On a frosty December morning, the DeGray Lake State Park Marina saw a flurry of activity with the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Kevin Whitehurst and Ray Hogge wait for Day 1, but they’re not too optimistic. Whitehurst bought several 1-ounce spinnerbaits in the marina shop. “We eliminated everything else.”
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Wilson Burton and Jeff Powers of Virginia do some final prep work.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Todd Walters and Jason Threadgill of North Carolina get their rods ready for action.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Jason Sullivan and Pete Bayerle of Lexington, Ky., relax as they have a long wait, launching 150th out of the 155 boats.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Josh Moore and Keith Butler of Tennessee predicted their hot start, saying they knew how deep fish were suspended. “I’m feeling good about it,” Moore said.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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David Caylor of Enterprise, Ala., pulling out his weapons, was going with googles for the chilly morning.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Kent Simmons of California records of video of himself as he waits for the 7 a.m. launch.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Boat No. 1 of Keith Speece and Myles Ireland from North Carolina is in position at the dock.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Speece and Ireland stand at attention for the playing of the national anthem.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The 155 boats fill the cove around the marina, where some said they planned to fish.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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One boat is late getting in line but the anglers know to wave to a camera.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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After their boat is checked, Speece and Ireland move away from the dock at 7 a.m. on the dot.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The flotilla is on the move and starts to resemble a line. It’s a slow process at first, with a lot asking each other’s boat numbers.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Frost covered a number of unprotected boat decks. The gangway to the docks also was a slippery slope.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The procession is organized chaos.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Joe Johnson of Utah gets on his game face. He needs that beanie, underneath he’s clean shaven.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Freezing temps had anglers bundled up in various protective gear.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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An Arizona team gets through the check and readies to blast off.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Each team is thrown a fob for their check-in.
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Joe Johnson’s teammate, Sidney Reeves, captures some of the action as they have a high launch number.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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B.A.S.S. official Jon Stewart calls out the teams and tate as they pass the dock.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The sun popping over the horizon is a welcome sight.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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A photographer with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission works from the top deck of a pontoon boat.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The first set of boats clear the no-wake zone near the marina and blast out onto DeGray Lake.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The procession behind them continues. It took 45 minutes to blast off.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Teams pass the dock where lights and livewells are checked, then they are questioned whether they know their check-in time.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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Johnson and Reeves make it through the line.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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It’s a sharp turn past the dock for an idle out past the breakers.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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A B.A.S.S. crew mans the dock as the 155 boats, which hail from almost every state and Canada, head out for the event that will crown the team champion.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The teams fish for two days, when one will be crowned champion.
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Then the six members of the top three teams fish in identical Skeeter boats on Friday and Saturday.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The winner after those two days earns the final berth to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The final competitors pull away from the marina.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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The holeshots are filled with hope.
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Anglers give an optimistic thumbs up.
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Thousands of anglers in hundreds of events fought their way to be in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and have the final shot at the Classic.
Photo: Seigo Saito
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