I Was Nearly Shot and Killed by Jack Wingate!

The weekend started innocent enough. My wife gave me that super special permission to plan a impromptu fishing trip. Guys, this kind of thing just don’t happen every weekend. I made some calls to a few fishing friends and decided to cash in on an open invitation offered by Angelo Koundourakis of the Hydrilla Knats fishing club at Lake Seminole.

Angelo is a fantastic fisherman and a very good friend. He and I were on the 2009 Georgia Federation Nation State Fishing Team and we got pretty close after spending a few days fishing together. He has a wonderful life story…the kind that would make a great book, but I do not have the time or the courage to take on the task of sharing Andy’s life, besides – It’s his story. Angelo has been on four straight state teams and is a fishing expert on Lake Seminole. Better yet, he lives within a rocks throw of Wingate’s Lunker Lodge.

I started making the plans, packing my gear and checking out the weather. Lake Seminole is almost 300 miles south of my house and I was figuring on warmer weather. After the winter we have had in North Georgia, I was going to be pleased. I contacted Mike Sloan at Wingates and put us down for the Saturday tournament. $3000 first place prize and a sixty boat field was expected.

OK, a little background on how I really met Angelo. During the practice period for the Spring 2008 GBFN State Championship, Waine Pittman and I went down a week early to fish a Bassmaster weekend series event. Hydrilla Knat club member Chris Neely was kind enough to show us around Seminole. After the briefing meeting, everyone (Jeff Jones, Lamar Bryant, Paul Tyree) went back to Angelo’s house to talk fishing. I rode there with Waine and knew that it was very close to Wingate’s Lodge.

Well on Friday night I got a late start, stopping in at a buddy’s birthday party for an hour before the long drive down to Seminole. I planned on getting to Angelo’s around midnight. Angelo explained that he would leave the lights on and the front door would be open…”just come on in.”

I was leaving the party and received a call from Angelo with one more piece of crucial instruction. The Koundourakis family has a large dog and he felt it would be helpful for me to know the dogs name and explained the best way to approach her when I arrived.

I made the long trip and arrived in the area of Angelo’s home at about 1 am. I turned forty this year and I am going to use that for the following excuse. I could not remember exactly which driveway belonged to Angelo.

I turned into what I thought would be the right place and realized that I the yard was not set up right. I backed out and went back down the another driveway. Finally, what looked like a familiar yard. I pulled up, got my travel bag in my lap and stepped out of the truck.

As expected, here came a dog up to me. I called out the name given by Angelo and the dog ran right up to me and I gave her a good petting. The porch did not look as I remembered, but it was late and the last time I was there was two years ago. I stepped onto the porch and attempted to open the door.

Locked! More important…the sign on the right side of the door stated, “Protected by a .357″ I own a pawn shop and I know what that means. I am shaking a door of someone with a loaded gun in the house. I hoped I was wrong, but I was pretty sure I was at the wrong place. I backed off the porch and went back to the truck to regroup. I started the vehicle and pulled slowly out of the drive. In my rearview mirror, I noticed the front door swing open. I jumped out of the car and met the person in the yard.

Sir, this is Mr. Jack Wingate’s place. Can I help you? I begged for forgiveness and apologized for my mistake. I told him I was searching for Angelo’s house. I promise I was not trying to steal Mr. Jack’s tackle, his autographed cover of Bassmaster magazine or any of his Indian artifacts. Thank God, the person believed me and now you know why I almost got SHOT by Jack Wingate.

For those that don’t already know. Ray Scott gives Jack credit for over 30 people who first joined up to fish his B.A.S.S. origination way back in the beginning. Ray called Jack when he was first starting up and Jack opened up his little black book and shared a boat load of phone numbers with Ray and the rest is BASShistory.

I finally arrived at Angelo’s place, bedded down and slept like a baby…until 5 am.

Angelo knew the lipless crankbait bite would be on like crazy and figured on the scales tipping the 20 pound mark a few times to win and get a hefty check in the tournament. We had an awesome day. Fishing plenty of humps, shallow grass and other spots in both the Flint and Spring Creek area. When 3 o’clock rolled around and our boat had only seen about 12 pounds of bass find our hooks, Angelo knew our best bet was to take the boat back to the house and eat some hot spaghetti. Thanks Patty (Angelo’s wife) for the great food and southern hospitality!

Lake Seminole and its fisherman are like family. Pam Martin-Wells 2010 Bassmaster Classic qualifier and lady fishing guide from Seminole was having a bash at the local firehouse. Angelo and I got cleaned up and headed to the party. We gave Pam our well wishes and met up with several folks who fished the tournament. Come to find out, it took 29 pounds to win, get second and 28 pounds for third. A sack of 22 pounds did not even come in the money. Welcome to Lake Seminole!

Mr. Jack…thank you for not pulling the trigger on a confused fisherman aimlessly wandering around on your porch. My wife and kids would have missed me, but I am sure you would have been right on target.

By: Tim Adams