Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Hunt Complete, Classic Prep Begins
The white tail “rut” has come and gone here in Kansas and I was able to harvest a decent size buck. (Photo below left) My goal before the season was to get a Boone and Crocket white tail. That’s over 170 inches and I’ve still yet to get one that big. I’ve gotten close with my largest being 169 and 3/8, but this year wasn’t the year.
Taking that shot is bittersweet. On one hand, I was able to harvest a quality animal and can turn my focus back to fishing in time to pre-practice for the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport. On the other hand the hunt is over for the year and I’ll have to wait until next year to get a bigger buck than my personal best.
This is my time of year to work with sponsors in preparation for next year. I feel good that I have my boat ordered and I have tied up all the loose ends from this year. Everything is in place order-wise and contract-wise with sponsors for next year.
A few weeks ago, my son Mason caught a giant crappie. (photo on left) It was a Sunday afternoon and the weather was getting ready to really cool down for the winter. I had a prior commitment that cancelled on me, which made it a perfect opportunity to take Mason and my dad fishing. You know, we got out there and caught a big mess of crappie and that one was definitely a bonus one for sure!
My only regret is, I wish we had weighed it. I’m guessing it was close to three pounds. We actually took it to Cabella’s and put it in their fish tank, we went and visited it already once since the day we put it in there. It was pretty cool, Mason was proud of that fish. Hopefully, the Crappie was happy with the result of ending up in the tank, instead of the alternative. I think it’s in the safest water it can possibly swim in.
I did finish my last FBI Citizens Academy Class a few weeks ago. When I went to college for a few semesters, law enforcement was what I was looking at majoring in. So it was probably a good thing I didn’t take this class when I was 19 or 20; who knows, maybe I’d be an FBI Agent today or instead of a professional angler.
Here is a quick rundown of what it was all about. It was 10 weeks long and we got to learn all about the FBI and the different departments of the FBI and the things that they do and don’t do. We also learned a lot about some of the kind of false rumors about what the FBI does.
I mentioned it in my last blog, but during the class there is a day called “range day.” On “range day” we were able to watch their SWAT Team do a demo. First, a shooting demo and then a second demo where they breached a house. That was really cool. Then, at the end of the day, we got to shoot a bunch of guns and anybody that knows me knows that I love to shoot guns. Needless to say, that was a blast.
I guess that leads into one other thing to discuss, something our family is really excited about. A few weeks ago we jumped into a retail gun business. The store is officially open for business and the grand opening went fantastic. (Photo of Grand Opening on Right)
The website is soon to launch as well so stay tuned for more on that. The store is called UT Arms and online it can be found at
www.UTArms.com. If you are in Kansas City be sure to stop by and check it out at 3003 Power Drive and that is in Kansas City, Kansas 66106.
Next I am off to do some pre-practicing for the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport on the Red River. I will be doing some video blogging and short video updates to what’s going on. You’ll be able to view those right here. I’ll be sure to include some fishing tips as well.
Also, make sure you like my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/BrentChapmanFishing. I will be doing a “Twelve days of Christmas” list on that page. It’s a Christmas gift suggestion for the angler on your Christmas list and if you are an angler, you can share my list with your friends and family on Facebook to make sure they get you something that you can actually use.
Taking that shot is bittersweet. On one hand, I was able to harvest a quality animal and can turn my focus back to fishing in time to pre-practice for the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport. On the other hand the hunt is over for the year and I’ll have to wait until next year to get a bigger buck than my personal best.
This is my time of year to work with sponsors in preparation for next year. I feel good that I have my boat ordered and I have tied up all the loose ends from this year. Everything is in place order-wise and contract-wise with sponsors for next year.
A few weeks ago, my son Mason caught a giant crappie. (photo on left) It was a Sunday afternoon and the weather was getting ready to really cool down for the winter. I had a prior commitment that cancelled on me, which made it a perfect opportunity to take Mason and my dad fishing. You know, we got out there and caught a big mess of crappie and that one was definitely a bonus one for sure!
My only regret is, I wish we had weighed it. I’m guessing it was close to three pounds. We actually took it to Cabella’s and put it in their fish tank, we went and visited it already once since the day we put it in there. It was pretty cool, Mason was proud of that fish. Hopefully, the Crappie was happy with the result of ending up in the tank, instead of the alternative. I think it’s in the safest water it can possibly swim in.
I did finish my last FBI Citizens Academy Class a few weeks ago. When I went to college for a few semesters, law enforcement was what I was looking at majoring in. So it was probably a good thing I didn’t take this class when I was 19 or 20; who knows, maybe I’d be an FBI Agent today or instead of a professional angler.
