Fantasy: Faircloth and Lowen are the obvious choices

Todd Faircloth finished in the Top 11 in eight of the last nine early-season events, which includes his win when we went to the Sabine in 2013.

The new season of Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing presented by Toyota is here!

My strategy is to get as many points as possible — great strategy, right? Because I am tied for first place (and last place) with everyone as the season begins, I am looking for the obvious picks to start. I plan to get a little craftier as the season progresses and try to make up ground if needed.

I did well in the Classic for Fantasy Fishing, ending up a respectable 533rd place, or 97.7 percentile. (Congratulations to Casey Ashley on the “real” win!) As you may remember, my daughter, Maggie, gave her picks for the Classic, too, but if you followed her lead, you ended in the 20th percentile. Hey, what did you expect? She’s 8. My son, Sam, wants in on the action, so he is also contributing his picks for the first Elite Series event of the season.

So, here are our Fantasy Fishing choices for the Sabine River. I may change mine if, say, my hand-picked guy gets double pinkeye and a head cold. I will try to not hash over the what-ifs in my brain.

Bucket A: Faircloth

Todd Faircloth finished seventh, 10th, second, first, ninth, 11th, second and ninth in eight of the last nine early-season events, which includes his win when we went to the Sabine in 2013. His victory margin on the Sabine was about 7 pounds; roughly 40 Elite Series anglers failed to even weigh 7 pounds total in the two days they fished.

If you are thinking momentum this early and maybe going for a Casey Ashley pick, just consider that only one Classic winner in the last five years has placed higher than 28th in the next event — and his initials are KVD.

Gut check: Dean Rojas. If Rojas did not “have to/get to” share his spot on the Sabine in 2013, he may have won last time. He did well in the Classic and he performs well in Texas.

Maggie says Randall Tharp will find some cobras, and Sam says Skeet Reese will be a player.

Bucket B: Lowen

My head is spinning. There are too many anglers to pick from.

Can you name the only two anglers to catch a limit all four days last time on the Sabine? Faircloth? Nope. Rojas? Nope. Scroggins? Nope.

Bill Lowen and Ish Monroe were the only two.

When pounds and ounces matter, you cannot come back without a limit. Lowen is a river master and will find subtle spots to grind out a limit each day again.

Gut check: Takahiro Omori. Omori weighed in limits of 11-13 and 11-14 on Days 2 and 3 here last time. He figured something out. He also comes in with some momentum off the Classic.

Maggie says to pick Morizo “Big Momma” Shimizu, and Sam is going Ike.

Bucket C: Card

OK, I lied. I am thinking strategy already. Kevin VanDam is garnering more than 50 percent of the picks in this bucket, and in most cases I would be right there with them. But consider this: Last time on the Sabine, he failed to register a limit each of the three days he fished. He finished a respectable 15th, and from Bucket C, that is great. VanDam is still a bass fishing god, but after last year, I don’t trust him yet and this would not be where I go all in with him again.

I am going with Brandon Card. He is a solid river angler, and he finished 10th the last time on the Sabine. If he wins the bucket, his owners will beat at least 95 percent of the others in C.

Gut check: Ish Monroe. Monroe fishes to win, and he could pose a threat. Plus, last time we were on the Sabine, he had 5x3x4 — five fish by 3 o’clock all four days.

Maggie and Sam both said I am losing it and picked VanDam. Some kids never listen.

Bucket D: Elam

This was by far the toughest bucket to pick. I could make some arguments for a few of these guys, but in the end I want a young angler, ready to turn the corner and be consistent. James Elam placed well during the events before and after the last Sabine River event, and he cashed checks in the last two events of 2014.

Gut check: Dennis Tietje. Tietje had a great event here last time, but it was his highest finishing Elite Series event ever, and the consistency factor is not there for me.

Maggie is having it her way and picking Kurt Dove, and Sam has Cliff Pace.

Bucket E: Ehrler

This is a no-brainer in my opinion. Brent Ehrler can catch them deep, shallow, and on rivers, lakes, ponds, puddles or anywhere else he wants.

I predict that half of Bucket E moves up at least one bucket and some two or more after buckets reset post-Sabine. I am excited to watch some of the anglers in this bucket this year. Ehrler will be the Rookie of the Year.

Gut check: Lee brothers. Take your pick. Matt Lee and Jordan Lee catch them everywhere they go, and two heads are better than one.

Maggie is taking Randy Allen, and Sam says GoPro and pick Ehrler.