Dust off your fish whistles.
Thirty-two years later, Bryan Kerchal may be about to get some company in the record books as 22 year-old B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier Dylan Nutt takes aim at the Classic trophy.
Mark Zona told us today that “The most consistent thing in this event so far has been flurries,” and Nutt experienced a miracle snowstorm this afternoon. He was culling 4-pounders willy-nilly and caught two bass over 6 on the way to amassing 26 pounds 11 ounces of Tennessee River bass. He leads by almost 4 pounds.
There are anglers representing every possible rung of Bassmaster competition in the top 13 heading into Championship Sunday — from college, to the team series to the B.A.S.S. Nation, through the Opens and of course the Elite Series. The Elites remain the pinnacle platform of the sport, but the talent gap is clearly shrinking.
“I was a kid in the splash well not too long ago,” Cooper Gallant (38th, 21-11) said from the stage, pointing at the mellow mosh pit beneath him. The 28 year-old Canadian pro is now a veteran of four Classics. He won’t fish tomorrow but anglers almost a decade younger will.
But don’t assume that the kids don’t know their history. Fellow Nation qualifier Noah Winslow (19th, 29-15) – a proud 27 year-old son of the Nutmeg State — announced on stage that he’d been gifted one of Kerchal’s artifacts, which he carried in his boat all this week. He’ll get another chance tomorrow.
Everything in the sport is compressed except the scoreboard, where Nutt turned a 2 pound, 3 ounce, deficit into a lead of nearly 4 pounds. Nothing’s guaranteed, but you wouldn’t be crazy to bet your last Coike that the Nation’s going to get a big boost mañana.
Here’s what I saw, heard and thought on a day when the flurries turned into blizzards and the field showed what this fishery holds:
Twenties – There were six bags over 20 pounds today, including three that were heavier than the previous all-time highest weight in a Knoxville Classic (21-12 by Chris Zaldain in 2019). The slugfest didn’t stop there as there were an additional two limits of 19 pounds or more, three of 18 or more, and two of 17 or more. That’s 13 bags over 17 pounds apiece.
One-Day Wonder – Nutt’s 26-11 bag today would’ve had him in 22nd over three days in 2019 and 19th over three days in 2023.
Cut Weight Math – There was a three-way tie at the cut after Day 1 with 14-2. Doubling that would’ve meant an angler needed at least 28-4 to get to Sunday (pending tiebreakers). Despite the strong weights at the top, down the scoreboard weights didn’t live up to the hype. It took 25-11 to squeak into Sunday, over 2 ½ pounds short of double.
Just a Bit Outside – Three anglers missed the cut by less than a pound.
How Much is Too Much? – Nutt has a lead of 3-15 over his closest competitor, Drew Cook. (2nd, 42-1). That’s doable if everything falls right for Cook, but how far down the leaderboard can someone reasonably expect to have a chance to win? A lot of dominoes would have to fall for someone to come from 10 pounds back to win, especially with conditions continuing to improve. Everyone 8th and below is at least 10 pounds back.
Ups and Downs – Eight members of the top ten had more weight today than they did yesterday, with the two outliers being Easton Fothergill (who fell from 1st to 3rd) and Fisher Anaya (who fell from 2nd to 10th). Anaya’s Day 2 weight was less than his Day 1 weight by 6-8.
Best Two – On his two “good days” in the 2019 Classic (Day 1 and Day 3), winner Ott DeFoe had a combined 38-14. Through two days in this event, three anglers have eclipsed that mark. In his two “good days” in the 2023 Classic (Day 1 and Day 2), winner Jeff Gustafson had a combined 35-11. Through two days in this event, eight competitors have more than that.
Meet Yui Aoki – Yui Aoki (6th 37-14) got here by winning an Open last season, but his path shows just how hard it is to get to the Elites. He’s been in the top 10 in four of 17 Bassmaster events prior to this Classic, but couldn’t close the deal when necessary. He finished 3rd at the Wheeler EQ, but that came in between a 60th at Champlain and 51st at Okeechobee, which left him short of the goal. He’s started off the 2026 Opens campaign strong with a 15th place finish at Sam Rayburn.
Yui Aoki Footnote – He’s not the first angler named Aoki to fish a Classic. Former Elite Daisuke Aoki came in 31st in the 2022 Classic on Lake Hartwell.
Big Bags Both Days – In the 2019 Classic, there were a total of 13 bags over 16 pounds, never more than six on a single day. In 2023, there were four – three the first day, one the second day and none on Sunday. Through two days this year, the top four anglers, and seven of the top nine, all have over 16 pounds both days.
