A Bass Pro Shops Event You’ll Never Forget!

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My rental car navigated the winding little road. The foliage was thick and vibrant in the setting sun. I was in Missouri, on my way to a media event. Why was I nervous? It’s 5 o’clock somewhere. I felt like I needed a drink, just something cool to hold in my hand while I considered my next moves. I crested a hill, passing the marina on my right. Seeing the lake brought me joy, as only someone who loves fishing but grew up in a desert can understand. I didn’t have any fly gear with me, though. I felt unprepared and vulnerable.

It was called the Bass Pro Fish and Frames Media Event. The goals were to enhance brand visibility and reach, showcase product features, and strengthen partnerships. I, however, didn’t have many objectives. The gist of the instruction from my editorial overlords was simply, “Just go, hang out, and see what’s going on.”

The Tomahawk Lodge on Table Rock Lake near Springfield, Missouri, is far more impressive in person than what I gathered from my snooping on Google Maps. I parked outside building 12, the sedan’s tires still sticky from my spirited arrival.

The event coordinator, Lawren Garza, sent me a message with the housing details, door codes, and instructions on who to contact to launch my boat at Baxter Marina. Since I didn’t have a boat, all that was left to do was unpack and meet the media crew and fishermen ... and try not to put my wader-wearing foot too far in my mouth.

“There is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” — Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Chris Lane was not messing about. The six-time Bassmaster tournament winner stood on the casting deck of his Nitro Z21 XL, talking to cameraman J.D. Blackburn. He was holding up his Johnny Morris Signature Series Rods, explaining what rod weights and lengths he liked for various types of tackle.

We were all attending the Enhancing Brand Visibility and Product Showcase segment of the event. All the bass fishing pros were present with camera crews, highlighting the benefits of various new Bass Pro Shops-related gear. A well-printed itinerary was available for everything happening over the two days. Lawren handed me one when I checked in, but I soon misplaced it.

I sat in the driver’s seat of the boat, marveling at all the screens and gadgets, occasionally asking questions while munching through a bag of Johnny Morris Signature Bass Pro Hickory Beef Jerky. I made a conscious effort not to get grease on any of the boat’s fancy controls.

Throughout that day, Chris put on a clinic. “This is the new Bass Pro XPS Chaos Shad,” he told J.D.’s camera lens, then went on to explain how the cupped propeller tail creates a noisy disruption in its wake. I can only assume it’s an evolution of the Whopper Plopper musky bait invented by Larry Dahlberg. I used to watch his TV show, Hunt for Big Fish. It was a great show. Dahlberg also created one of the most famous topwater flies, the Dahlberg Diver.

Chris discussed a range of new XPS products. He mentioned the new XPS Football Jig and emphasized the importance of getting a feel for the fish; he could tell how the fish was holding the bait by how the bite felt. Often, a bass will grab the tail or skirt first, and if you set the hook too early, you’ll just pull it out of its mouth.

I was impressed by Chris’s skill with the XPS Swerve Glide Brushtail. The 7-inch articulated swimbait is truly substantial. The fact that Chris knew exactly where to find a bass that would eat it had me shaking my head. It’s enjoyable to watch a master in his element.

After lunch, I took a spin around the lake with Bassmaster Angler of the Year Chris Johnston in a new 2025 Ranger Z519R, the latest addition to Ranger’s premium R series lineup. I was impressed, but what do I really know? My boat inflates and is powered by oars, so everything seems impressive compared to that.          

The next day was a 1v1 tournament. Fueled by pastries, coffee, and jerky, we set off for the boat ramps. The match-ups of the pros were as follows: Randy Howell vs. Matt Arey, Chris Lane vs. Jeremy Lawyer, Cody Huff vs. Dustin Connell, Logan Parks vs. Mark Daniels Jr., Dakota Ebare vs. Kevin VanDam, and the sibling rivalry of Chris Johnston vs. Cory Johnston, with Skeet Reese as the moderator and color commentator.

A game of rock-paper-scissors was used to determine which pro got in front of the boat first (trolling motor control) and which pro chose a fishing location; these roles would switch after the first hour. The rules were simple: most fish wins, a two-hour time limit, a 15-inch minimum length, and catch and release.

That seems simple enough, or so it appears. This is where strategies unknown to bass fishing novices come into play. Strategies that focus on one particular thing: the “Scopenhagen.” Let me explain.

Garmin’s LiveScope and Lowrance’s ActiveTarget are forward-facing sonar units typically mounted to the shaft of the trolling motor at the front of the boat. As you turn the trolling motor from side to side, the sonar sweeps the water, providing the angler with a digital view of anything swimming or suspended within the sonar beam’s width.

You can also see your lure on the screen. This provides the angler with a real-time view of where the fish are in relation to the front of the boat, their distance, depth, and the direction they are facing. Once you know all this, it’s simply a matter of casting your lure, watching it sink down to the fish’s level, and giving it a twitch at the right moment to observe their reaction. For how simple it sounds, it’s actually quite challenging to master. I almost fell out of the boat when I stepped on the wrong motor control while staring at the screen and trying to cast to the correct spot.

There is definitely a divide among pro anglers regarding forward-facing sonar. Some older anglers strongly dislike it, but not using such a valuable tool in recent years would likely be tournament suicide. The Old Guard of bass fishing believes that the younger generation of “spotlighters” are relying on their “cheater box” to essentially play a video game all day, having never invested time in learning and refining true angling skills that take decades to grasp and master.

