By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor


There will be much written and said this week about how winter has flexed its muscles yet again and placed a wicked cold and firm grip on South Carolina just in time for the Bassmaster Classic.

Some will continue to bemoan B.A.S.S.’s insistence on staging its flagship event at this point on the calendar, which brings with it the annual risk of having the tournament fall in the crosshairs of some sort of Carolina Clipper or Manitoba Killjoy or whatever the weather nerds are deciding to call this recent frigid spell that has encompassed the Upstate region.

But this year’s Classic figures to offer so much more to talk about than just the dew point and wind chill. Didn’t we get enough of that at the last two Classics? They seemed to turn out all right.

Lake Hartwell, all 56,000 acres of winding rivers, creeks, seemingly endless pockets and the deep, clear water of the lower lake, figures to provide a stout test for the 56 men set to compete in the 44th version of bass fishing’s marquee event. There’s so much to chew on at this venue in terms of what it has to offer the anglers and there seems to be no consensus as to how this tournament will be won – at least not yet.

Among the questions on most BassFans’ minds:

> How significantly will spotted bass, which have established a strong presence at Hartwell (especially out deep where they’re shielded from the gnarly conditions near the surface), figure into the final outcome?

> How dirty will the rivers and creeks get after the heavy winds from Wednesday and all the various forms of precipitation and resulting runoff settles into the lake?

> Will someone win this week fishing a shallow-only pattern? Can someone win offshore? Can someone catch two 20-pound stringers in a row here?

> Will we ever see the sun again?

Not long ago, Hartwell’s bass were on the move, bent on getting into their pre-spawn mode as the water temperature began to rise toward that magical 50-degree mark that locals say triggers such migrations. However, after the initial three-day practice period concluded last Sunday, uncertainty was the dominant vibe coming from the competitors.

Not only did they have to deal with brutally cold conditions, they watched the water temperature recede back into the 40s, causing the fish to scatter and their own minds to wonder where they went. There were reports of a decent shallow-water bite, but some fear that window won’t stay open long enough to carry someone through the 3-day tilt that starts Friday, especially after an ice storm nearly enveloped the region on Monday night and was followed by more cold weather on Tuesday and Wednesday.

One saving grace for the tournament days is the winds aren’t expected to be much of a factor, which should bring some offshore finesse tactics into play. The field had one last look at the lake Wednesday and following a fairly calm first couple hours, the wind began to howl around 10:30 a.m. and was still going strong even after the 3 p.m. check-in. Some anglers looked at new water on the final day while others checked areas they’d uncovered last weekend. All found the water temperature a few degrees cooler than it was Sunday.

Some competitors bypassed the day altogether or cut their time on the water short due to the high winds.

Come Friday morning, though, the air temperature is expected to drop into the single digits. The record low for Feb. 20 in Anderson, SC, is 16 degrees, set in 1958.

While the cold conditions may spin some out, there’s a possibility that it could be playing into the hands of local favorite Casey Ashley, who dominated the FLW Tour event early last March. He knows the lake likely better than anyone in the field and has proven he can make the necessary adjustments to prevail on his home lake. He threw up a 21 1/2-pound bag on day 1 last year, then followed that up with three straight 15-pound stringers to win by 14-plus (click here for the winning pattern story).

That sort of impressive start, followed by two consistent efforts, is what many are expecting it will take this week to take home the $300,000 winner’s share.

