Jacob Powroznik finished his first season on the Bassmaster Elite Series a confident man. Not only did he win the Toyota Rookie of the Year title and an Elite Series tournament at Toledo Bend, but Powroznik was also a contender for Angler of the Year, finishing fourth. That self-assuredness hasn't waned.
"My confidence is high," Powroznik said after Wednesday's practice day. "I got nine bites this morning in pretty short order."
Powroznik is also confident in his prediction for the winning weight at the Classic – 48 pounds. He examined the results of several previous tournaments on Lake Hartwell before forming that opinion, focusing specifically on the FLW event that Casey Ashley won last March. He thinks you'll need one day when your total is more than 15 pounds, then two 15-pound days to back it up. Powroznick's goal is 18 pounds on Friday.
"If I can catch 18 pounds the first day, then back it up with 15 the next two days, I think I'll be standing there next to (emcee) Dave Mercer on that final day, when he announces that one of you two guys is about to win the Bassmaster Classic," Powroznik said.
"You never know, but that's what I'm guessing."
Powroznik is hoping the weather forecast for rain on Sunday is accurate.
"When it gets nasty and cold, that's when those big fish bite," he said.