The Toyota Bassmaster Rookie of the Year is shaping up to be a hotly contested race between two anglers. Those are Dustin Connell and Jamie Hartman.
Only one point separates the two from the title that will be determined on Sunday. At this point either is capable of taking the title. Connell leads with 765 points and Hartman follows with 764 points.
What’s neat about this developing storyline are the stark contrasts in their angling styles and credentials. Connell is a Southerner whose angling strengths are fishing for current-oriented spotted bass on river systems in Alabama. Hartman, an upstate New Yorker, is a skilled smallmouth angler and expert at catching those fish in offshore conditions.
Hartman would be a given fantasy pick for winning the title going into the home stretch of the Bassmaster Elite Series. The schedule is the reason. The previous three events happened on top smallmouth fisheries: St. Lawrence River, Lake Champlain, Lake St. Clair. And now, Mille Lacs. Hartman had the chance to easily run away with the title and cushion his lead.
Now, he’s given it up, maybe momentarily, to Connell. He told me at Lake Champlain that learning how to catch smallmouth was a priority. Give him credit for learning on the go and in the most competitive environment of all.
Before this season Connell had limited experience fishing with a drop shot. The upside is similar tactics are used to catch the spotted bass in the power generation lakes where he learned to fish. The initial effort at bringing Alabama to New York produced a respectable 21st place finish.
Connell is in his late 20s, but he’s fished, and won, numerous tournaments since his teenage years. He’s a quick learner that knows the odds facing him over the next six days of competition remaining in the regular season.
“I’ve been able to roll some of my spotted bass skills,” he told me.
That helped straighten the learning curve, along with some credible finishes on the northern smallmouth fisheries. Earlier this year he got the greatest confidence boost of all. Connell won on Ross Barnett Reservoir, beating the best of them all. Kevin VanDam finished second place to the young angler.