Here is a quick rundown of what it was all about. It was 10 weeks long and we got to learn all about the FBI and the different departments of the FBI and the things that they do and don’t do. We also learned a lot about some of the kind of false rumors about what the FBI does.
I mentioned it in my last blog, but during the class there is a day called “range day.” On “range day” we were able to watch their SWAT Team do a demo. First, a shooting demo and then a second demo where they breached a house. That was really cool. Then, at the end of the day, we got to shoot a bunch of guns and anybody that knows me knows that I love to shoot guns. Needless to say, that was a blast.
I guess that leads into one other thing to discuss, something our family is really excited about. A few weeks ago we jumped into a retail gun business. The store is officially open for business and the grand opening went fantastic. (Photo of Grand Opening on Right) The website is soon to launch as well so stay tuned for more on that. The store is called UT Arms and online it can be found at
www.UTArms.com. If you are in Kansas City be sure to stop by and check it out at 3003 Power Drive and that is in Kansas City, Kansas 66106.
Next I am off to do some pre-practicing for the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport on the Red River. I will be doing some video blogging and short video updates to what’s going on. You’ll be able to view those right here. I’ll be sure to include some fishing tips as well.
Also, make sure you like my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/BrentChapmanFishing. I will be doing a “Twelve days of Christmas” list on that page. It’s a Christmas gift suggestion for the angler on your Christmas list and if you are an angler, you can share my list with your friends and family on Facebook to make sure they get you something that you can actually use.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Chapman Checking in
There is so much going on where should I start?
I happy to report I am continuing to work out hard with they guys from FelixFishing.com. I feel I am already in the better shape than I have been in a long time, and we are really just getting started. I think being in top shape by the Bassmaster Classic will be a huge advantage to me on tour next year.
It's a neat thing to go to your own state fair. The Kansas Wildlife and Parks had a fish tank set up out there. Teaching the community about the fish in Kansas. It was a working vacation. The family - I encourage anybody, no matter what state you are in, to go experience your state fair. It helps you appreciate your state and you get to eat all kinds of goodies. You know, the crazy and unique foods that you only need to eat once a year.
I guess taking over in the Chapman footsteps my son Mason has been fascinated with fly tying. He just finished a four week class on fly tying. When he took the class, he was still seven years old. The flies he's tying already are way more advanced than anything I have tried tying. He did excellent and I am sure that it won't be our last fly tying class.
Something else I am really excited about is a class I am taking called the FBI Citizen's Academy. I have always been fascinated with Law Enforcement. They bring people in that have a presence in the community for this class. The FBI doesn't really do any marketing or even defending of themselves when people bash them. Instead, they have citizen's they have trained through classes like these that can educate the rest of the citizens on what the FBI does and how they do it.
They have already taken us through violent crime with crime scene photos and bits and pieces of evidence they used to solve the case. Other things we have studied is domestic terrorism, drugs and gangs and it has opened my eyes to how amazing our law enforcement in this country is. I will be more vigilant and aware of my surroundings, especially traveling the country.
It's an eight-week course and, near the end, we get to visit the FBI Training facility. We'll get to see how they train including the FBI swat team in live fire drills. We'll also get to shoot their guns, how cool is it to get to play with the FBI's guns and stuff.
For example, recently here in Kansas there was a kidnapping of a10 month old little girl. She was nabbed right out of her bedroom. Just a few days before the kidnapping we had a class about kidnapping. The gentlemen who ran the class happens to be the agent in charge of this case. After that class and hearing the facts of this case through the media, it has made me see it in a different light than I would have prior to that class. As for the case, we are hoping for the best for the little girl and her family, they are in our thoughts and prayers daily.
My son just turned eight and we had an unusual birthday party. He wanted to go down to my parents' farm and have fun. We kind of had a "red neck" birthday party. We went down and road four wheelers, shot guns, built a fire, cooked hot dogs on the fire. It was a great to spend the day with the family outdoors.
Fishing wise, I have had a couple Crappie trips. I love to bass fish, but when it comes to just fun fishing I really love Crappie fishing. A couple nights ago my daughter's-teacher's-husband, my son Mason and I fished for about an hour and a half and we caught 45 Crappie. Which brings to mind, a little something I like to stress to people about fishing. That is, even though you may be a hard core tournament angler, any kind of fishing can teach you something. It could be something as simple as maintaining boat position or reading your electronics. You still need to find out what they want to bite and how they want it presented.
I just got back from the Missouri Federation tournament at Truman Lake. I was happy to welcome the anglers to the event on behalf of Triton and Mercury.
I am at the point now where I am just itching to get hunting with the bow. Maybe I can find a free morning or two to get out there and shoot a few bows. The serious 'rut hunting' is coming up in just a few weeks!