Before delving deeper into how this event may play out, here are some pertinent details about Lake Hartwell:

BassFan Lake Profile

> Lake Name: Lake Hartwell
> Type of Water: Lowland reservoir
> Surface Acres (full pool): 56,000
> Primary structure/cover: Standing timber, points, humps, creek channels, brush piles, docks
> Primary forage: Shad, blueback herring, crawfish, bream
> Average depth: 45.6 feet at full pool
> Species: Largemouths, spotted bass
> Minimum length: 12 inches
> Reputation: An expansive, quality fishery with excellent average size, but unpredictable from spring through summer, since fish move a lot day-to-day in relation to baitfish. Contains some bruiser spotted bass.
> Weather: Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Single-digit temps along with partly cloudy skies will greet the field at take-off on Friday, setting the stage for the coldest Classic ever. Overnight snow Friday into Saturday will give way to rain, which will continue through Sunday. Temps, however, will climb into the low 50s by Sunday afternoon.
> Water temp: Mid to upper 40s
> Water visibility/color: Mostly clear, with a good amount of stain in the creeks. Effects of Wednesday’s big blows remain to be seen.
> Water level: It’s higher than it was for the 2008 Classic, but still 4 feet below summer pool. Recent rains have brought it up.
> Fish in: All depths
> Fish phase: Winter/pre-spawn
> Primary patterns: Deep – dropshots, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, jigs; Shallow – plastics, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swim jigs, flipping.
> Winning weight: 54 pounds
> Cut weight (Top 25 after 2 days): 23 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 2 for Hartwell
> Biggest factors: Water temperature – things won't pick up much until it starts climbing again.
> Biggest decision: Deep or shallow – or a combination of both.
> Wildcard: 4-pounders – they’re a must have each day if an angler wants to be in the mix on Sunday afternoon.

Below is a locator map showing the hometowns of all 56 Classic competitors and the important locations for events related to the Classic around Greenville and Anderson, S.C.

Mix And Match

It appears as though putting all of one’s eggs in the shallow-water or the deep-water basket will only get you beat this week. While it’s certainly possible for someone to come across a productive stretch of docks like Charle Hartley did here in 2008 and ride that for a day or maybe two, the prevailing wisdom is that the winner will have to sample both shallow and deep water and/or somewhere in between at various points.

Trad Whaley is a Hartwell lifer and has recorded BFL wins at both Hartwell and Clarks Hill Lake so he’s well-versed in how these blueback herring lakes change with the specific conditions that the field will be facing this week.

“These fish are getting into the places they need to be and the largemouths are moving up, but this cold and clouds is hurting them more than anything,” said Whaley, who hails from Abbeville, S.C. “The fish are there and someone will catch a big sack shallow, but they won’t be able to stay there for three days.”

He believes there could be enough fish shallow or at least holding in the mid-depths nearby to get someone into contention.

“If the weather were going to be good, I think the shallow pattern could go all the way,” he said. “Someone could do the same thing Casey did last year and just run around picking them off in certain places. The fish are set up shallow. They’re there, but this cold might just slide them out a bit.”

Can Spots Win?

Patrick Bone, who fished last year’s Classic at Guntersville and the FLW Tour event here, counts Hartwell among his favorite lakes. The Cleveland, Ga., native believes spotted bass are going to be a major factor this week.

“Those deeper fish, I’m not going to say someone can win on one school or one timber edge, but the spotted bass could win this Classic,” he said. “The potential is there. A 15-pound or bigger stringer of spots can happen. I do believe the winner most definitely will have a mixed bag.”

Hartwell is so vast and diverse, he added, that many in the field should be able to find a comfort zone and fish their strengths, except for the grass fishermen.

“The deep-water guys will do well, but it could legitimately be won just as easily by someone who’s junk-fishing,” he said. “There will be fish from 2 to 50 feet.”

He still kicks himself over how he approached the Tour stop last March.

“I tried to do too much and tried to catch them the way they were supposed to be caught,” he said. “I got very stubborn and fished a lot of history.”

Several anglers have considerable history at Hartwell, but he thinks someone new to the lake this year is liable to take a run at the win.

“A guy like Paul Mueller comes to mind,” Bone said. “We used to fish against each other on the (FLW) co-angler side and he really doesn’t have any knowledge of the place. Guys like that can be good because they’ll have an open mind and no preconceived ideas. As long as they fish the conditions and take what the lake’s giving them, they’ll do fine.”

Cold Talk Overrated?

