Dynamic Sponsorships rep Alan McGuckin passed along this short Q&A after he caught up with Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee during practice for this week's Toledo Bend Elite Series to see what the last week or so has been like for the 25-year-old.
The air was thick and humid, so Jordan Lee wore red Carhartt rain bibs to easily avoid a wet butt from boat seats soaked with morning dew as the second day of practice for the Toledo Bend Elite Series was about to get going.
Keeping up with an abundance of phone calls following the biggest comeback in Bassmaster Classic history has been a little more challenging for bass fishing’s brand new 25-year-old champion. Still, he graciously took 10 minutes to talk about the past nine days, and his expectations of what will unfold on the massive reservoir that straddles the Louisiana-Texas border.
What has been the biggest challenge since becoming a Bassmaster Classic champion nine days ago?
Lee: My phone. I’m getting 15 phone calls a day from numbers I don’t recognize. It’s been tough to keep up with all the requests, especially during practice here in the Toledo Bend region where cell service is really poor.
What’s been the coolest thing you’ve experienced as a brand new Classic champion?
JL: All the people congratulating me and also meeting two of our soldiers during a stop at the Tackle Addict store. Meeting members of our armed forces really put things into perspective for me. I’m definitely grateful for all that they do for us.
Were you able to stay focused yesterday during the first official practice day on Toledo Bend?
JL: Yeah, it felt like a normal day of practice. Winning won’t change the way I fish. I’m still learning, and I’m always wanting to learn more. So it was just good to get on the water yesterday and stay focused on working hard to figure ‘em out.
Speaking of the fishing, there’s been a lot of talk about spawning fish playing a big role in the event. What percentage of the bass that will get weighed-in this week will be spawning bass?
JL: I’ll guess 30 percent.
So it could be a mixed bag of patterns and lures. Tell fans four lures you think the Elite Series field will lean on most this week at Toledo Bend.
JL: I’d say a ChatterBait, a frog, a swimjig and a topwater of some kind.
