Daily Limit: Classic or AOY?

A treasure vault of videos, with anglers debating Classic and AOY, tops the week that included a Dear Abby letter and Brandon McMillan's meaningful victory.

Which comes first, the Classic or Angler of the Year?

B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott posed the question of which is more important to an angler’s career in a set of Bassmaster.com videos, “Legends & Lore – Tour to TV.”

While researching a story on bass fishing legends, finding this 10-year-old video series was like opening a treasure chest. They provide a great historical look into the early days of B.A.S.S.

The two-minute takes, on topics like Mystery Lakes, Bryan Kerchal and the Bluebird Tour, among others, feature almost all the greats. A number of luminaries make appearances, including Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Tom Mann, Johnny Morris, Rick Clunn and a young Kevin VanDam.

You can see how a big bag almost scared Martin away from fishing B.A.S.S., how Scott conceived bass fishing competitions and how Jim Bitter lost a fish that would have won the Classic.

One video, “Championships and Titles,” focused on the long-held debate of which title anglers covet most.

Tommy Martin said Roland Martin, who holds the record with nine AOYs, and Clunn, tied with KVD for four Classic titles, always battled on the subject. 

“Every time we would get in a meeting or get together, there would always be a big controversy over which was more important,” the 1974 Classic winner said.

“We realize Angler of the Year is a tough thing,” said VanDam, who has seven AOYs and four Classics. “It’s over the whole season. You can’t falter, you can’t really make a mistake. But the Classic is viewed by the world as the biggest event.”

Denny Brauer also has won both, and said his mind changed once he added the Classic.

“They’re both tremendous honors, but they’re totally different types of honors,” he said. “When I just won AOY only, and you’d ask me that question, I would have told you Angler of the Year, obviously. But after winning the Classic, it was the bigger highlight for me.”

Clunn, of course, leans Classic, and that’s with winning an AOY in 1988.

“I’ve always said the Classic is more important,” he said. “There’s no argument there. If you win an event to quickly change your career, it was the Bassmaster Classic, not Angler of the Year.”

Bob Cobb, the legendary media man with B.A.S.S., illuminated the importance of each.

“If you’re looking for peer approval, the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title. If you want to make money, I’d set my whole life on winning the Classic,” he said.

For a real history lesson, watch Legends & Lore.

McMillan takes Open, Classic spot

Jonathon VanDam might have held out hope when Bobby Lane led after Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Seminole. As first man out of the Classic, VanDam had to be Lane’s No. 1 fan this week. A win by a fellow Elite who already qualified would have punched JVD’s ticket to Grand Lake.

Instead, Brandon McMillan finished off an impressive year with the tournament victory, the Southern Open points title, an Elite Series invite and the coveted final Opens spot in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic. See his story.

McMillan, of Clewiston, Fla., came up when nominations for Bassmaster’s Top 30 under 30 was being conceived, but his resume with B.A.S.S. was short. He’s now fished four Bassmaster events – the first being a zero 10 years ago – but he’s quickly accumulated three Top 5 finishes. Expect to see more of him.

Dear Abby’s angler tip

Dear Abby took on the issue of an angler and ugly family gossip about him. The writer from Ohio asked the advice columnist what can be done about hurtful talk:

“Most recently, a comment was made about my 29-year-old brother. He is unmarried and isn’t dating anyone. He works two jobs and also participates in fishing tournaments. Someone commented that he ‘must be gay’ because he ‘has guys sleep over at his house’ and ‘doesn’t have a girlfriend.’

“For the record, my brother is straight. His fishing teammates sleep over because they leave at 3 a.m. for their tournaments.”

That sounds like any number of hopeful competitive anglers whose social life is put on hold until they find a real catch. It also brings to mind the Seinfeld episode where it’s insinuated that because Jerry’s over 30, slim and unmarried, he must be gay. The show’s catchphrase, which satirizes homophobia and excessive political correctness, was “not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

The letter writer said as much, telling Dear Abby there wasn’t a Brokeback Lake scenario, but even if there were, it’s nobody else’s business.

“While we try to distance ourselves from their comments, staying quiet about them is becoming more and more difficult. What can we say without sinking to their level? — SEETHING IN OHIO.”

Wonder what decade this letter came in? It might have turned more heads when Dear Abby began in 1956. Today, not so much. Here’s Dear Abby’s advice:.

“DEAR SEETHING: How about being direct: “My brother/son is not gay. Please stop spreading rumors about him that aren’t true because it’s really annoying.”

Hey, I could have said that, and in much more colorful language. I should start a bass fishing advice column, call it Bass Manners. Of course, answering anglers’ most pressing questions would probably end with “chartreuse” or “pumpkinseed.”

That’s one huge smallie

An angler from Michigan gives us the Big Bass of the Week, and it’s a monster, as well as a record. About everyone and his brother has posted the photo and story of Greg Gasiciel and his huge state record smallmouth.

The Michigan DNR confirmed his 9.33-pound beast caught from Hubbard Lake in Alcona County did indeed end the 109-year run of the 9.25-pounder caught in Long Lake by W.F. Shoemaker. It’s the sixth state-record fish caught this year in Michigan, prompting state officials to puff their chests out.

Living the ‘American dream’

Ah, the American Dream. Work hard, harder, hardest and build success. Millions have come and given their best shots, hoping to build a better life in the United States.

Aspiring angler Vu Au, who’s family came from Vietnam and put in hard work, hopes to fulfill his goal of fishing in a Bassmaster Classic and on the Elite Series.

Mark Hicks gives us this inspiring story of the 32-year-old from Tuscon, Ariz., who is chasing his dream in the Opens.

Culling

  • Speaking of inspiring, Clay Dyer is the subject of our Photo of the Week. Shaye Baker was out covering the Southern Open and got up close and personal with Dyer. He documented how Dyer puts a Senko onto a hook and also captured this video of Dyer in action. Absolutely amazing. See all the Open photos.
  • Bad news is Dyer’s wife, Kim, reported on Facebook that a migraine forced Dyer to miss Day 2 of the Open and then he was up all night sick to his stomach. She wrote, “I know because of what we do the enemy tries to attack his body, but I am declaring his total healing and I’m asking you all to stand on God’s word, believe with us and pray.” Clay later gave thanks to all the thoughtful responses.
  • Aaron Martens is known as a fishing sensation, and his latest excursion proved he’s a web sensation. Martens entertained viewers in the inaugural Bassmaster LIVE on the Lake. A camera followed Martens on Lake Guntersville, and while he only caught one fish, viewer comments said it was an enthralling three hours of getting into his head. If you missed it, here’s the archive.
  • Steve Wright was in a boat following Martens and condensed his day nicely into this article. Ronnie Moore was along and chronicled Martens’ full day in photos. While the full three hours is available, the video editors have chopped up his day and labeled each to cater to individual interests.
  • If you’re looking for a nice read, check out Richard Simms’ take on his visit to Ray Scott’s President’s Lake. Solid, interesting story Richard. Say, how do I get an invite?
  • James Overstreet has had bad days on the water – not that you can tell from his photos – but Thursday’s topped most, even his five boats in one day travails following Chris Lane on the final day of his Classic win. Overstreet’s camera boat driver for Seminole impaled his boat on a stump and it began taking on water. Shaye Baker to the rescue. Check out Craig Lamb’s Day in the life of Overstreet.
  • Brett Hite penned a popular column on a touchy subject. His “6 types of creative encroachment” gave names to unscrupulous anglers, like Charade Shutdown, Death Spiral and Hypotenuse to the Juice. Readers even offered their own names, like the Reacher and Accidental Tourist. What do you call those infringing on your water? Keep it clean.