ELLIJAY, Ga. — In a typical year, Greg Vinson already would be qualified for the 2019 Bassmaster Classic. Finishing 37th in the Toyota Angler of the Year points standings will usually do that, considering that the top 35 spots earn Classic berths and double-qualifiers usually extend that list down to at least the 37th or 38th positions in the AOY standings.
And then there’s this: Vinson finished in 38th place or higher in five of the eight Elite Series regular season events and was 12th in the Toyota Angler of the Year Championship. That’s usually good enough to get you Classic qualified too.
Finally, there’s the fact that Vinson, a 41-year-old resident of Wetumpka, Ala., lists northern smallmouth bass fisheries among his favorite places the Elite Series goes. But Vinson stubbed his toe there this year, finishing 86th at South Dakota’s Lake Oahe and 105th at New York’s St. Lawrence River.
“St. Lawrence was a killer,” Vinson said. “It was the hardest pill to swallow. I was in the areas where the 22-pound bags were coming from.”
That’s why he’s in this position – the highest ranked AOY non-Classic qualifier in the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Classic Bracket. So maybe it’s poetic justice that Vinson had the second-biggest bag Tuesday at Carters Lake. But it’s mostly due to hard work.
“That really comes from my pre-practice,” Vinson said of his 13-pound, 10-ounce bag Tuesday. “I came up here Labor Day and ran the lake and marked a lot of different stuff. I decided to look at something totally different than what looked like the main deal.”
“Totally different” was running way up the Coosawattee River that feeds Carters Lake. He had most of his weight by 9:30 a.m. today and left.
“It’s totally off the wall,” Vinson said. “When you read up on this lake, it’s a (blueback) herring lake. Especially coming off (the AOY Championship at nearby Lake) Chatuge, the guys knew what to look for. They found a lot of the same stuff I did for those herring fish.”
Vinson thrived by getting away from the blueback herring Tuesday.
“The further you go up a tributary, typically, the further you get away from fish that are accustomed to chasing herring,” Vinson said. “When that herring bite is on, you can’t beat it. But sometimes it’s not happening.
“There are a lot of areas out there that have got fish on them. But they’re funky right now. It’s hard to get them to fire.”
So Vinson, now the No. 2 seed in a 12-man bracket, has a one-two punch going into his matchup against No. 11 seed Dustin Connell, who caught three bass totaling 5-5. He’s got plenty of places marked on the main lake, plus those “off the wall” river fish that made Tuesday appear easy.
“I feel good about having something that’s a little bit different,” Vinson said.