Despite the effects of the cold weather, some who know the lake well still believe the crowd inside the Bon Secours Wellness Arena is going to be treated to some impressive weights. It might not rival the hefty bags from Guntersville a year ago, but according to FLW Tour pro Troy Morrow, who calls Hartwell his home lake, the lake has been smoldering this winter in terms of quality fish.



BassFan
Photo: BassFan

Reigning Angler of the Year Greg Hackney will be the first to take off on day 1 and he spent most of the final practice day trying to devise a tactic that will be efficient in single-digit temperatures.

“This is going to be a different Hartwell than what we’re used to seeing in the past,” he said. “It’s always taken about 17 (pounds) per day on multi-day tournaments to win here, but not this year. Throw that out the window. It’s going to take considerably more. I’m seeing what’s been happening this winter on this lake and it’s not typical Hartwell. There have been some big bags this year, the kind that we may see one or two a year of.

“There are just a lot of 4-pounders in the lake right now. My prediction is you better have 20 after day 1 to be halfway comfortable.”

He referenced several local one-day derbies that took 25-plus pounds to win. What’s more, it was a jig pattern and not the umbrella rig that produced those results. Morrow, however, prefaced his forecast by saying cold, rainy conditions are the worst-case scenario at Hartwell.

“It doesn’t matter how cold it gets, as long as you have some sun they’ll bite,” he added.

The South Carolina B.A.S.S. Federation held a tournament at Hartwell last Saturday and the winner caught 25 pounds. There were several 5 1/2-pound fish weighed in, including one almost 8 pounds.

Morrow said any prolonged sun could bring the deep timber on the lower end of the lake into play.

“Those big spots will roam in the tops of those trees with the stripers,” he said. “They’ll get up to 30 or 40 feet on the inside edge and use that a lot. When the sun comes out, the baits comes up and the fish come with it.”

He believes if someone is patient enough to root around in the timber for a few bites, it could bode well for them.

“That deep bite doesn’t change,” he noted. “It just depends on how many are doing it and how many areas you have.”

Pick A River

Whaley is a self-styled river rat who prefers fishing the Seneca River arm on Hartwell, but knows the Tugaloo can be productive as well.

“There’s more current and more water in the Tugaloo, but I don’t think a river bite will carry someone all three days,” he said.

To trigger the fish that are still out deep or hanging around the drains or ditches (channels), he expects a mix of dropshots, jigging spoons and even some underspins to be the ticket, but the ability to be versatile is paramount.

“Those blueback herring get into the middle of those drains at night and then pull back out in the morning,” he said. “There will be a lot of fish caught in the middle of those drains.

“If you have some sun, you can thump ‘em. If you don’t have any sun, it’s like, ‘Uh oh,’ and then you go scratching for what you can get. Every day you have to plan on doing something different if you’re going to compete. In the 1-day events, guys have been crushing them with amazing weights. This will be a different deal.”

Notes from the Field

Following are practice notes from a few of the anglers who'll be competing this week.

Jason Christie
“I feel like the lake is behind for this time of year, but I feel like they can be about anywhere. I didn’t cover as much water as I’d wanted to. It’s a giant lake and I feel like I might’ve missed something. I know I’m missing something because the fishing wasn’t great for me.

“I’m worried about what the weather will do to the things I have found, but you just never know. Sometimes, bad weather can shut them down and sometimes it can make them bite. You just don’t know. I think I wrote in my Bassmaster blog that I was hoping for something crazy to happen, like a record-setting rain or warm up. I didn’t say or think anything about ice or snow. It’s going to make for miserable conditions, even though I like fishing in the cold.

“The lake is in beautiful shape. The water level is good. There’s good color in it. If we would’ve been on a warming trend, this could’ve gotten ugly. It could’ve been won in two feet or out deep. It would’ve been wipe open. I’ve been here a lot of times and I’ve never seen as much stained water as there is right now.”

Brett Hite
“I like the lake a lot and I have a good history here. I think it’s fishing up to about what I thought it would be. I wouldn’t say it’s phenomenal. I’ve seen better here. I’d say it’s similar to the FLW Tour event here last year. We’re having similar weather with this cold front coming in.

