Three Questions: Gary Klein
Jan 27th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jan 27th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Gary Klein is a veteran of the bass wars. He’s won events both in the FLW and B.A.S.S., fished under all conditions, and qualified for 30 Bassmaster Classics. Klein is a pro’s pro.
Seriously, he’s done almost everything there is you can do in the world of professional bass fishing. Except one thing. Gary has never braved the brutality and life altering experience that is answering Three Questions from BassFIRST. Well, until today.
DL – What is your dream fishing destination?
GK – It’s some place I’ve already been. I mean, I love fishing for largemouth bass on Falcon Lake in Texas. Chasing those big Florida stain fish in Southern California is pretty cool, too. But my dream place to fish is for smallmouth bass in the Great Lakes.
Fishing for smallmouth anywhere like Lake Erie, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Lake St. Clair. Really anywhere on the Great Lakes is phenomenal. Pure smallie fisheries. My biggest stringer of them weighed 36 pounds, 10 ounces for five fish. I weighed them on Lake Erie out of Buffalo, New York.
There is such a huge population of them. Very little fishing pressure. Lots of big fish.
DL – What is your favorite fishing technique?
GK – Flipping. I have a lot of history with the method. I learned the method from Dee Thomas, who revolutionized the technique. I was raised in it by Dee.
Back then, I was 15 and we fished out of 14-foot aluminum boats with a clamp-on Mercury outboard. We’d use 12-foot saltwater rod blanks, line and no reel.
When I came into B.A.S.S. in 1979, pretty much all I did was flip. The technique helped carve my niche in this industry. I knew if I could find the right water, all of those fish had been unmolested.
I can’t imagine how well I would’ve done if I had better equipment back then. The line was good, I used 25-pound Berkley XT exclusively for flipping. The best hook I could find then was a Mister Twister Keeper hook. If I had the hooks we have today, I would’ve won even more.
DL – Do you prefer steak or dessert?
GK – Dessert. I have a real sweet tooth. In particular, cold pumpkin pie with whipped cream. I keep that pie in the fridge for a few days until it’s really cold. Then I’ll eat it.
I usually eat about half of the pie. I could eat all of it at times. I load it up with whipped cream. I put so much on you have to hunt to find the pie.