I want to pay it forward

[Matt_Magnone]

I post this under the Diamond Valley Forum as a site sponsored tackle shop and a life long lover of the sport of bass fishing. The many people on this particular forum location know who I am and I've been able to build a relationship with many unlike other sections of this site so I feel this is the best place to put this post.

If you take the time to read this, I'm sure it will be worth your time or a kid you may know. This is my way of "Paying It Forward" to a kid that shares the love of bass fishing as I did growing up. I warn you it's long, but it's a Tackle Giveaway.

I recently saw a "status" on a group called "Swimbait Universe" where a man reminisced of his childhood and the level of stoked he felt when he received his first swimbait. He talked about paying it forward. This prompted me to post one of my own. Not enough good going around these days to pass this opportunity up.

Growing up in the sport of bass fishing, since I was barely old enough to hold a fishing rod, I was brought up fishing the deep finesse style of worm fishing. Some of my earliest recollections were of shaking texas rigs with my dad in 60'of water at San Vicente Reservoir in the Winter. 1/8-3/16 6" AA's curltail worms on 6'6" pistol gripped Kennedy Fisher custom wrapped rods and 6# test. I can still feel the freezing wind coming from Barona and Kimball arms. Like a typical youngster I always asked him why do we have to fish deep and why can't we fish in the Spring. He always pointed the boat into the wind and kept doodlin' avoiding giving me an answer. I literally never fished the bed bite or in the Spring until I was probably 12 or 13 years old. Strictly in the Winter. Little did I know all of it was for a reason I wouldn't understand until now. KNOWLEDGE and DEDICATION!

Around 1996 I bought my first swimbait with the idea of catching GIANT bass and started putting my time in. I was a "water plower" for quite a while but the KNOWLEDGE and DEDICATION I learned as a youth would pave the path to the style of fishing I pursue today. For the longest time I ground these baits into the dirt. Basstrix, Optimum, Castaic AC and whatever else I can't remember at this time never getting as much as a swirl. At the time there were guys fishing the big stuff, but unlike today there wasn't a knowledge base large enough that was willing to help or at the very least share privileged info. Hell at that time, people used to laugh when they saw a bait that big.

Today, I have the privilege and have had the privilege to pull on some very nice sized bass utilizing a method I worked my butt off growing up to perfect to the best of my own abilities. Growing up I never asked for anything. I never asked my mom or dad to buy me tackle, I never asked for presents on my birthday only asked to go fishing on my days off from school. What equipment I bought came from allowance or birthday money. All my friends had the nice gear while I was running ragged 1970's and 80's gear. Now I'm in a position, with my profession, to be able to afford any top of the line equipment I can get my hands on. It was a wild path, but I'm here and humbled.

I want to PAY IT FORWARD. I want to provide a kid getting into this sport with a couple swim baits from my own personal collection and a $50.00 Last Chance Bait and Tackle Gift Card, either for in-store or online depending upon where they live, in the hopes that he or she can experience the journey that led to my obsession with big bass fishing today.

If you are a kid, have a kid or knows of a kid that loves this sport with every inch of "his or her" being, please nominate "he or she" and at the end of November I will pick a name and provide them with a few baits from my own stock. Because school wasn't part of my "favorite" activities, I never valued education when I was younger. This is something I somewhat regret to this day. "He or She" must show good standing in school and share a love for the outdoors as I did when I was younger.

Nominations to be sent as a Private Message.

Rules:
- Must be 18 years old or younger
- Picture of their latest report card
- "He or She" must pay something forward, of their own, after receiving the gift

Here's what I'm looking for as an entry:

1.) Name-
2.) Age-
3.) Location-
4.) Paragraph explaining why they deserve this gift
5.) Photo of them with a fish

Thanks for reading
-Matt

[gcopple]

cool thing to do Matt.

[HawgZWylde]

Matt, you're a stand up guy dude. Kudos to ya bro...

[Big-Bob]

Wow. That is awesome right there!

[DEVOREFLYER]

Great story Matt and a very generous offer to some deserving junior fisherman. Kudo's to you.

[Bucket]

Thumbs up , thats a good thimg what youre doing

[Glenn]

You'll make some kid's day for sure!

[JDS13]

That cool stuff bro, I think I might have a great kid to nominate.

[Dsrt Tortise]

Matt,
I just want to say that if I had a son I wish him to be like you. I'm sure you have made your parents proud Maybe one day I will meet you at DVL and we may shake hands.
Tight lines

Dsrt Tortise

[Baja1ab]

Very cool