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Hawkeye's" Veterans Column: |
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Biker Trades Chopper for NITRO Bass
Boat??? |
Connecticut Cruise News
By Billy ‘Hawkeye’ Decoteau
Biker Trades Chopper for NITRO Bass
Boat???
Why is it we always put-off for
tomorrow the things in life that are
so important? And, more
often-than-not it’s for trivial
reasons! Maybe because we’re work-aholics,
or we lean on that ole preverbal
phase, “As soon as I finish…….I’m
going to……!”
Well for once in my life I didn’t
hesitate one iota, when Larry
Tremblay mentioned he had not been
bass fishing in five years.
Immediately I made several calls and
arranged for Larry and me to spend
several days on Maine’s pristine
bass fishery Lake Cobbosseecontee.
Larry Tremblay, unlike most of us
procrastinators, had legitimate
reasons surrounding his not spending
time on the water pursuing black
bass! “All my time has been devoted
to my son Joey…….. (Pausing for a
brief moment), who lost his life in
Iraq along with three other members
of his platoon, totaling forty
Marines in his company who gave
their lives for their country!”
Tremblay, owner of RPM Custom
Choppers located in Orange County,
NY (www.rpmcustomchoppers.com),
built the Marine Corps Tribute Bike
(www.marinecorpstributebike.com)
to honor his son Joey, and every
other Marine/military personnel who
have ever fought for the
Red-White-Blue, so that we all might
enjoy the Freedom of Living in
America. Which, by the way includes
not only the Freedom to Ride, but
also the Freedom to Fish?
Throttling through winding country
back roads with the wind in your
face enjoying the peace, solitude
and tranquility of being saddled on
two wheels of HOG power, is similar
to sitting only inches off the
waters surface while cruising in a
high power Nitro Bass Boat (www.nitroboats.com)
with a 250 HP Mercury Opti-Max (www.mercurymarine.com)
registering 70 mph, as the treasured
beauty of nature’s surroundings
calibrates in a fast-forward mode.
“I have never been to Maine before,”
replied Tremblay as we started our
trip. “How’s the bass fishing
there?” For the next ten minutes I
enlighten Larry to Lake Cobbie’s
legendary reputation for producing
some of Maine’s largest smallmouth
and largemouth bass. “This is our
exit,” I instructed. “Worcester,
Massachusetts,” echoed Tremblay.
“That’s right we are going to get
you a ‘Marine’ fishing shirt!”
Pulling into, Marine USA, Inc
Tremblay was mesmerized by the
gigantic size of the World’s #1
Nitro/Tracker Marine Dealership. (www.marineusainc.com)
As though his cylinders were
misfiring, Tremblay started
repeating himself over and over
again……..”Look at all of these
boats, their awesome!” Within
minutes we were surrounded by every
Marine USA employee, including
office management. Looking at me
with eyes of suspicion, my hardcore
RPM Chopper buddy questioned,
“Hawkeye, what the _ _ _ _ are you
up to?” “Just open the doors to the
trailer and row out the Marine
Tribute Bike,” I replied.
Hand shakes, Harley Hugs, pats on
shoulders all seemed to overshadow
tears of compassion and respect for
Larry Tremblay as he answered
questions and pointed to specific
details integrated in his rolling
work of art. “Larry if you don’t
mine we would like to get a group
picture of our employees with you
and your Marine Corps Tribute Bike,”
requested Ken Dunker, sales manager
for Marine USA.
As pictures were taken and smiles
surfaced, none were any larger than
Tremblay’s when Ken and Adria Dunker
handed Larry several red, white, and
blue Marine USA T-shirts along with
a Tracker Marine fishing hat.
“Larry, you make us all proud to be
American’s! We all hope these shirts
will bring you lots of luck in
landing plenty of Maine bass on your
trip.”
While my Harley Softail Springer
Classic traveled proudly housed in
Larry’s trailer next to his Marine
Tribute Bike, I witnessed a man’s
long lost passion for bass fishing
starting to resurface coming back
into focus, after a five-year
hiatus.
Pulling into one of Maine Turnpike’s
service station to fuel up, Larry
noticed ‘The Moving Wall’ trailer
and tow vehicle off to the side.
