COLUMN : BALOG ON BASS FISHING
bobby humble
Lane ’ s mindset , shallow-water roots were his keys to victory at REDCREST
PHOTO BY JOSH GASSMANN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For more than 20 years , Joe Balog has made his living in the fishing industry on and off the water . A successful tournament angler from the Great Lakes region , Balog now lives in Florida , where he continues to work in product design , marketing and outdoor media when he ' s not chasing trophy largemouth .
I t was pure magic . With just minutes to go in the defining tournament of his career , Bobby Lane did the unthinkable , catching a 2-pound bass to steal the REDCREST title from the best tournament bass fisherman in the world . Exactly 2 pounds . Possibly more dramatic than the fish catch was the tale of the scale . Twice it read 1-15 . But Lane ’ s third try was the charm , as the fish finally registered a scorable weight of 2 pounds even and was quickly released .
Lane ’ s feat was epic . Largely ignoring the technological advancements that have overwhelmed our industry , Lane went to the bank and caught them old-school with a jig and a crankbait , the same way anglers have been catching bass on Grand Lake each spring for generations .
It was a typical move for our champion . Lane ’ s career has been one built on principle – knowing where you came from and sticking to your guns .
Most of us are familiar with the story of the notorious Lane boys . Bobby and his brothers Chris and Arnie were always on the move as youngsters , exploring and fishing anything and everything central Florida had to offer , daylight ‘ til dark . All three still competitively fish , but Bobby ’ s career had often been overshadowed by the accomplishments of Chris , the seven-time tour winner and former Bassmaster Classic champion .
Competitors know better . For years , I ’ ve heard many mention the name “ Bobby Lane ” when compiling their own list of best on tour , and his record backs it up .
Lane may be one of the most decorated anglers on tour without a championship win until now . He ’ s no stranger to versatility ; we ’ ve seen Lane pick up a spinning rod when he needs it , catching all species of bass in a variety of water depths .
22 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | JUNE-JULY 2022