met Mr. Bill Dance today!!

[BASSKING]

well i finally met one of the most influencial people that got me interested in fishing today. one of the nicest professional fishermen i have met yet. he was at darrells lawn maintnence in litchfeild today got pics and my little boy was in heaven that is his favorite guy on tv. signed my sons "T" hat and was a really nice stand up guy. made my day for sure.

then it was on to rough where we got a few hours of fishing in with little luck only one 10 inch largemouth but it was nice being on the water.

[DYNATRAK]

that is really something. were you freaking out a little bit or what? I know i would. Like, hey Bill how's it going? Bill Dance?!!!! What!!!!!

How's he looking these days, he's gotta be getting up there?

[DJD]

That's cool....I often wondered what he would be like in person. Was he a cut up? He looks like he could be pretty funny..

[BASSKING]

A little star struck for sure. I've wanted to meet him for a long time. Talked a couple minutes on fishing but more less wanted my son to get the best of that few minutes we had. There was 30 or 40 people behind us. Ya know I wouls suess he's at least 70 or so but I hope I'm in that kind of shape at his age. Did anyone else get to go down there? They advertised it on the radio and they had a big sign up on hwy 259.

[BASSKING]

Also , of all the pros and other tv fishermen I've met he seemed more into meeting the kids than anything and I thought that was a real cool deal. My son has been watchin him since he was about a year and a half old and he absolutely loves the guy. Something I hope he will always remember

[bob46]

That would be something to meet him he is no doubt a ledgend he forgot more about fishing than I know.

[Todd2]

Man, I wish I'd known that he was there. I've always been a Bill Dance fan. If nothing else just to see him break his rods in tailgates and ceiling fans. Those bloopers crack me up.

[Trophycats]

Guys. As most of you know, I fish for BIG catfish. And what a lot of folks don't know is that Bill Dance is also a great catfisherman. I met Bill a few years ago at one of the Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest Tournaments on the MS river. It was the day prior to the tournament, we had all pre-fished of course and it was over 100 degrees. Bill, myself and about 4 more guys were standing around and talking catfishing. A young lady came up with a boy about 10 years old, it was her brother, and stood very politely off to the side not wanting to interrupt us. When Bill noticed her standing there, he excused himself and went over to talk to them. The little boy was a huge fan of Bills, and Bill went to his truck and got a photgraph of himself (he carries a stack of them) and autographed it for the boy and gave him a autographed hat. He talked to that little boy untill the boy was finished. There was no HURRY UP in Bill at all, he was just as happy talking to the boy about fishing as he was talking to us about catfishing.

Bill and his partner, James Patterson won that tournament with a awesome weight. When they were annoucing the winners, they got to the first place team of Patterson/Dance and called them up to the stage. Bill couldnt be found. They had to call him 4 times to come up to the stage. Know where he was? In the Coca Cola tent, talking fishing with about 20
boys/girls about fishing and signing autographs and having a blast. He ran up on the stage and said thanks, but i gotta get back to the tent, I have some folks I am talking to.

Bill is a class act. There is NO pretense about him, what you see is what you get, he is all about promoting the sport of fishing, whether it be bass or catfish. I have fished several catfish tourneys against him, and i have NEVER seen him turn his back or snub his nose up at anyone. After prefishing for 3 days and a 1 day tourney in over 100 degree weather, I was smoked and I know he was too, but he stayed in that tent untill the last kid was ready to leave. And he gets them involved, he doesn't just be polite and play the part, he askes them why a fish does this, does that, gets them to thinking about fishing.

On a final note, He is a riot, funny as all get out. And his bloopers, well I would say the majority of them are prob for real. He is a klutz in the boat, and will be the first to admit it. Three years ago, Bass Pro put a cameraman on my boat for the World Championship of catfishing, and he said he went out with Dance/Patterson catfishing for a day and said he prob didnt get 5 mins of video, because he was too busy laughing at Bills antics on the boat.

And the man can flat out catfish.

[L'RaisinAngler31]

I was fortunate enough to meet him myself a couple years ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Bass Pro 500. They quit sponsoring it now but at the time I was an employee and they sent a group of us down to watch the race and after it was over they had a really nice dinner/banquet for everyone that could make it and he was one of the guests along with Johny Morris and my friends and I got to sit and talk to the both of them for a good time... Have some pictures with him and just as the other fellas said he is a very classy guy but would crack some jokes pretty often... Now if I could only fish like him then I would be set!!!

[BubbaBass1]

I wish all the pros could be like that. Some are. most are not.

BB1

[smuckey41]

that would have ben cool to meet bill dance, that is one of my sons favs the other is "ike" and one day i plan to have him meet both.

[CATCHEMALL]

I was able to meet and talk to him at the classic in South Carolina last year and he is a fun person to talk to. The guy with me had on a Kentucky hat and just for the fun of it he asked Bill to sigh his hat. Bill looked at it then gave a funny look back at us and said "I will sign anything but a pay check"