I’m a little behind on this, and I’ll blame it on the fact that I needed to gather my thoughts and get back to “real life” before actually sitting down and writing about it.
The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota — where do I even start? For those of you who have seen the footage from the final day of the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket, you know I was absolutely shocked when I was told I’d won the thing. The boat, the truck, the Bassmaster Opens EQ paid for, all of that wasn’t even close to being a reality for me at the time. The Classic? Nothing more than a dream.
Yet here I am, a few weeks removed from fishing the biggest event in competitive bass fishing. I really don’t know that it has set in yet, and it’s all over. I think that’s part of why the only thing I want to do right now is get back to another Classic. The adrenaline rush and high that came from taking off on Day 1 is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s something I need to do, and will do, again.
Knoxville, Tenn., and B.A.S.S. did an incredible job with the entire event. They did everything they could to make life as easy as possible, and it was given the circumstances of what that week is. If you weren’t there, make sure to go the next time it’s in Knoxville. Sure, the fishing wasn’t great, but everything outside of that was top notch. The buzz in the air in that town when the Classic is going on is unlike anything else. I was there in 2019 as a spectator, and it was just as great then as it was this year. There just isn’t anywhere better to go to celebrate our sport.
My tournament was interesting, to say the least. To be completely honest, if you’d have told me I’d have five fish for the first two days going into it I’d tell you I was either going to take off on Day 3 in the top five or I’d lost the fish that should have had me in that position. Instead, I fished clean, barely caught the 10 bass I caught, and barely made the cut. I don’t know what happened. My fish shrunk, the fish I thought were coming never came, and the smallmouth I had found never bit. It just is what it is. I’m pumped to have made Day 3, don’t get me wrong. But man did I think I had a shot at that tournament.
It’s wild to say that. Going in, I thought I had a shot at winning the dang thing. I don’t know what came over me. The moment somehow didn’t get too big, nerves never got to me, and I kept my head on straight. That, combined with a pretty great practice, led me to believe that it might just go down. I left it all out there, and while I left wanting more, I was content with how I performed in my first one.
Emphasis on “first one.” I’ll be back. Obviously, I don’t know exactly when, but I’m definitely planning on it being next year. The way I see it, I’ve got eight chances through the Opens to get back, and Tristan proved last year that a college guy is plenty capable of winning against this field. The Classic is something you can’t put into words; it’s a magical week that once you experience, you want nothing more than to do it again. So, I can promise all the readers this, I’ll do whatever I can to make it back there.
I’m writing this all after a few days of practice here at Toledo Bend for the second Open of the season. It’s safe to say that I’ll be fishing this one with a little more motivation than I have at any other tournament I’ve ever fished. I’m hungry. I want to win. Everyone says that, at every event, but when you know exactly what you’re fishing for, I can promise you, you’ll want it more.
I hope this has given a little insight into what the Classic was like for me. I know I didn’t go into a ton of a detail, and I really just talked about my feelings about it all. But I think that’s the best way to do it justice.
If I can leave you with anything, do what you can to get there. If it’s your dream to fish that tournament, fish your heart out. Leave it all out there. It’s everything you dream it to be and more, take my word for it.
