Rain, rain and more rain

ANDERSON, S.C. — Meteorologists sometimes get a bum rap, but predicting the weather isn’t easy work — unless you’re forecasting for upstate South Carolina on Friday, in which case, it’s child’s play.

Say it with me: “Rain, rain and more rain.” Cold too.

That’s what the six anglers competing in the Bassmaster Classic Fish-Off are experiencing today on Lake Hartwell here in the northwest corner of the Palmetto State. It started raining here Thursday night, and it’s slacked here and there since then, but it’s about as dreary a day you’re going to encounter. And it’s going to stay that way until mid-morning Saturday, if the meteorologists are right — and they have been so far.

The nasty weather may be unpleasant to us, but will it affect the bass bite today in the opening round of the two-day Classic Fish-Off? Perhaps the better question is, “Will it affect the six men as they try to focus on catching fish in 40-degree weather and a steady drizzle?”

We’ll do it all again tomorrow, when the 53rd and final spot in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk is awarded to the winner.