There’s a lot of talk about the weather and what effect it’ll have on the 2015 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro. The truthful answer is that we don’t know at this point. Nevertheless, I’ll give you my thoughts. We’ll return to hardcore how-to stuff after the Classic.
It was warm on Hartwell for a few days. That had to have a positive effect on the bass. I’m guessing the baitfish moved shallow and so did the bass. This cold front shot all that in the head. I suspect that the baitfish have dropped down deep and that has probably moved the bigger bass down deep, too. That makes them harder to catch.
My weight predictions are going down with them. Right now I’d guess that it’ll take somewhere between 49 and 55 pounds to win this thing. I base that on the fact that it takes bigger bass to win. If they’re harder to catch, the result is less weight.
But, you have to keep some things in mind. First, I’m writing this a full week before competition starts. A lot can happen in a week. Right now it looks like the nights will be cold, maybe real cold, and the days will be chilly. Sometimes that’ll make the bite tough. At other times, though, that turns them on in the afternoons when things warm up a little bit.
That turn on — if it happens — will only help most of us a little bit. We launch early and come in early. We could miss the best bite of the day. However, this is the Classic. One of us will get on them before it’s over. You can win a tournament like this in a few minutes. A lot of pounds can be put in a livewell in the last half-hour.
I know there’s a lot of wiggle room in what I’ve said. I can’t help that. It’s fishing guys. You just never know. At least you have something to think about. If you want to look at it on the positive side, you can say it’ll make this year’s Classic exciting and unpredictable. That’s worth a bunch.
As for me, I have to say that I hope it warms up and the fish get real active. I’m just like everyone else. I want winter to be over. Besides, I like to catch bass. It’s fun, especially in a Classic with a bunch of fans involved.
Way back when in my younger days I would have said that I hoped for tough conditions. It seemed like that gave me a better chance. That’s what I believed at the time, anyway. But anymore I’d just as soon enjoy myself and catch fish. And, now that I have more experience I think I do about as well in slugfests and I do in the tough ones.
In short — a perfect tournament for me is one where I can wear blue jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. I can do without long underwear and coveralls. You know what I’m sayin’…?