Obviously a no brainer, we revved up
a conversation, leading to a Desert
Storm Marine and his wife viewing
the Marine Corp Tribute Biker they
had only read about. After moments
of silence, times of tears and
Larry’s autographing a Marine Corps
Tribute Bike poster, we were back on
the road.
“It absolutely amasses me as to how
this motorcycle has affected
everyone who views it”, whispered
Tremblay. “Everyone has a similar
story, yet each one is completely
different.” As a wry smile came
across my face I replied from the
driver’s seat, “It’s not a
motorcycle it’s a rolling work of
art, built with Love, Respect and
Compassion!”
Entering Winthrop, Maine onto
highway 202 Larry seemed to be lost
in his own world as the scenic
panoramic horizon lined with Maine’s
famed ‘Pine Trees’ revealed sections
of Lake Cobbosseecontee. Within
minutes we arrived at our
destination, Lakeside Motel and
Marina. (www.lakesidelodging.com)
Owners Andy and Sheree Wess were
waiting for us, and directed us to
our own private parking area, then
escorted us into our cabin
overlooking Welch Bay. (By the way
Lakeside is a “Biker Friendly
Establishment catering to a
Home-Away from Home atmosphere.
1.800.532.6892)
Settling down with a cup of coffee
listening to Loons, Larry looked at
me and said, “Hawkeye……….I can’t
believe it. I was so excited about
this trip I didn’t bring my fishing
gear and I just realized neither did
you!” ‘Well buddy, I better make a
call and get us some tackle along
with a bass boat!” “Ok, spill the
beans and open your saddle bags what
the blankly-blank is going on!”
“I’ll tell you in the morning,” I
snickered. “Set the alarm for
5:00am.” Little did Larry Tremblay
realize, he was about to become a
‘Hawkeye’s Bass Bureau’
Biker-Boater-Bass television star.
The sound of an idling outboard,
could be heard as wakes slowly made
their way to the Lakeside docks,
then out of the early morning fog a
voice replied, “Welcome to Maine
Larry, I hope your ready to land
some Lake Cobbie smallmouth bass.”
The voice was none other than my
longtime friend retired Navy Senior
Chief Aviation Electronics
Technician Jeff Morris. Morris is
considered one of the most
knowledgeable and personable bass
anglers in Central Maine. And, today
Jeff was to be Larry Tremblay’s
private guide on Lake
Cobbosseecontee. Donning our
lifejackets Morris jumped on plane
as we ventured out onto 5,543 acre’s
of the most beautiful waters in
Maine. (See the picture of
Tremblay’s facial expression on his
first high powered bass boat ride!)
By the time the sun worked its way
over the mountain tops, Morris had
already demonstrated his bass’n
ability, and Tremblay had claimed to
have landed his biggest smallmouth
to date. Morris, an ‘Old School
Biker’, ties his own special jigs,
rigs them with a twin tail grub
while his instructions called for
slowly crawling the jigs along rocks
and gravel. “I have never in my life
caught so many smallmouth bass at
one time, the day could end and I
would be totally satisfied!” claimed
Tremblay, as we rounded a point
entering into Horseshoe Island cove.
Jigs, by the way are artificial
crawfish imitators, while crawfish
are common forage for bass, making
them high power bass baits.
“Where have you guys been,” shouted
Dan Kenney, host of his ‘Go Fish
cable fishing series, as his
cameraman Bill Zollo filmed Morris
and Tremblay making casts from the
front deck. Once again, Larry stared
at me questioning, “Tell me………. Now!
What’s going on?” “Well Larry you
are going to be on the Go Fish
television show,” Kenney replied. (www.gofishdan.com)
For the next five hours ‘Go Fish’
cameras followed Morris and Tremblay
as they continued to entice both
smallmouth and largemouth bass with
Morris’s homemade jigs. Morris a
regular on Northeast fishing shows
chuckled from beneath his Navy
beard, “Smile for the camera, and be
sure to hold that bass close to the
lens……………it makes it look much
larger!”
Instructing Tremblay on the
operation of his high powered bass
boat, Morris gave the helm to RPM
Chopper Builder Larry Tremblay. “Hey
this boat has a gas pedal!” “We call
them Hot-Foots,” laughed Morris.