One last cool thing, we have a few bass that live near our dock. One of which we call 'sore mouth' because we've caught him twenty or thirty times over the years. After we finished cleaning the Crappie, my daughter fed 'sore mouth' by hand. Here's the video.
I happy to report I am continuing to work out hard with they guys from FelixFishing.com. I feel I am already in the better shape than I have been in a long time, and we are really just getting started. I think being in top shape by the Bassmaster Classic will be a huge advantage to me on tour next year.
It's a neat thing to go to your own state fair. The Kansas Wildlife and Parks had a fish tank set up out there. Teaching the community about the fish in Kansas. It was a working vacation. The family - I encourage anybody, no matter what state you are in, to go experience your state fair. It helps you appreciate your state and you get to eat all kinds of goodies. You know, the crazy and unique foods that you only need to eat once a year.I guess taking over in the Chapman footsteps my son Mason has been fascinated with fly tying. He just finished a four week class on fly tying. When he took the class, he was still seven years old. The flies he's tying already are way more advanced than anything I have tried tying. He did excellent and I am sure that it won't be our last fly tying class.
Something else I am really excited about is a class I am taking called the FBI Citizen's Academy. I have always been fascinated with Law Enforcement. They bring people in that have a presence in the community for this class. The FBI doesn't really do any marketing or even defending of themselves when people bash them. Instead, they have citizen's they have trained through classes like these that can educate the rest of the citizens on what the FBI does and how they do it.
They have already taken us through violent crime with crime scene photos and bits and pieces of evidence they used to solve the case. Other things we have studied is domestic terrorism, drugs and gangs and it has opened my eyes to how amazing our law enforcement in this country is. I will be more vigilant and aware of my surroundings, especially traveling the country.
It's an eight-week course and, near the end, we get to visit the FBI Training facility. We'll get to see how they train including the FBI swat team in live fire drills. We'll also get to shoot their guns, how cool is it to get to play with the FBI's guns and stuff.
For example, recently here in Kansas there was a kidnapping of a10 month old little girl. She was nabbed right out of her bedroom. Just a few days before the kidnapping we had a class about kidnapping. The gentlemen who ran the class happens to be the agent in charge of this case. After that class and hearing the facts of this case through the media, it has made me see it in a different light than I would have prior to that class. As for the case, we are hoping for the best for the little girl and her family, they are in our thoughts and prayers daily.
My son just turned eight and we had an unusual birthday party. He wanted to go down to my parents' farm and have fun. We kind of had a "red neck" birthday party. We went down and road four wheelers, shot guns, built a fire, cooked hot dogs on the fire. It was a great to spend the day with the family outdoors.Fishing wise, I have had a couple Crappie trips. I love to bass fish, but when it comes to just fun fishing I really love Crappie fishing. A couple nights ago my daughter's-teacher's-husband, my son Mason and I fished for about an hour and a half and we caught 45 Crappie. Which brings to mind, a little something I like to stress to people about fishing. That is, even though you may be a hard core tournament angler, any kind of fishing can teach you something. It could be something as simple as maintaining boat position or reading your electronics. You still need to find out what they want to bite and how they want it presented.
I just got back from the Missouri Federation tournament at Truman Lake. I was happy to welcome the anglers to the event on behalf of Triton and Mercury.
I am at the point now where I am just itching to get hunting with the bow. Maybe I can find a free morning or two to get out there and shoot a few bows. The serious 'rut hunting' is coming up in just a few weeks!
One last cool thing, we have a few bass that live near our dock. One of which we call 'sore mouth' because we've caught him twenty or thirty times over the years. After we finished cleaning the Crappie, my daughter fed 'sore mouth' by hand. Here's the video.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Triathlons, Bouys and Doves
9-8-2011
Last weekend I got my competitive juices flowing when I participated in my first Triathlon. The race included a 500 meter swim, a nine mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. I enjoyed it quite a bit and was able to finish it in one hour and sixteen minutes. If you haven't done one of these, I highly suggest it. Sure its a lot of work, but when you finish one you'll feel great, I know I did.
Before the event I figured I'd get a little practice in and went for a swim. I set out to swim across our cove here on Lake Quivira. I was about half way accrossed when I realized I was in trouble, I was done, I couldn't go any further, it took all I had to make it to a buoy. Although, it was a scary situation to be in, it is quite humorous looking back. I had to scream for help clinging to a buoy in the middle of the lake. Eventually I made it back to shore so I could write this blog.