“The good thing about Hartwell is if we were in Florida and had these conditions, we’d be lucky if anyone caught a bass. This place reminds of Lake Shasta in northern California. People are still going to catch fish. I don’t care how cold it gets. The surface temperatures might drop 4 to 6 degrees, but does the temperature drop 5 to 8 feet down, I’m not too sure. I don’t think they’ve had a lot of cold weather this year and maybe the fish were a little ahead of schedule prior to this.

“I checked some spots that I fished last year that are still good and some that aren’t good any more. One thing I like about Hartwell is no matter what time of year it is, there are fish deep and shallow. The guy who wins will have acombo of both. What I’ve noticed at big clear reservoirs like this is you can graph around all day out deep and not see anything – it’s like they’re hiding. The next day they’re all over the graph and then they’ll bite shallow. You have to mix it up here.”

Mark Davis
“It’s not been easy. You really don’t see any bait in any water less than 35 to 40 feet. Once you get in that zone, you can see bait down 50 to 60 feet. The most challenging part of this lake, if you’re going to fish in 40-plus feet is once you get to 40, it’s all timber. If you can’t find them on that timber line it’s not like you can back off and fish a jig on the bottom in brush deeper than 40. Those fish are suspended in the trees and they’re tough to see and catch. If you’re not fishing something like the A-rig, it’s going to be tough. The fish are hard to see in the timber. A lot of them won’t bite. It’s a real tricky deal.

“There’s a shallow bite but I don’t think it’ll be won that way. Some guys have picked up on that. The deep deal is hard. We had terrible conditions for practice. I got a little bit going, but it’s supposed to get really cold for the tournament. There are just a lot of ifs and unknowns right now. And maybes.

“I did better when it was sunny, but looking at the tournament we’ll have partly sunny on Friday and then clouds after that. It’s anyone’s guess how this thing will wind up. I don’t think these fish are doing their normal thing right now.”

Scott Rook
“This weather is playing havoc on the fishing real bad. It’s dealing with ice build-up on your guides, too. That’s been a real problem in the mornings. There are some things you can’t throw because you can’t feel them. I’ve never dealt with (the cold) this much. This is my 17th or 18th year of fishing professionally and this is probably the coldest week I can remember.

“It’s much tougher for me than the last time we were here. I had a good shallow-water pattern going then, but now I don’t have a good pattern. It’s been hard to get a bite and put anything together. I had a deal on Friday where I got some decent bites, but nothing I felt I could win on, but maybe I could expand on it. I went out Saturday and it didn’t work at all. I found another deal later that afternoon and tried to put the two together and neither worked on Sunday. It just got colder. I do have areas where I caught fish, but I’m still looking.

“I promise you things will change some more and guys who caught them good in practice will struggle and guys who struggled will start to figure things out.”

BassFan
Photo: BassFan

Bill Lowen is convinced the winning fish are in shallow water and now he just needs to hope they stay put despite historic low temperatures on the way.

Bobby Lane
“It’s a little different Hartwell than I saw back in 2008. I had areas that I could go to and catch them. The fishing was easier. The water temperature then was 49 to 52, which is a big difference from 46 to 49. It’s just like any other lake in that until it hits the low 50s, it’s tough to get a bite and when you do you want to make sure you capitalize. There’s a lot more water in it than last time, too.

“I’d expect weights to be the same. It’s not like they shipped a bunch of Florida-strain largemouths up here. If you can catch 15 or 16 a day, I think you’ll be standing up there with (emcee Dave) Mercer with the Super 6. It is Hartwell. There’s a lot of deep water and deep ditches. The fish are accustomed to these conditions. I think it’s a lot tougher on the anglers than on the fish with this weather.

“The fish seem to be biting early in the morning and I’d expect to see some weights caught early. Later on, the shallow guys seem to shine as the later afternoon bite picks up shallow. Someone will have to go beat around the bank to catch a 4-, 5- or 6-pounder to go with their stringer caught offshore. You’re going to have to get a couple 3 1/2s and 4s in the boat every day.”

