The light shined brightly on Charlie Hartley during the 2008 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell. He set the fishing world on fire when he led after Day 1.
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Hartley, from Grove City, Ohio, had come close several times but has never won a B.A.S.S. event since the first of his 198 entries in 1993.
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Hartley stood in second place after three days on the Potomac in the 2007 Capitol Clash, but fell to sixth on the final day.
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By finishing in the top three in points in the Southern Open series with Todd Auten and Bobby Lane, Hartley qualified for his first and only Classic.
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Hartley made the most of it on Day 1, bringing 21 pounds, 1 ounce to the scales. The weight propelled him to first place, ounces ahead of Scott Rook and Kevin VanDam.
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“When they told me I was leading the Bassmasters Classic,” he said, “it was the most exciting words I’ve ever heard in my life.”
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The experience was exhilarating, Hartley said, “There were 15,000 people who stood up on their feet and screamed like I was a rock star.”
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Hartley acknowledges the crowd as he heads to the Greenville, S.C., stage on Day 2 of the Classic, somewhat apprehensive as his catch was not what he had hoped.
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He weighed 13-12 on Day 2 and fell to second behind eventual winner Alton Jones. “I thought I had blown it the second day, but when I got in Davy Hite said you’re still right there. I was only a pound and a half out of the lead heading out the last day.”
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A perpetual underdog, Hartley’s run had fans excited and other anglers not in the hunt said they were pulling for him.
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The magic was nowhere to be found on Day 3 as Hartley caught only two fish for 3-5 and fell to 15th place.
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Hartley, here with some nice fish during last year’s BASSfest, said he jokes with a buddy that he wishes he never led the Classic. “And he laughs, ‘Like hell you don’t!’ It was a really great week for me.”
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