bassmaster classic

Classic: Pick 3 at Media Day 2025

Posted on
Photography by
Luke Stoner
Illinois
It’s Media Day at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, and the anxious excitement from anglers, fans and media alike is tangible.
We caught up with Yamaha pros Carl Jocumsen, Justin Atkins, and defending champion Justin Hamner (above) to gain a little insight of their thoughts and game plans going into the Classic.
Question: What are three lures techniques you expect to play a role on Ray Roberts this weekend?
Carl Jocumsen – “Big swimbait for sure, a big jig and a spinnerbait.”
Justin Atkins – “A squarebill crankbait, a bigger swimbait like a Berkley Cull Shad and a flipping jig.”
Justin Hamner – “A jerkbait, a crankbait and a Neko worm if the wind would ever lay down a bit.”
Q: What are the three ‘loudest’ variables running through your mind going into Day 1 of the Classic?
Jocumsen – “Rotation of areas, in terms of dealing with other competitors. Managing the wind, in terms of travel time between spots. And then timing, in terms of decision making on when to focus deep vs. shallow.”
Atkins – “Wind is definitely number one, but fishing pressure and getting away from the crowd is another. Lastly is time management.”
Hamner – “Number one, the wind. Number two, where I’m going to eat dinner. Number three has been trying to find good sweet tea.”
Q: Pick two anglers you expect to do well and a third who is your pick to win the 2025 Classic.
Jocumsen – “Lee Livesay and Jordan Lee are two anglers I expect to do well. Then I’m picking myself to win. Always bet on yourself!”
Atkins – “Pat Schlapper is going to win this thing. Then I’d say Zaldain and Livesay are on the short list to do well. They are locals, after all.”
Hamner – “I’m going to win this thing and go back-to-back. Then I’d pick Lee Livesay for his local advantage and Patty (Patrick) Walters because he always catches them.”
Q: What are you going to spend the $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus on if you win it Sunday?
Jocumsen – “Man, that would be nice! I’d take my wife (Kayla) on a holiday. We’d take a trip to the beach, somewhere we haven’t been.”
Atkins – “If I was smart that money would go into a retirement fund, but realistically it would probably go into a deer hunting lease or two … and a new bow and arrow.”
Hamner – “Last year we used our Yamaha money to pay for a trip to Disney World. It was a blast, man, so we’d go back there. A Disney World trip and maybe a new pair of tennis shoes.”

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