Cliff Crochet
“I have a plan and two different patterns running and I think they’re good ones. If I can zig and zag when I need to zig and zag and make good decisions … I’m not killing them, but I’m confident I have a little something.

“When to move and when to stay is going to be the deal. That’s just a game-time deal and that comes with being in the groove. If you’re in the groove, you make those right decisions. If you’re not in the groove, you don’t.

“The water temperature will be the biggest key until Friday morning – how low will it go and will it have any impact on the fish? You could see some mud lines on the little points, but I didn’t see anything blown out.”

Andy Montgomery
“It’s probably going to be typical winter fishing. These haven’t really transitioned into pre-spawn mode yet. I still think the lake is fishing pretty good so it’ll still be a good tournament.

“(The cold) is going to affect the shallow fish definitely, but I don’t think it’ll affect the deeper fish as much. The wind makes it harder than anything. I hope I have enough stuff that if it blows, depending on the direction, I’ll be okay.

“The lake’s not going to show what it’s truly capable of just because of the weather, but it’s still going to be a good one.

“You could see the bigger weights Sunday with the rain we’re supposed to get. They tend to bite good on these clear lakes in those conditions. These fish may be set up in their wintertime homes so I don’t how much fishing the conditions will play a role. It’ll just depend on whether they’re home or not.”

Andy Young
“I think it’s going to be tough, but I think somebody’s going to crack them pretty good. I’ve had one really good day of practice, but I haven’t been back to that area.

“I did a lot of graphing on Wednesday and shook a couple fish off, so that was cool. It’s going to be interesting with the weather Friday morning when it’s 9 degrees and blowing 15. I know what it feels like at 10-below with a wind chill. It’s not a good thing.

“I’m just going to go fishing and follow my gut. I’ve got some good spots to go to and I’m going to be fishing with confidence. If I get ‘em, I get ‘em. If not, I’ll keep plugging away. I think I have a chance. I found some pretty good fish.”

Casey Ashley
“I shouldn’t even have went (Wednesday), but I had to get some things out of my mind. It went like I expected it to. I have a game plan, but I don’t know how long it’s going to hold together. Plan F might come around a lot sooner than I’d like. There’s a lot change going on with the water temperature dropping a lot and the cold water coming in.

“It’s going to be interesting. Dirty water could help the cause a little as long as you’re not in the back of a creek. You have to slow down because you can’t feel. Your hands are numb, your mind’s numb. It’s going to be interesting. Whoever can hold it together and make the bites count will do well. I don’t think you’re going to get very many bites a day.”

Brett Preuett
“I went (Wednesday) to check something out just to get my mind off of it. I have a game plan on how to catch some bigger fish way down the lake, but I had to get something out of my mind and when I didn’t catch them there, I decided to stick with what I had from the best day I had from practice last weekend.

“I’m confident that if I can get five bites, I can be okay. I was catching some bigger fish. It’s just a matter of me getting those five and getting them in the boat and taking advantage of them.

“The weather is alright with me because I keep telling myself that everybody has to deal with it. It does get to be a pain in the butt keeping the ice and stuff off your rods, but you have to know that everybody has to deal with it so there’s no use in worrying about. I just have to worry about catching the fish.”

Cliff Prince
“I haven’t figured it all out. I was kind of iffy when all of this weather came in because I had a couple decent days the first two days of practice. I ran around Wednesday morning just fishing different stuff and it didn’t work. I went back to what I was doing the first two days and caught four, and two of them were good ones.

“I was afraid they were going to move, but I caught them in 45-degree water so I don’t think they’re going anywhere. If a six-degree drop didn’t move them, I don’t know what will.”

Van Soles
“I spent the majority of my time out deep. I couldn’t really get much of anything going shallow. Based on these conditions prior to the tournament, I really think the deep bite might be the way to go.”

