Well, yesterday was a day that really went against the grain of how I like to fish. I never like to fish in crowds, and I’ll usually avoid crowds at all costs, even if that means avoiding the fish. That wasn’t possible on Day One, though.
I was boat 16 out, and there were four boats going into my first spot, and I just turned around to go elsewhere. I went to another little spot, and there were already four boats in there, too! I ended up catching a little limit in there and culling a few times, but it wasn’t really what I wanted. So, around midday I moved, but that spot had boats in it as well. In a place like this, you can find a little bitty spot or small canal and think that no one else could find it, but these guys are Elites; if there’s a bass around, they’ll find it.
I did upgrade once and got a decent weight. The thing you’ve got to remember is that this is a three-day tournament, and while you can’t win the Classic on Day One, you can certainly lose it. I’m really pleased with how yesterday went. I felt like I’ve at least kept myself in the game with yesterday’s weight. But, I’m a little concerned that these areas are so small that they won’t hold up.
I’ll have to probably change my water tomorrow, but I don’t yet have that plan fully formulated yet. I’ve pored over my maps and notes and have made some decisions for today.
I’ve got to tell you something, though. This is my 14th Classic, and I know I’m not leading the event, but I still get the adrenaline surge of waiting to go into the Bassmaster Classic stage and weigh in. I get the same feeling today as I did my first one. It’s a great blessing for me to be able to do this for a living. The Classic is what we fish all season for; to make it here.
So far this week it’s been myself, Jimmye Sue and my youngest daughter Jamie here in Shreveport. My oldest daughter, Kristen, is playing in the state basketball tournament in San Antonio, so I want to wish her lots of luck. Little Alton got here yesterday, so it’s going to be nice to have a family reunion of sorts. It’s great to all be together once again.