It was a big year for B.A.S.S. in 2021. Big bass were caught on a bigger stage, fulfilling the big dream for a number of anglers.
After a historic deal with FOX Sports, the Bassmaster Elite Series was broadcast to much larger audiences. The success of Bassmaster LIVE led to TV coverage of the Basspro.com Opens and a redfish competition.
Drama unfolded daily in the Elite events, starting with rookie Bryan New winning in his first entry. In nine Elite tournaments, there were seven first-time winners. Take a Look Back at the season, complete with fishery, dates, winner, weights, big bag, big bass and notes and quotes. Now on to the Daily Limit’s favorite posts of the year.
Predictions for Elite season
Before the season began, the LIVE crew looked into their crystal balls for some prognosticating. Some were spot on, others not so much.
Tommy Sanders almost hit the trifecta, saying winners will include a previous Angler of the Year, a Rookie of the Year and an international angler. Two out of three ain’t bad, as Canadian Jeff Gustafson and Japan’s Taku Ito won, and Hank Cherry, the 2013 Rookie of the Year, doubled up on Classics.
Dave Mercer’s call for record crowds was answered, but the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race wasn’t so easy to predict — we all got it wrong when Seth Feider ran away with the point title. Ronnie Moore did get a last-minute miracle when his pick Josh Stracner climbed over a group of rookies to steal away the Rookie of the Year title on his final day of fishing.
Of course, there were more misses than hits, but it was all in fun making 2021 predictions.
Bad turns good for Robertson
Matt “On’Em” Robertson, who had qualified for the Classic from the Team Championship the year before, experienced slings and arrows in 2020 before turning it around.
The Central City, Ky., angler had gear burglarized and his rig was battered and beaten, but he kept getting up, not only earning a Classic berth with a win but also an Elite invitation.
“No matter how bad you’re getting beat up, you’ve got to keep fighting,” he said. “You may not see it, but sometimes you’ve got to go through the trials and tribulations. It builds character. And you’ll end better than you were.”
Robertson’s story of resiliency proves you can bloom after gloom.
Opening day always anticipated
Ah, there’s something about the first takeoff of the year — the anticipation, the nerves, the excitement of starting the season anew.
“You got a little anxiety because you want to get off to a good start, and you haven’t fished a tournament in how many ever months,” 2019 Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt said. “There’s definitely a level of excitement that comes with it.”
Rookie KJ Queen concurred.
“It’s definitely nerve-wracking. It’s the Elite Series, something I’ve dreamed about doing ever since I was little. I finally get to do it and make my dreams come true. It’s nerve-racking, but the excitement is overwhelming.”
As is the norm, the Elites are always eager to start a new season.
Nice-guy Gussy finishes first
Finding a wintering school of smallmouth in the canal connecting Fort Loudoun and Tellico lakes, Jeff Gustafson won the Tennessee River event. After Day 1, Seth Feider knew Gussy was on the winning deal, and he sure didn’t want to horn in, even though his roommate would have let him.
“If I asked Gussy if I could come, like on Day 2 or Day 3, fish right next to him, he would have let me,” Feider said. “I didn’t try it because I knew he could win this tournament.”
Gustafson, the second Canadian to win an Elite, had an incredible run in the event, leading each day. The respect he’s given others was returned, and he proved that nice guys can finish first.
Lowen breaks through for big win
Through his Elite career, Bill Lowen has been known as the angler to “12-pound you to death.” Even nicknamed Turtle, Lowen held the philosophy that slow and steady wins the race. He carved out a fruitful Elite career but coming close yet being so far away started to seem like his destiny.
That all changed at Pickwick Lake, when he knew he needed to heed Denny Brauer’s text to go out and land a big. With an 8-pound, 5-ounce kicker, Lowen broke his spell of not having won in more than 150 tournaments with B.A.S.S.
“Would I have been fine with that? I guess, but boy it sure makes it a hell of a lot sweeter to win that blue trophy,” he said for No guts, no glory.
Livesay’s otherworldly win
Lee Livesay won on Lake Fork where he guides, totaling 112-5 after climbing from fifth place with a limit of “baby whales” that weighed 42-3, the third largest total in the five-fish era.
That his sister felt their grandfather’s presence out on the water that day was otherworldly. The supernatural occurrence was reasoned to be super real as their mother, Sue, notified them that their grandmother had died moments after Lee hoisted the Elite trophy.
“Papaw was on his way to get Memaw and watch Lee weigh in and win, then they were going on to heaven together,” Sue said of Lee’s supernatural win at Fork.
Families proud of Classic qualifiers
Some anglers’ sole goal is to fish in a Bassmaster Classic, and accomplishing that feat is not lost on the qualifiers’ family members.
An early morning bus ride to the final practice had a number of wives and children soaking in the experience. The wife of first-time qualifier Blake Sylvester sat on a bench at Lake Ray Roberts waiting for his arrival, and she summed up his determination in the quest to make the championship.
“It means a lot in different ways,” Taylor said. “He’s following his dream, which has become mine. He’s also teaching our young children, don’t ever give up, follow your dreams.”
Yeah, the Classic is a big deal for family, too.
Feiders raised an AOY champion
Although Pete Feider doubted his son’s early intentions to be a bass pro, he and wife, Ann, did all they could to let him try to live his dream. Seth Feider accomplished a career milestone with the 2021 Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
“Pedro definitely lit that fire for the outdoors, whether it was hunting or fishing or whatever,” Seth said. “I guess if I have any smarts in my body, it came from her… She really handles pressure really well.”
The Elite season is always a pressure cooker, especially for those in the hunt for the prestigious AOY. Feider was vocal about the stress of possibly ruining his run with one bad day. It never came, and he won the “Fishy race” — his daughter’s take — to prove AOY was a family affair for Feider.
Pinch Bill Perkins, he must be dreaming
Insurance agent and part-time angler Bill Perkins couldn’t believe the things that happened to him last year, and specifically July, when he won the Open on Lake Oneida.
Perkins first helped rescue rising Elite Taku Ito, spawning a friendship that included a day together fishing and learning. Soon after, Ito won on the St. Lawrence. Two weeks later, Perkins won his first ever B.A.S.S. entry under remarkable circumstances.
“If you gave me a pen and pad I couldn’t have written it that cool. It’s so weird. It’s like they say — reality is stranger than fiction,” he said for Perkins’ winning script one of dreams.
Akin leaves B.A.S.S. in shipshape
Bruce Akin didn’t know the industry when he was hired to take the helm at B.A.S.S, but the slow-and-low-talking Alabaman learned all the players and pushed all the right buttons.
Akin served as CEO at a critical time, and his critical thinking was the reason he was heralded upon retirement after 10 years.
“He didn’t just help grow the sport, he helped grow engagement of the sport,” said Dave Precht, former Bassmaster Magazine editor.
Akin managed to get Bassmaster LIVE on TV, oversaw the growth of youth programs and overcame what he called the defection. Most recently, he stayed on to work with all sorts of entities to complete the full 2020 schedule despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Akin left B.A.S.S. cruising full steam ahead.
Also, check out the Daily Limit’s top posts of 2020.