My near drowning experience taught me a lesson and hopefully I can share that lesson with some of you. I spend a lot of time on the water and from time to time I think, "if something happened I could just swim to shore from here." Let me be the first to tell you it's not easy, unless you swim more than short distances often. Keep in mind, I was prepared to swim, in a swimsuit and the water was warm. I could only imagine trying to do that in full clothing and/or in cold water or after a fall from the boat or worse. The whole thing was definitely an eye opener for me.
Back to the triathlon, next year I am going to shoot for under an hour. Plus, this year, after my near drowning, I wore a flotation belt to keep me on top of the water. It was tougher to swim with it on, but it was quite a bit safer. Safe was important, I have a Bassmaster Classic or two yet to win and I am pretty sure Bobbi and the kids would miss me, so I opted for safety first. Plus, from now on I will be wearing my life jacket quite a bit more on the water.
Other than that, I have finished getting all my deer stands set for the hunting season this year. Only a few more weeks and I'll be up there looking for the biggest Kansas white tail I can find. In the meantime, I'll try to get some work done around the house.
The kids are back in school now, so Bobbi and I had the chance to go hunting. Opening day for Dove season was Thursday September 1st and Bobbi and I hit the woods and did some shooting. I think this was the first time since 2002 that Bobbi had the chance to go hunting with me and she shot really well after such a long time off and we had a good time.
Another thing that has happened since my last blog is Bassmaster released the 2012 schedule. It's an exciting schedule.
Heading back to the St. John's river where I had a solid finish last season will be good. It's also exciting to have a mystery lake on the schedule. I just hope it's truly a mystery lake, but I think its going to be hard for them to keep it a mystery.
It takes a lot of hard work from a lot of people to put on an event of this caliber. All those people need to know about it well in advance including sponsors, the local chamber of commerce, etc. It's back to back with our Wisconsin events you know it'll have to be within a 4 or 5 hour drive from there. That narrows it down a bit. Overall, its a great concept and if they can keep it a mystery I think it'll be a hit with the fisherman and the fans alike.
Last weekend I got my competitive juices flowing when I participated in my first Triathlon. The race included a 500 meter swim, a nine mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. I enjoyed it quite a bit and was able to finish it in one hour and sixteen minutes. If you haven't done one of these, I highly suggest it. Sure its a lot of work, but when you finish one you'll feel great, I know I did.
Before the event I figured I'd get a little practice in and went for a swim. I set out to swim across our cove here on Lake Quivira. I was about half way accrossed when I realized I was in trouble, I was done, I couldn't go any further, it took all I had to make it to a buoy. Although, it was a scary situation to be in, it is quite humorous looking back. I had to scream for help clinging to a buoy in the middle of the lake. Eventually I made it back to shore so I could write this blog.
My near drowning experience taught me a lesson and hopefully I can share that lesson with some of you. I spend a lot of time on the water and from time to time I think, "if something happened I could just swim to shore from here." Let me be the first to tell you it's not easy, unless you swim more than short distances often. Keep in mind, I was prepared to swim, in a swimsuit and the water was warm. I could only imagine trying to do that in full clothing and/or in cold water or after a fall from the boat or worse. The whole thing was definitely an eye opener for me.
Back to the triathlon, next year I am going to shoot for under an hour. Plus, this year, after my near drowning, I wore a flotation belt to keep me on top of the water. It was tougher to swim with it on, but it was quite a bit safer. Safe was important, I have a Bassmaster Classic or two yet to win and I am pretty sure Bobbi and the kids would miss me, so I opted for safety first. Plus, from now on I will be wearing my life jacket quite a bit more on the water.
Other than that, I have finished getting all my deer stands set for the hunting season this year. Only a few more weeks and I'll be up there looking for the biggest Kansas white tail I can find. In the meantime, I'll try to get some work done around the house.
The kids are back in school now, so Bobbi and I had the chance to go hunting. Opening day for Dove season was Thursday September 1st and Bobbi and I hit the woods and did some shooting. I think this was the first time since 2002 that Bobbi had the chance to go hunting with me and she shot really well after such a long time off and we had a good time.
Another thing that has happened since my last blog is Bassmaster released the 2012 schedule. It's an exciting schedule.
Heading back to the St. John's river where I had a solid finish last season will be good. It's also exciting to have a mystery lake on the schedule. I just hope it's truly a mystery lake, but I think its going to be hard for them to keep it a mystery.
It takes a lot of hard work from a lot of people to put on an event of this caliber. All those people need to know about it well in advance including sponsors, the local chamber of commerce, etc. It's back to back with our Wisconsin events you know it'll have to be within a 4 or 5 hour drive from there. That narrows it down a bit. Overall, its a great concept and if they can keep it a mystery I think it'll be a hit with the fisherman and the fans alike.
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