Father, son make fishing a family tradition
Fishing isn't just a sport for Jiim Thompson, Sr. and his son, Jim Thompson, Jr., it's a way of life.
"Fishing was my first love," said Thompson, Sr.
The father and son duo fish together every Friday evening as part of the Tellico Bass Angler Tournament. The 13-week tournament is in full swing right now, with the points competition being competitive as always.
The tournament runs every Friday evening from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. There are also several all night tournaments scheduled throughout the season.
Thompson said that the men who take off in their boats each Friday night are like family.
"There are a lot of good people out here fishing," he said. "You get to a point where you know a lot about your fellow fishermen.
"Everybody takes an interest in how you're doing and how everyone else is doing," he said. "Not just in terms of catching fish, but in terms of keeping up with what's going on in each other's lives."
The tournament starts each week with a prayer.
"Some people think that we just come out here to catch fish," said Thompson. "But it's about more than that. You'll never meet a better bunch of people than those who like to fish."
The Thompsons fish together two times a week. They take part in the Tellico Bass Angler tournament on Friday evenings and also fish in the Anne and Bill Campbell Tournament on Tuesday evenings.
Thompson, Jr. said that he enjoyed both tournaments. The one on Tuesday evenings is shorter, running from 6 to 10 p.m., which adds to the sense of competition.
The Tellico Bass Angler's Tournament has been around for several years now, always competiting on Friday evenings. There are a variety of rules that govern the competition in the tournament.
A fisherman has a five fish limit in the competition. Winners are determined by the total weight of the fish they catch in pounds.
One of the fish caught can be 12 inches long. All others must be at least 14 inches long.
Fishermen must wear life jackets at all times while in the boats and fishing and they must obey the law while in the boat.
"Safety is the most important part of being out here," said Thompson, Jr. "That and be courteous to everyone else on the water."
When it comes to catching fish, boaters are not allowed to troll or use live bait. Also, they are not allowed to fish within 50-feet of another boat on the lake.
"You can go by and say hello and chat, of course," said Thompson, Sr. "But if a guy finds a spot he likes to fish each week, you just leave him alone adn let him fish."
The fishermen also do their best to keep their fish alive once caught. This is done by cooling the holding bin in the boat before going out, using ice or using special chemcials that make the bass produce more slime and keep them alive.
The tournament is also a team event. There is no competition with the boat.
"The only people you're competiting with out here are the guys iin the other boats," said Thompson, Sr. "This tournament is very much a two-man sports."
"If one guy is having a bad night, then you hope the other one can help you out," he said.
The team of father and son are fourteeenth overall in the points standing for the Tellico Bass Anglers Tournament this year.
"We had one week where we just didn't catch any fish at all," said Thompson, Sr. "That just killed us."
Both men said thta this year's overall catch had been down a bit.
"I've never seen anything like it in all my years of fishing," said Thompson, Sr. "No one is catching anything. The fish just aren't biting.
"I don't know where they've all gone, but I'd sure like to know," he said.
The Thompsons are life-long residents of Loudon County. Both attended Loudon High School and both played football for the Redskins.
Thompson, Jr. recently moved up into Knoxville, but says that he enjoys getting to come back and fish with his father on those evenings.
The two compete in a Ranger boat, loaded down each week with lures, rods, nets, Cokes, coffee, water and other assorted goodies from home.
"One thing I can always say, we eat well fishing," said Thompson, Jr. with a smile.
He's been fishing since he was old enough to do so. Work cuts into his fishing these days, he says. He used to fish every afternoon after school and football practices and sometimes in the morning if he could sneak it in.
The Thompsons have several fishing spots they like to try each week. Each spot has a special name given to the area by them. Often times, the name of the spot has to do with the types or variety of animal seen in the area. One such spot they fished at was Coon Cove. It was named for a mother racoon and her family the two men saw there once while fishing.
While on the water, The Thompsons have a great amount of patience and determination in fishing at certain spots. They will try a variety of lures in an attempt to draw the fish out. Sometimes it's successful, sometimes it's not, said Thompson, Sr.
"Fish are kind of like women," he said with a grin. "It's hard to figure them out and just when you think you've got them figured out, the rules chance."
Thompson, Sr. said that for him fishing was a way to "put things in perspective in the world."
"It's very humbling," he said. "You've got this creature that spends its life doing two things--eating and resting. And more often than not, it will outwit you every time."
He also stated that just being out on the lake is very relaxing.
His son agreed.
"This time of day, around sunset, is my favorite time of the day," he said. "It's beautiful and you get to see some great sunsets."
The Thompsons fish year round.
"About the only time we stop is late December through early February," said Thompson, Sr. "And that's only because it gets too cold to fish."
Original published in the Loudon County News-Herald on July 29, 1999
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