Jumping on plane Tremblay followed
Morris’s Lowrance GPS (www.lowrance.com)
markings back to the Lakeside
Marina. But not before he put the
pedal to the metal! Screaming like
an eagle across the lake, Tremblay
once again found himself lost in
another world…………..one of total
enjoyment and freedom. ‘Live
Free……Ride Free……Fish Free……or Die,
seemed to be tattooed all over
Tremblay’s face!’ Idling up to the
Lakeside docks Tremblay looked me
straight in the eye and said,
“Hawkeye, I just might have to trade
Marine USA one of my RPM Choppers
for a Nitro Bass Boat!”
While the ‘Go Fish’ camera crew
set-up to film Larry and I riding
our motorcycles, along Lakeside
Cottages country road, Larry and I
traded our Marine USA fishing shirts
for Marine Corp and Harley shirts.
Rolling the motorcycles out of the
trailer we both were shocked as a
crowd of people gathered for the
filming. Our veins flowed with
patriotic adrenaline as the echoing
sound of our motorcycles seemed to
encourage those around us to respond
with applauds framed in handcrafted
Maine appreciation for our brother
and sisters serving in American’s
Arm Forces.
After a few ending interviews with
Dan Kenney, Larry asked, “Who is
that angler on the next dock dressed
in a fancy tournament shirt, in that
huge bass boat is? With a chuckle in
my voice I reply, “Larry that is
Professional BASS Angler Dave
Barnes, Maine’s Top Professional
Angler. Would you like to meet him?”
“Absolutely,” throttled an anxious
RPM Chopper builder.
“Larry I want you to meet one of my
long time friends Professional BASS
Angler and Vietnam Veteran Sgt. Dave
Barnes. Dave, Larry hasn’t bass
fished in five years do you think
you can fine tune his techniques?”
I’m not sure who was more nervous to
meet the other Chopper Builder Larry
Tremblay or Professional BASS Angler
Dave Barnes? But, it was an instant
friendship that was welded on the
first cast precision tuned when
Tremblay learned Barnes served six
years in the Army, was a disabled
veteran with a total knee
replacement with wounds to his
shoulders and back.
“I understand Jeff Morris, guided
you this morning and cleaned out
your casting cob-webs, put you unto
some nice bass and instructed you on
playing out those leaping
smallmouths,” smiled Barnes. “Are
you ready to move unto the next
level of improving your bass angling
techniques?” Before Tremblay could
reply, I interjected, “Larry, Dave
has only two rods on his deck, a
baitcaster and a spinning rod. For
the next four hours you and
Professional BASS Angler Dave Barnes
will be alone on the water! No
cameras, no other boats following
you, as Dave will give you a private
one-on-one bass lesson! ”
Not quite sure what to say, my Maine
Grizzly Bear sized BASS Pro, Dave
Barnes, welcomed Tremblay aboard,
handed him a Mercury Outboard (www.mercurymarine.com)
life jacket and softly said, “Larry
I am honored to have this
opportunity to be with you. I am
going to take you to ever one of my
favorite Honey Holes and by the end
of the day you will have master your
ability in knowing when to use a
baitcaster and when to use a lighter
spinning outfit.”
As the sun set over the calm waters
of Lake Cobbosseecontee, I enjoyed
chatting with our host Andy Wess,
and listening to the excitement in
the voice of Larry Tremblay. “I
can’t believe how much spending the
day bass fishing in these awesome
surroundings has soothed my soul. I
know in my heart that Joey was
smiling down on us every time I
caught a bass!” Then, Dave Barnes
interjected, “And, I’m sure he was
laughing as much as I did every time
I asked you when are going to set
the hook on that bass eating your
bait!”
For the next several hours
‘Hawkeye’s Bass Bureau’
Biker-Boater-Bass laughter and good
ole fashion heckling filled the air
as once again ‘Doctor Bass’ utilized
his medicinal methods of healing
ones soul, welding new friendships,
all under a star filled sky along
the peaceful Lakeside shores of
Maine’s Lake Cobbosseecontee!
God Bless and Safe Cruise’n.....Hawkeye
Side-Bar: YES, RPM Chopper Builder
Larry Tremblay is indeed
contemplating the purchase of a
Marine USA, Inc. Bass Boat!!!!! “I’m
telling you riding in a high powered
Nitro Bass Boat is as contagious as
riding on an RPM Custom Built
Chopper. You just have to have one
of each,” says Larry Tremblay!!! |
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