Why win and in gone; heading West?

The top five things from Day 2 of the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

First Cast

The topic of “Win and In” came up on Bassmaster LIVE Friday, and a viewer suggested to get Jerry McKinnis on the phone to explain the thought process. BAM.

Within minutes, McKinnis was on the horn explaining to the LIVE viewers that the Elite angler board was behind no longer giving event winners an automatic berth in the Classic.

“We really try to do the things that the Elite guys think are the best to do for the overall business and the sport,” he said. “The Elite guys didn’t like that rule. We got to thinking about it and thinking about.

“The reason they don’t like it, and I have to say I might lean that way myself, they think the guy ought to have a good overall season to make the Classic, as opposed to someone not doing very good and out of the blue has one good tournament and makes the Classic and knocks a guy out who had a consistent year.”

An analogy to other major sports followed. McKinnis noted a number of Major League baseball teams are already out of contention for making the playoffs, and how fair would it be to the consistent teams if they won a series and got in the playoffs.

“I just don’t know whether that’s fair or not,” McKinnis said. “If you’re having a bad year, you’re having a bad year. And just hope to do better next year.”

McKinnis was presented with the premise that many fans would like their favorites to have that outside shot. Brandon Palaniuk, Chris Lane and Mike Iaconelli each won events in the past few years to secure a spot in the Classic.

“I’m not sure it’s a fair rule to have a guy get in if he’s having a bad year,” McKinnis reiterated. “When you do that, you knock a guy out of the Classic who’s having a really good year.”

Two in the well

McKinnis gave some encouraging words for Western fishing fans clamoring for events there. LIVE co-host Mark Zona relayed viewer feedback that it is hoped B.A.S.S. officials are meeting in upstate New York about getting Opens out west.

“Don’t have everything right to pull off a series in the West,” McKinnis said. “I don’t blame them for complaining. They deserve that. We’re coming folks, we’re coming.”

Three’s company

Tommy Sanders asked this scribe to come up with the best blog of the day. That’s hard to pick out one individual blog, what with Steve Wright giving great insight of on-the-water happenings and Ronnie Moore’s updates on fish catches.

How about best Marshal blogs? That’s easier, especially after Barb Elliot’s posts. Marshals are responsible for entering weights of fish catches, but also are asked to send in photos with info on their angler’s day.

Elliot might have thought she won after drawing a day in Kevin VanDam’s boat, but she added icing for her string of posts. First she sent a photo of KVD multitasking, reeling while using his cell phone.

It wasn’t against rules, it was following one. Anglers who plan to fish Canadian waters must contact officials before crossing the border, which runs through the middle of the St. Lawrence River.

Zona said that’s better than in the past, when anglers had to physically get out of the boat and check in at a ranger station before fishing the Canadian side.

Elliot went further, as KVD had a trying day and didn’t fill out his limit until the afternoon. With a photo of his fourth fish, she postured that KVD was about to start calling her “Banana Barb.”

Good one.

Four on the floor

Speaking of Marshals, Terry Pike enjoyed his Day 2 with Matt Herren, so much so he wrote a thank you note.  

“As a military veteran, I would like to say thank you for a great experience. I hope I get to continue as a Marshal for Saturday and Sunday, but just in case I’m not one of the lucky ones, I wanted to say thanks.

“Being a local fisherman, I hope to do this again the next time you’re here. Fishing has been my way of peace and relaxation ever since the military. My sister even bought me a boat to ensure my happiness. I can never thank her enough, but I know she knew what it means to me.

“I fish every chance I can. Thanks again and she is also one of the Marshals, Sallie Martin. She wanted to see what I see in this great sport and I believe she has.”

Thank you, Mr. Pike, for creating another believer.

That’s a limit

Aaron Martens held onto the Toyota Angler of the Year lead with his Day 2 finish of 12th place, but it was Dean Rojas who made up ground.

Rojas started this event with the lead, but fell 32 points behind Martens after Day 1. Rojas’ Day 2 bag of 18-3 catapulted him to 24th, and he now stands only 8 behind Martens in the season-long points race.

Culling

  • Paul Elias made the kneel and reel technic famous during his 1982 Bassmaster Classic win. What would you call what Cliff Pirch is doing here? Trying naming it below. I’ve named Steve Bowman’s interesting shot the Photo of the Day.