As in all cliches, there is a basic truth encased in this overused and unoriginal phrase. Day 1 is all about not killing your chances of winning the Classic. You may hear it today from anybody who finishes in, oh, 25th place and above, including the Day 1 leader.
The Bassmaster Classic is about winning and winning only. Another Classic cliche is that nobody remembers who finishes second, although if you finish second four times without winning, like Aaron Martens has, that tends to stick in the mind. And the Classic is a three-day event, of course, which puts a higher priority on surviving Day 1 than occurs in the four-day Elite Series events.
“The Classic is different,” said four-time champion Kevin VanDam. “You can’t have a bad day. You really have to come out of the gate hot and be prepared for the changing conditions.”
The site and the fishing conditions for the Classic change every year, but one thing is constant – the Day 1 cliche: “You can’t win the Bassmaster Classic on Day 1, but you can lose it.” Be prepared.