bassmaster classic

Dock Talk: 2025 Classic edition

Which way the wind will blow and how it sets up the fishing was the hot topic.

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Photography by
Andy Crawford
Captions by
Craig Lamb
Welcome to the Special Edition of Dock Talk at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. This is a hybrid version of Dock Talk, being that special practice circumstances are in place at Lake Ray Roberts. 
The anglers were allowed to launch from the ramp of their choice, instead of from the official location at Isle du Bois State Park. So, we went to them at Pond Creek 
Winds are the big deal today; from the northwest around 25 mph with higher gusts and a daytime temperature in the high 50s, compared to yesterday’s southerly winds and warmer weather. Wind is the hot topic, so we chose to drill down on the various aspects of that factor.  
Tyler Williams
“It’s going to be all about the mental game side of it to make it to Championship Sunday. It’s all about not getting spun out about the wind. “It’s going to blow and do it from all different directions,” Williams said. 
“You can get take yourself out of the game if you get spun out. It’s part of the game and you just must adjust and do it on the fly.
“Either deal with it or give up. I’m staying positive. The fish here are accustomed to the wind. We just must adjust.”
Justin Hamner
“My whole practice has been about finding as many different patterns as possible that I can find. I want options considering everything I found yesterday and the day before that, will be different than what we face by Friday when the tournament begins,” Hamner said.
“It’s going to be a tournament morning decision, just go through those options and match the prevailing conditions. If I can get something going, then I’m going to run it. 
“You just must roll with it. That’s part of the Classic this time of the year; you just must figure out that given day and dial it in.”
Alex Wetherell
“Wind direction will be top of mind, because it’s blown a different direction every day we’ve been out. The biggest difference is today it’s out of the northwest and hitting the south shoreline,” Wetherell said.
“On Day 1 the wind is forecast to be out of the south. So, everything we fished today, we won’t be able to on Friday. You must play it for multiple days, try to figure out exactly when and where you can get to your prime spots and fish them effectively. Then it’s about getting them to bite. 
“There are big bass in here so it’s all about piecing all those things to together given the situation with the wind.”
Bobby Bakewell 
“It’s a difficult equation to solve given the wind is blowing the exact opposite of what it will do on Friday. You almost must take what you are finding like a grain of salt compared to the main event,” Bakewell said. 
“You must think about what type of areas that will you even be able to fish in the tournament. What I’m dealing with is my key water is in windblown areas. 
“I had to come out today just to see if I could get a bite in a north or northwesterly wind. It’s hard to get a bite, but when you do it’s a big one.”
Cody Huff
“All you can do chose a place where you can get to and then catch them on tournament day,” Huff said. 
“It’s not about how muddy the water is, where is the clearest water, about the temperature, or other environmental conditions. 
“It’s all about finding something you can fish. It’s just that simple.”
Wes Logan
“You can’t really dial into anything, at least so far in practice, knowing it will all change by Friday,” Logan said. 
“I’m leaving now and going to another ramp, fish for an hour or two and be done. 
“This lake doesn’t set up well for any kind of west wind.”
Matt Arey
“Typically, in the spring I like to devise a strategy based on wind direction and so far, I haven’t been able to do that,” Arey said. 
“The wind direction on Friday is forecast to be from a different direction on Saturday, maybe Sunday too.  
“I’m trying not to get spun out. I’m coming close but I know the consequences of what will happen if I do. I will mentally take myself out of the game and you can’t do that.”
Robert Gee
“I’m just going to go “fishing” when the tournament starts, not put too much into what I’ve found so far with all the different wind directions,” Gee said. 
“You can’t hardly get a bite to clue you in on something. You must just go fish the day; every day will be different. I tried to avoid locking mine mind into something that work, that’s not a proven pattern. 
“Doing that could get you spun out if it doesn’t produce. Every day is going to be different, so I’d like to keep my mind open and focused on that.”
Tyler Rivet
“You must figure it out based on the wind direction of each day and then match that up with a pattern,” Rivet said. 
“Basically, come tournament day try to duplicate that somewhere else in the other arm from where you are, if the wind is from a direction that can make it produce.
“I figured out a few little things that I can consistently get bite on; every bite I get is a decent one.” With exception of the dink he caught during our interview.

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