The year 2020 is like none other. And so is the race for the Bassmaster Angler of the Year. In a perfect world, this event at Lake St. Clair would be the conclusion of the Bassmaster Elite Series season. And in that perfect world, the final four events would be dominated by smallmouth. Guys like Seth Feider and other smallmouth specialists would be making a strong run up the points ladder to qualify for the world championship.
My how COVID-19 has changed all of that. Now, we have four more events on the schedule. There are two very strong factors that will make this AOY one for the history book.
First, the final events are in the South. And second, they are in the fall. Put one and one together and you have a setup for the most challenging AOY finish in years. Guntersville, Santee Cooper, Chickamauga and Lake Fork will be the stages for the final run.
Anglers dislike fall fishing in the South for the same reasons. The fishing is so darn tough. Lingering warm temperatures prolong the fall transition, and when it does happen, bass can be difficult to pattern.
Based on the above, we can expect to see no single angler making a strong run at the title. Consistent high finishes across the remainder of the season will be tough to do.
This one is going to be fun to watch, and it all starts right here, at the event formerly known as the grand finale of the season.