As the elder statesman of the Toyota Trucks All-Star Week competitors, Davy Hite has a few advantages over most in the field. For one, he's done it all — Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year (twice), Bassmaster Classic, Millionaire Club … you name it. For another, this year has been a bit of a rebirth for the affable South Carolinian. He picked up his first B.A.S.S. win in five years and made his first serious run at AOY in almost a decade.
Whatever he's doing differently this year is working, and it just might keep on working right through All-Star Week. Hite, who is likely to be the only competitor in the field sharing Kevin VanDam's lucky chocolate chip cookies, has a penchant for finding bass in shallow water cover (like he'll find on the Alabama River) when temperatures are soaring. The trick for him will be to get through the field at Lake Jordan and qualify for the finals on the river. Hite is not a particular fan of finesse fishing, and that (or deep cranking) could be the ticket on Jordan.
Back when he made his first run at AOY in 1997, Hite garnered attention by crediting his success to his underwear, claiming his "lucky drawers" played a major role in his championship season. Now he's got KVD's cookies to go along with whatever clothing he feels brings him luck. The combination might be too much for the rest of the all-stars.
Look for Hite to find something different from the rest of the field and try to make something happen. He's reached a point in his career where second place is just the first loser. Expect him to pull out all the stops and play "hero or zero."
| Name: | Davy Hite |
| Nicknames: | Doesn't need one |
| Hometown: | Ninety Six, S.C. |
| Age: | 46 |
| 2011 AOY rank: | 8th |
| B.A.S.S. events: | 206 |
| B.A.S.S. earnings: | $1,738,959.14 |
| B.A.S.S. wins: | 8 |
| Classic appearances: | 13 |
| Classic wins | 1 (1999) |
| AOY titles: | 2 (1997, 2002) |
| Strengths: | Power fishing; lucky underwear |
| Weaknesses: | Finesse |