Since Gary has never been anything but upbeat and fun to be around in the more than 10 years I’ve known him, it would seem his techniques should be widely popularized through TV infomercials.

Gary’s invitation to join him Tuesday morning could not have come at a better time, with protracted high, muddy water on the Wapsipinicon River consistently preventing engagement in my own similar program, “20 before dark,” which yields many of the same benefits plus something to look forward to all day.

By regularly patrolling much of the flowing water in Linn County, Gary assures a steady supply of prospective catches and maintains a mental database of secret spots likely to be frequented by smallmouth bass.

The stream we visited Tuesday was often less than 20 feet wide and so shallow the morning sun penetrated to the bottom in all but the deepest shaded holes.

Such conditions call for extreme stealth and circumspection. To avoid detection by the wary bass, Gary crouched among the tall weeds lining the bank. Though I could seldom see him from my vantage 50 feet upstream, I could occasionally see his lure, a floating Rapala minnow-imitating crankbait, fly through the air and alight in the creek.