The 2008 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina was the first exercise in how the Classic would perform in extreme cold weather.
Photo: B.A.S.S.
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The previous two winter Classics had been held in Florida and Alabama, where a chill filled the air, but that was nothing like the snow that greeted anglers on Day 1.
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Despite the spitting snow and below-freezing temperatures, it didn’t matter to the throngs of spectators who showed up each day to watch the heroes of the sport take off.
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While cold would start the day, a little-known angler would capture the imagination of fishing fans all over the world by the day’s end.
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Charlie Hartley, one of the least-likely contenders, weighed in the heaviest bag of the event at 21 pounds, 1 ounce.
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He caught his weight flipping docks. It was not only the heaviest weight of the day, but the biggest sack of the event.
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His Day 1 lead thrust him into the limelight, creating fans who were rooting for the underdog.
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The next morning, even more spectators rolled out to see a little-known angler battle in the ultimate David-versus-Goliath contest.
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Interestingly, Day 2 would begin with a fog delay that forced Trip Weldon to hitch a periodic ride out to the lake with Stephen Browning.
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Day 2, though, would eventually belong to Alton Jones. Jones put together a day that took him from 10th place to the lead on the strength of an 18 pound, 11 ounce stringer.
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Followed by Cliff Pace, who had quietly stayed near the top of the leaderboard.
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By Day 3, the attention had shifted to who could pass Jones. Hartley had faltered.
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Headliners like Kevin VanDam and Michael Iaconelli, would be followed by eventual champions Jones and Pace, along with Jeff Kriet, who would make another run at the title in 2010. And, of course, Hartley.
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After half of the six had weighed, VanDam was in the lead. Pace knocked him out, showing an uncharacteristic flare of emotion.
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He gave a quick walk about the stage, fish in hand, while Boyd Duckett waited to hand him the trophy.
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