I have fished professionally for two decades and did well competing in other major tournament circuits. But I’ve dreamed of fishing the Bassmaster Classic since I was a kid.
I could have played it safe and stayed where I was, but the allure of the Classic proved irresistible. I put my career on the line when I fished the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers in 2024. I qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series and did well enough there to punch my ticket to the 2026 Classic.
I have fished several FLW, MLF and other major championships. None of them compared to the Classic at Knoxville. The experience was everything I’d dreamed of.
After practice fishing on Wednesday, all the competitors and their significant others dressed up and were shuttled to the Night of Champions dinner. There were several speakers, including Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer.
He stressed that every angler should make an effort to fully enjoy their Classic experience. He told us someday in the future we’d be sitting in a recliner, watching the Classic on TV and wishing we could be there.
A handful of media were present at the other championships I’ve fished. The Classic drew hundreds of media outlets. I did so many interviews that my voice was wearing out.
I wasn’t nervous the night before the first blastoff. That changed the next morning on the drive to the ramp. I could hear people cheering from a mile away.
The thing that really got to me was sitting in my boat at the dock before blastoff. I couldn’t believe how many thousands of people were there. I felt like a gladiator about to enter a Roman coliseum.
When Mercer called my number, people who didn’t know me from anybody were chanting for me. They did the same for all the anglers. As I boated down the river, I could see fans on the banks. There were people cheering for us on every bridge I drove under.
It hit me that the Classic isn’t just another bass tournament. It’s the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing — an annual celebration of our sport.
Another high point was hearing the crowd cheer at the arena when the curtain pulled back and my boat was towed in front of the weigh-in stage.
Even my wife was awed and starstruck. We’ve been married for 20 years, and Kari has been to many bass championships. She told me, “This is the biggest tournament you’ve ever been a part of.”
My young children, Brook and Dustin, were there. I could tell how proud they were of me by their hugs before blastoff and after I weighed in. It was wonderful to hear them say, “I love you, dad.”
My practice wasn’t good and neither was my tournament. Saturday was my birthday. Even that didn’t bring me luck. Maybe the pressure of fishing my first Classic got to me a little bit.
When I fished the Elite Series last year, my goal was to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. I competed in each event as I always did, with my focus on catching bass.
Some of my competitors are obsessed with making the Classic every competition day and stressed over getting every point possible. I didn’t understand it then, but I get it now after fishing the Classic.
Once you’ve fished one Classic, you never want to miss another. My desire to get back next year couldn’t be more intense. I checked one box by making it to my first Classic. Now I want to go back and win it.