Gerald Swindle
“I don’t think they’re biting real well right now. I think 45 pounds will win. I don’t think it’s going to be like what the local's weights have been because a lot of those have been with the A-Rig. It’s been tough and it’s going to fish a lot tougher than we expect.

“The sad part is it’s so cold, your body just shuts down in the wind and you can’t do much. It’s going to be very interesting. About seven minutes into getting the cover off my boat (Wednesday), I started to lose feeling in my hands and they’re still burning. It’s going to be a physical battle.

“I’m going with one or two baits and just try to catch five. You just can’t get enough bites to junk-fish around here. The hope is you can figure it out with one or two and roll with it.”

Skeet Reese
“It was definitely slower (Wednesday), but I had a few bites. I have a game plan and I know what I need to do, but I don’t know if I’ll catch two pounds or 20 pounds. I don’t have a dang clue. I’m going to go fishing and take it one bite at a time, and after that see what happens.”

Randall Tharp
“The water’s a lot colder than the other times I’ve been here. I’m definitely not getting the number of bites I’m used to getting here, but it seems like the quality is there. I didn’t spend much time doing what I usually do here, but I’m going to stick with what works for me here and every time I’d go do that I’d catch a few fairly quick and (Wednesday) was no exception.

BassFan
Photo: BassFan

Jacob Wheeler believes a 15-pound average will put someone in contention for the win, but a 6-pound bite or bigger will be paramount.

“Wednesday told me a lot because I don’t think the bite has changed a whole lot. The water temperature has already dropped three of four degrees since we’ve been here. I had a couple fish follow my bait (Wednesday) and I hadn’t seen that before.”

Clifford Pirch
“The last couple times I was here, the fish were geared into their pre-spawn mode. Now, they’re pretty well set in their winter pattern. We don’t really have this season where I live. It’s going to be cold-water fishing and somebody’s going to win. It’s just an unpleasant set of conditions.

“I was talking with Jared (Lintner) at the dock and I told him (Wednesday) was one of the top five worst days to be out in that I’ve ever fished. He told me it was his number one, guaranteed.

“I don’t think the water temperature will drop that much. These deep reservoirs don’t change like the shallow lakes.”

Jared Lintner
“I really can’t believe some of the places I saw fish here. They were in places I never could’ve imagined. I caught them from 6 inches out to 58 feet. It puzzles me. It’s like, ‘Why would you be there?’ There’s nothing there except ice, so I really don’t know what to expect.”

Greg Hackney
“I basically spent Wednesday looking for a way to fish when it’s 8 degrees. That’s how I spent my day. I scrapped everything I had been doing because I know how hard it’s going to be to fish when it gets that cold so I spent my time looking for a technique that I could be efficient with during those conditions and hopefully will catch fish.”

Jacob Wheeler
“I can catch ‘em, but I just don’t know what I’m going to catch. I think it’s going to come down to who can get lucky and get a 5- or 6-pounder to eat. It has that feel. I think 45 to 48 pounds will get you near the top this week, but you’re going to need a big 6-pounder somehow, somewhere. I haven’t seen any like that. I think I’ve had a couple on, but I haven’t really leaned on anything. They might’ve been stripers.

“I had a couple decent days, nothing crazy good. I wouldn’t call my practice unbelievable, but being from Indiana and fishing hot-water discharge lakes is no big deal. The only difference will be instead of the water being 70 degrees, it’s going to be 45 degrees.

“I didn’t notice a big difference temperature-wise (Wednesday). I think it’ll be a lot more significant when we get into the single digits. That’s for sure.”

Bill Lowen
“They’re still there, I hope, on Friday. It’s a weird deal. It isn’t a secret that I’m fishing shallow. The fish are there to win, but it’s all going to be about what’s going to happen (Thursday) night. I was still seeing 50-degree water temperatures (Wednesday).

“How much it’ll drop when we get into the teens, I have no idea.”