Giant Surprise – With all of the talk about 10-pounders caught in practice, I figured any giants would be largemouths. This morning Dakota Ebare (7th, 37-13) caught the biggest bass weighed (to that point) in any of the three Knoxville Classics, but it wasn’t a largemouth, smallmouth or spot (we think). While it’s yet to be determined definitively, it appears to have been a 7-2 meanmouth (hybrid between an Alabama Bass and a smallmouth). Later in the day, he lost the title, though, as Drew Cook claimed the daily (and perhaps overall) award with a 7-5 largemouth. The previous Classics’ big bass here were twin 6-3 specimens landed in 2019 by Mark Daniels Jr. and Edwin Evers.
Big Leap – Dillon Falardeau and his exceptional facial hair struggled to 49th place on Day 1 with three bass for 6-13, but the Chesapeake Bay Open winner bounced back bigtime today with 20-11 and jumped 29 spots and into Day 3.
Wes Logan (56th, 7-9) – “I literally feel like I’m lost like a ball in high weeds.”
Tackle to Search For – D Style Geelacanth.
Tackle that’s Easier to Obtain – Even anglers not sponsored by Megabass put the Vision 110 through its paces. They were all over the live coverage today.
Kerchal’s Tackle – Red shad ribbon tail worm. How far we’ve come. Probably still works, though, even shaking it out in front of pixelated blobs.
Best/Worst Classic Souvenir – Gallant family tattoos.
The International Field – Yui Aoki appears to be the only international contender with a chance to win. He’s in 6thplace, 8-2 off the lead. Reigning back-to-back AOY Chris Johnston (18th, 30-1) is the only other international contender competing tomorrow. His brother Cory was the first man out in 26th, 9 ounces out of the cut.
Home State Heroes – If Nutt wins, he’ll be the first home state Classic winner since Ott DeFoe won here in 2019. Before that the most recent home state champs consisted of a three-year run from 2014 when Randy Howell, Casey Ashley and Edwin Evers won in their states of residence.
Best Text I Got Today – “Can we get a ringtone of Ebare’s giggle?”
Less Than Ten – Only two anglers in the top 25 failed to catch a limit each day: Dillon Falardeau (20th, 8 fish for 27-8) and Caleb Hudson (22nd, 9 fish for 26-5).
Lone Star Lag – If Dakota Ebare wins the Classic, he’ll be the first champ from Texas since Alton Jones in 2008. Before that it was Japanese transplant Takahiro Omori in 2004, and before that Oregon transplant Jay Yelas. Rick Clunn, who spent much of his life in Texas, won four Classics. The first Texan to win the Classic was Tommy Martin in 1974.
Name Change – Dakota Ebare and girlfriend Shelby plan to name their imminent son Bowen Cade Ebare. At Media Day he confirmed that even if he wins the Classic, they’re unlikely to change that plan, but I think fans should lobby for something Knoxville oriented: Peyton Manning Ebare? U.S. Census data suggests only about 100–120 people currently have Ebare as a last name in the United States, and globally it appears only sporadically.
Dave Mercer on Father-to-Be Ebare’s Big Meanmouth – “I’m betting that fish is bigger than the baby.”
Zona on Dylan Nutt – “Friends with Matt Robertson. Kinda tells you all you need to know.”
Cannonball History – Easton Fothergill’s (3rd, 40-6) throwback Carolina Rig success should remind us that much of the bass fishing world was introduced to the ball-and-chain at a Classic – when Jack Chancellor won on the Arkansas River in 1985 with a “Do-Nothing Worm.” Maybe Fothergill will keep it tied on as the next stop on the Elites is the Arkansas River, albeit on a different pool.
Brandon Lester (46th, 18-8) – “When you get thrown your pitch, you’ve got to swing. I swung and I missed.”
Talking Records — The all-tackle world record for a Meanmouth Bass is 11-1, caught by Brady Stanford on February 22, 2022, at O.H. Ivie Reservoir in Texas.
Trey Schroeder (46th, 18-8), this Generation’s Gianni Versace – “I like toboggans and bucket hats, buddy.”
The Quest for 60 – With three anglers averaging over 20 pounds, we have a legit chance to have the Knoxville Classic weight record beaten by 10 pounds.
Watch Out For – Drew Cook on a springtime warming trend. Nutt may be confident, but Cook isn’t someone you want on your tail if you slip up.
Looking Forward – It’s going to be a little bit warmer with a few clouds and light and variable winds – nothing to suggest a major change in conditions. If anything, with a smaller field and plenty of water they should continue to smash ‘em, unlike any Knoxville Classic before.
Anyone who went into hibernation 10 years ago, or perhaps five, wouldn’t recognize much of the sport today. They certainly wouldn’t recognize most of the top contenders. But the passion is there like it always was, and the grass roots of fishing is strong.
One more day.