I’m not saying that any of the younger anglers at this event lack essential fishing skills. However, I did see Dustin Connell and Cody Huff spend nearly the entire tournament staring at the screens. That’s when I coined the term “Scopenhagen,” because it seems addictive.

Some bass tournament organizations are changing the rules for using LiveScope and ActiveTarget in an effort to limit or outlaw their use. For instance, the NPFL announced a few months ago that it will ban forward-facing sonar for the 2025 season, and the Bass Pro Tour reportedly now restricts the amount of time any angler can use it each day.

What do I know about all this tech? There is only one screen in fly fishing: sunscreen. All morning, I rode in the chase boat with Skeet Reese. Throughout the tournament, we checked in with most of the pros. Some were flipping jigs, others were swimming topwater baits along the banks, while a few spent the majority of their time chasing cruising fish on the scope. I don’t know the exact totals, but I believe the forward-facing sonar users had better numbers.

I don’t remember who won the 1v1 competitions that day, but I do recall that the Johnston brothers ended up tied. It was decided that a 40-yard dash would determine the winner of the $1,000 Bass Pro gift card. The brother in flip-flops lost the race, while the winner was all of us spectators gathered to watch the spectacle.

On the third day, we played golf at Big Cedar Lodge (a Johnny Morris property), giving everyone a chance to unwind and finish up the Enhance Partnerships portion of the event. It was the nicest course I have ever played. I definitely felt underdressed, but not as much as one of my foursome—a former college golf pro who played very well in socks and Crocs.

Repeatedly, I watched my shiny new Titleist sail into the rough. However, since we were playing best-ball format, only my pride was hurt. Walking through the beautiful foliage of southern Missouri allowed me some time to reflect.

Fishing like a “Bass Pro” feels different. It’s fast-paced, competitive, and driven by technology. Like any professional pursuit, especially where money is involved, there are politics, rivals, cheating, betrayal, big winners, and sore losers. But none of this is surprising.

I met so many wonderful people, some of whom I still chat with today. Everyone there was helpful, kind, hospitable, and professional, and they didn’t hesitate for an instant to answer any silly questions, give me a ride in a fancy new boat, or let me fish for a while just so I could say I had some time on the water with the pros. None of this is surprising, either. The Bass Pro Shops staff is top-tier for putting on epic events.

As they say, “A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.” And for those who can make it both, I salute you. 

Every Bass Pro and Cabela’s (acquired by BPS in 2016) store in the country continues to capture the fascination of millions of visitors each year. If you’ve ever admired the extensive décor in those stores, you’ve likely appreciated the work of Ron O’Daniel.

O’Daniel, an imagery specialist for Bass Pro Shops, constantly travels the country to decorate new stores, and remodel existing ones, as well as hotels and museums owned by the company. When we spoke, he was in Houston to put the finishing touches on a store there.

O’Daniel began his career with Bass Pro Shops in Branson at Branson Landing 18 years ago. He later helped with decorating a floating fish restaurant at nearby Lake Taney Como. When the management noticed his eye for design, he was quickly promoted to a new role that utilized his artistic skills. Subsequently, he applied to join the team that travels to decorate the stores, and he has been a part of that team for the past decade.

“The shopping pretty much never stops,” O’Daniel said. “And when I go shopping, typically I have to rent a U-Haul truck to pick up all the purchases. It’s not just one or two things—it’s a pretty large scale. We’ll visit antique stores, thrift stores, mom-and-pop stores just kind of trying to find that little hidden gem.

“We’re also planning ahead, looking at our next store. Right now, we’re already buying for Florida. And we’ve got some other states that we’re going to be going into, so we’re always looking ahead when we’re shopping.”

If you’ve visited a Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s store in several different states, you’ve likely noticed that they’re not all the same. This, according to O’Daniel, is intentional for a specific purpose.

“We tailor it to the local environment,” he said. “You know, we’re telling a story, and we want that story to make sense no matter what part of the country or Canada you’re in. We want to represent the local area. But we also have a ‘Bass Pro look’ so that when you walk in any Bass Pro, no matter where you are, you can tell it’s a Bass Pro.”

I tried to pin O’Daniel down about which item he has bought the most to decorate stores over the years, but with so many purchases, it was difficult for him to narrow it down.

“Well, there have been a lot of rods, reels, lanterns, taxidermy, just too much to list,” he said. “When we do something, it’s on a large scale. It’s pretty much go big, or go home.”

Since O’Daniel has helped decorate so many Bass Pro and Cabela’s stores, it’s hard for him to put his finger on exactly which is his favorite. But he does have a shortlist.

“Anchorage is one because it was my first and, come on, it’s Alaska,” he said. “It’s beautiful. You try to describe Alaska to someone, and you just can’t do it.”

The huge Pyramid Bass Pro in Memphis, Tennessee, was another of his favorites, largely for personal reasons. 

“That’s my home,” he said. “I was born in Memphis and raised just south of there. Where else can you get called ‘honey,’ ‘sweetie’ and ‘baby’ before lunchtime?

“But it was a lot of work. Actually, a lot of the harvesting and the deadfalls and the things that we used in the store came from where I grew up. Looking back, it’s something I’m very proud of. In fact, I’m very proud of all the stores.”

In the end, O’Daniel says he’s fortunate to have such a great job—one perfectly suited to his skills—with such an outstanding company.

“I work hard and play hard,” he concluded. “Life is short, and I make the most of it. I’m a blessed man. I truly am. I get to travel the country and Canada, be creative, and represent Bass Pro. When you see people come in, see your work and admire it, that’s very rewarding.” —Mark Chesnut