Troy Diede
“I tried to build on a couple of areas that I had found back in December. I tried to stay out of the wind, too. A lot of what I’m finding is deeper stuff, though, in that 14- to 16-foot range with jigs, a lot of jigs fished very slow. That’s mainly what I’m finding. This place is much deeper than my home lakes.”

Dean Rojas
“Practice was hit or miss the last couple of days. I came out (Wednesday) just trying to find some more stuff. In three days, it’s going to change and I just wanted to find more stuff. What we’re going to face Friday is nothing we haven’t seen before, I don’t feel. It is what it is.

“I think the weather is moving the fish a little bit and it’s just a matter of relocating them each time.”

Ott DeFoe
“Of all four days, I had one decent day, one not-terrible day and two bad ones. That’s fairly similar to past Classic practices for me. The one decent day I had, I went and checked some of that out again Wednesday, but only caught one on that pattern. The runoff we’ve had has cooled the water off a couple of degrees. I don’t know if that’s what did it or if it was the overall different conditions we had Wednesday from the one decent day I had.

“I don’t know if it’s a conditions things or if the cooler water has changed things. I’m going to be throwing about four or five different bait types and of those I’ll only have one that I’ll use multiples of.”

Paul Mueller
“I had one decent day of practice out of the three-day period, but it’s been tough. (Wednesday) was tough. I tried to figure something else out and concentrated on the deeper portions of the lake. I found a couple areas and I honestly don’t feel comfortable with it, but I feel like I have to start this tournament trying to fish for spotted bass and then go for largemouth. I don’t know if that’s the right game plan or not, but I’m still going to keep an open mind.”

Launch/Weigh-In Info

> Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. EST all 3 days of competition from Green Pond Landing (470 Green Pond Road, Anderson, SC). Weigh-ins will be at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena (650 N. Academy Street Greenville, SC). Doors open at 3 p.m. EST each day.

> The Classic Outdoor Expo will take place at the TD Convention Center (One Exposition Drive, Greenville, SC). Hours are: Noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Weather Forecast

> Fri., Feb 20 – Sunny, Then Turning Cloudy - 36°/26°
- Wind: From the SE at 5 mph

> Sat., Feb. 21 – Cloudy/Snow/Freezing Rain in Morning, Rain in Afternoon - 45°/37°
- Wind: From the E at 3 to 6 mph

> Sun., Feb. 22 – Strong Chance of Rain - 51°/39°
- Wind: From the WSW at 7 mph

Boat Order
Below is the day-1 boat order. Positions reverse for day 2. Day-3 boat order (top 25) is determined by tournament position.
Flight 1
1. Greg Hackney
2. Randy Howell
3. Mike McClelland
4. Jared Lintner
5. Gerald Swindle
6. Cliff Prince
7. Chad Morgenthaler
8. Clifford Pirch
9. Keith Combs
10. Skeet Reese
11. Casey Ashley
12. Andy Montgomery
13. Dean Rojas
14. Cliff Crochet
15. Brian Snowden
16. Brandon Gray
17. Jacob Wheeler
18. Brandon Lester
19. Chris Lane
20. David Walker
21. James Niggemeyer
22. Paul Mueller
23. Randall Tharp
24. Jason Christie
25. Mark Davis
26. Takahiro Omori
27. Bobby Lane
28. Shin Fukae

Flight 2
29. Michael Iaconelli
30. Kevin Short
31. Teb Jones
32. John Crews
33. Brett Hite
34. Scott Rook
35. Chad Pipkens
36. Van Soles
37. Matt Herren
38. Justin Lucas
39. Todd Faircloth
40. Ott DeFoe
41. David Kilgore
42. Paul Elias
43. Troy Diede
44. Brandon Palaniuk
45. Brett Preuett
46. Morizo Shimizu
47. Steve Lund
48. Cliff Pace
49. Coby Carden
50. Jacob Powroznik
51. Aaron Martens
52. Jeff Lugar
53. Stephen Browning
54. Edwin Evers
55. Andy Young
56. Bill Lowen