summer months. Plus it can be very dangerous, which we will talk about later on.
As I was passing around the Fish Hedz for the guys/gals to see, a young gentleman from the back row stood up and asked me a question. His question was, “What’s it worth to you?” I was a bit confused by his question, not knowing if he was talking about the price of the facemask or something else. I asked him to please explain his question to us. Then he told me he wasn’t asking about the price of the mask, but what are our eyes & life worth to us or to our loved ones. The gentleman told us that he was 72 years young in age and had been bass fishing for over 50 years. Up until a few months ago he had never given it any extra thought about running across the lake or river at wide-open speeds above 75 mph. Speed was his thrill on the water with the bass fishing being a close second. But in the last few months he had suffered a few close calls that had changed his life and way of thinking forever. One of his best friends had been racing down the river/bayou on a cold foggy morning were he hit a log in the water. He was thrown from his boat and died from the crash. The sad part was that his friend had all his safety gear on. His life jacket, kill switch, motorcycle helmet was still on his friend when help got to him. Later he found out that his friend had died from drowning. While he was knocked out, his heavy motorcycle helmet had held his head underwater and had filled with water, which caused him to drown.
His second close call was when he had been running down the river and started getting watery eyes. This led to burning eyes that caused blurred vision. His first intent was to stop at once to wipe his eyes clear from the burning tears. He didn’t know that his friend in another boat was right behind him. After a near fatal crash between them because of the blurred vision, the Fish Hedz mask was very good news for him. I think we all have had this happen a time or two during our fishing trips.
So after holding and seeing the new face mask this young 72-year-old gentleman once again ask the same question. “What’s it worth to you?” Knowing that you can’t replace your eyes or life, just what they are worth to you or your family? I know that while we may have different ideas on the worth of our fishing gear, boats, trucks and equipment, I truly believe none of us can put a dollar figure on our eyes or life. I surely hope we never have to make that choice either in our lifetime.
I can’t say for sure that if his friend had been using the Fish Hedz by Save Phace that he would have lived. I think his chances would have been much better being that the Fish Hedz only weighs a few ounces and doesn’t hold water inside it like the motorcycle helmet did. Also there would not have been any burning watery eyes if the Fish Hedz had been worn over his fishing glasses that summer morning when the near fatal crash occurred.
I think that the Fish Hedz is a great new safety item that can be added to any boat. It’s not only a cold or rainy weather item but also something that can be used all year long on every trip we make. It’s light in weight and can be stored in a small space in your boat. Plus you can express yourself with any color from mild to wild while racing down the lake. If you don’t believe me, just ask my wife! She has the famous USA Red, White & Blue Old Glory Flag paint job on hers, while I have the wild flame throwing Inferno colors. Sometimes you just got to be different, you know!
I would like to thank the Association of Louisiana Bass Clubs Area 5 for allowing me the time & opportunity to share some of my fine sponsor’s with them. I hope through sharing that we may always learn new and better ways to fish for Mr. Bass!
So the real question today is, “What’s it Worth to You?”
Until next time, May the Lord bless you & keep you safe! Please remember to take a child fishing when you can, it just might make you a Star in their little eyes. Also please remember our Troops; it’s because of them that we have this great freedom of ours!
Tight lines & good fishing,
Ricky Ingram
