It’s official now. With an estimated 24 pounds today, which has him in fourth place according to BASSTrakk, Dave Lefebre has stopped the bleeding that almost cost him a once-seemingly-certain Bassmaster Classic berth.
In his first season on the Elite Series, the 45-year-old Erie, Pa., angler seemed to have that Classic berth in hand after a 22nd place finish at Cayuga Lake. Then Lefebre finished 82nd at the Potomac River and 74th last week at La Crosse, Wis.
Those disasters left Lefebre in 39th place in the AOY standings entering this event. Actually, he was tied with Keith Poche, as both had 569 points, but Lefebre was 39th based on the tiebreaker of total weight caught over full field days this season.
Lefebre has healed at Mille Lacs. He was 18th with 21-2 on Thursday and has stepped it up a notch today. This won’t be his first Classic. Lefebre finished 22nd in the 2003 Classic at New Orleans. He’s a former FLW Angler of the Year (2006) and Texas Toyota Bass Classic Champion (2009), so he’s got big trophies on his mantle. But Lefebre badly wanted to fish another Classi. And as of today it looks like he’s earned that opportunity.