I certainly didn’t have the performance I wanted at the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Actually, as I write that I realize it’s an understatement. My showing was horrible, nothing like I wanted for the big show.
Nevertheless, I have to say that it wasn’t the end of the world. There were a lot of great things about that week. I want to tell you about them. Before I do that, though, I want to talk about the fishing part of the Classic.
My finish was 45th. I don’t know why I didn’t do better, but I do know that my head wasn’t in the game. I had a few good bites in practice around the docks with a jig, but they didn’t produce when the tournament started. Then, when Saturday morning came I had no choice but to go for broke. I caught one fish.
When you hear that going for broke is the way to fish a Classic, it’s sounds like a cliché. It’s not. No one remembers who finished where. It’s either win, or you were there. I was there.
However, I refuse to let that push me negative. The 50th Bassmaster Classic was a huge success. The angler get-togethers were great, the Expo was well organized and the weigh-ins were exciting. Overall, it’s hard to ask for anything any better.
And from my point of view there’s even more to celebrate. My kids attended, my mother attended and my friend Melissa attended. We all got to spend time together and appreciate the doings. Those I love had the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of a big fishing tournament for several days in a row. That is very different from attending a final weigh-in on Sunday. We’re all thankful for that.
I also had some really good quality time for my sponsors with interviews and on the Expo floor on Sunday. I’m glad for that. Without them there would be no professional bass fishing.
As far as what’s happening after that — who knows? I went to Michigan late last week to do a sport show only to have it cancelled at the last minute. Right about the same time I found out that the 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake had been postponed again.
Am I happy about those things? No, but I’m not going to get all upset about it and let it ruin my world. Those things we can’t do anything about. Besides, it’s not exactly like professional bass fishing and the anglers are the only ones being inconvenienced or hurt by this thing. There are businesses and people paying a much higher price than we are paying.
On the positive side, we can all use the time to do things with our family. It won’t hurt any of us to spend time together, and it won’t hurt our society.
So, that’s what I have to say about the last week in the fishing world. Now, let’s look to the future.
Most of the lakes in Kentucky and the surrounding states have water temperatures that are bouncing around 50 degrees. It’s spring. Go catch some bass, and while you’re out there on the water you might want to say a prayer for the events coming up on Lake Eufaula and Santee Cooper Lakes.
