In a twist that has baffled marine biologists, veteran anglers, and multiple U.S. Fish & Wildlife agents, a local man named Nick — described by friends as “basically Poseidon with a rod” — has spent over 30 years fishing nearly every body of water in Florida without ever landing a single largemouth bass.
Nick has reeled in everything from snook, redfish, tarpon, and shark, to invasive exotics and even what one witness described as "a fish that looked legally extinct." He’s guided friends, family, and even random gas station strangers to record-setting bass holes. Yet somehow, the mythical bass remains elusive to him personally.
“He taught me how to tie a leader, read the tides, and gut a trout,” said longtime friend and fishing buddy Mike Watkins. “But ask him to hold a bass? That man might as well be trying to catch a ghost.”
The anomaly has become so widely accepted within the local fishing community that “No Bass Nick” has become a minor folk legend — a cautionary tale whispered to new anglers at bait shops across the state.
“He caught a marlin from a kayak,” said Nick’s cousin and fellow angler, Dave. “A marlin. But every time he casts into a lake with bass? Nothing. It’s like they get a memo and swim away.”
Nick has attempted every method: live bait, topwater frogs, crankbaits, even whispering encouraging words to his worm. Nothing has worked. Witnesses report seeing bass jump out of the water next to his lure, just to prove a point.
“I don’t even get upset anymore,” said Nick, calmly spooling new line onto a reel. “I think at this point, it’s a government experiment.”
Despite the absurdity, the situation has sparked an outpouring of support. A local AI musician composed a soulful country ballad titled “No Bass Nick”, which has gone mildly viral in Florida’s more obscure fishing forums. Nick says he plans to release it officially, “once I catch a damn bass.”
When asked if he believes he’ll ever catch one, Nick shrugged. “Honestly, at this point I’m afraid I’ll hook one and it’ll vanish in a puff of smoke.”