Reactions From The Rest Of The Top 25

On the final day of the recent Bassmaster Classic, held at Alabama's Lay Lake, BassFan published reactions from the Top 12 finishers.

What follows are comments from the rest of the Top 25, taken immediately after weigh-in.

13th: Howell Not Happy With it

Randy Howell came out shooting with a 17-15 river sack, but only caught 9 1/2 pounds each of the next 2 days.

About his finish, he said: "I'm not real happy with it, of course, because it's the Classic. But like I said onstage, I was just hard-headed. I knew after catching so many fish on the first day that I was on the right-size fish to win the Classic.

"(Those fish) didn't leave – they've got nowhere to go. I kept trying to figure out how to make them bite. That was my only mistake – trying to make them bite and not being able to. After the second morning, the water started dropping, and the fish don't like it to drop there."

He added that the water dropped because Logan Martin Dam ran one turbine, but the Lay Dam ran three. So the Lay Dam sucked out more water than the Logan Martin dam could dump in.

"I checked that recording every day for months, and they ran it steadily every single morning. But (Alabama Power) never did it like we needed them to do (at the Classic)."

14th: Monroe's 'Unlucky' Number

Like many pro anglers, Ish Monroe picked a number for his jersey. He chose 15. Maybe that was a bad choice, because in the last two Classics he's finished darn near that number.

"I finished 14th this year, and I finished 15th last year," he said. "Maybe I need to get that 15 off my arm."

He added: "I started out last season with a win, and ended with a win, so this is a little frustrating. I came in with a lot more confidence.

"For not knowing this place, I kind of feel okay about the finish. But I still want to win. I fished for largemouths the whole time and wouldn't change anything I did. But from here on out, I'm fishing to win."

15th: No Regrets for Kriet

Jeff Kriet hung right around the 12-pound mark all 3 days.

"I probably fished the best technical tournament I've fished in 3 years," he said. "I caught 60 or 65 keepers in 3 days.

"(On day 3) I caught a limit in 45 minutes, culled a couple, then ran up-lake and punched mats for 2 1/2 or 3 hours. I culled two doing that. It just wasn't meant to be."

His biggest problem was water temperature.

"When the water was colder, I could catch 13- to 16-pound bags pretty easy. When it warmed up, the fish changed. They got real scattered.

"I have no regrets. I feel good about the finish, and I fished great – better than I have in a long time. It's a good way to kick off a new season for me. I'm going into Amistad with a lot of confidence."

16th: Horton A Little Disappointed

Alabama pro Tim Horton started the final day in 5th, and was one of the last "Super Six" to weigh in. But he was forced to abandon his area and a disappointing two-fish, 6-05 sack dropped him all the way to 16th.

"I went looking (on day 3) for a reason," he said. "My main area just dried up on me. Those fish got off those shell-beds, maybe because the water fell a little bit.

"It's a little disappointing," he added. "But at same time, I'm pleased. Maybe a move here or there and a couple of key bites could have made a difference, but you want to be in contention to win going into the last day, which I was."

17th: Niggemeyer Excited

James Niggemeyer becomes an Elite Series rookie in a few weeks when the season kicks off at Lake Amistad. He started strong at the Classic with 13-07, then caught 10-08, and followed it up with 11-14.

"I'm excited," he said. "Obviously, all of us come here with our sights set on winning this thing. After my average day (on day 2), I was just hoping to make the cut. The fact that I did is great.

"(On day 3) I went out and changed my sights from trying to win, to trying to make the Top 10. I thought that was a more reasonable goal.

"I'm happy with the way the tournament went," he added. "It was my first Classic, and I'm happy to make my first cut at my first Classic."

18th: Faircloth Maxed Out

Todd Faircloth's final-day weight was 12-11 – about a pound more than what he'd weighed each of the previous 2 days.

"I had a little better day (on day 3)," he noted. "I caught a couple big ones. I caught about the same amount of fish I'd caught all week – I just happened to catch a few nice ones.

"I tried to scramble around and figure something out, but I didn't have any success. Today, I just made my mind up. I caught a pretty good one early, and just committed to what I'd been doing."

About his finish, he said: "I felt like I got the maximum out of what I was on. That's all you can ask of yourself. I feel like I could have figured out how to catch some bigger largemouths in practice. That was the key to winning this event, and I never figured it out.

"You always want to win – that's what we're here for. It's the Bassmaster Classic. It's a dream of mine to win some day. It just wasn't my turn this year."

19th: Lintner 'Living a Dream'

California's Jared Lintner, winner of the 2006 BassFan.com Rookie of the Year award, caught 11-00 on the final day and loved fishing his first Classic.

"I'm pretty pleased with my finish," he said. "After practice last week, I thought I'd be catching nothing but 3- to 5-pound bites. The water was colder, and I was mainly targeting largemouths.

"Obviously, it warmed up and they kind of scattered on me. I went from five or eight good bites a day, to 15 or 20, most of which were spotted bass.

"I just didn't change," he added. "One thing looking back on, if I had it to do over again, I'd go and try to figure out the grass bite. But everything I do is learning. I'll just put this under my hat and next time I'll know to make a big change and try to experiment with some stuff.

"It was fun. I had a great time. I'm living a dream."

20th: No Regrets for Biffle

After a heavyweight debut on day 1 with 16-11, Tommy Biffle's bite declined rapidly. He caught 11-11 on day 2, then 6-05 on day 3.

"I should have done well – I had the chance and had them on to do well – but I didn't get them in so they don't count," he said, in reference to two lost fish that would have totaled 8 1/2 pounds.

"It's disappointing," he added. "Losing those two wrecked my whole week. But I have no regrets."

Also notable: He and Ish Monroe seem to have a little competition going. "Ish beat me," he said. "Now I'm really mad."

21st: Dennington Happy in Cut

BASS Federation Nation National champion Royce Dennington improved two spots on the final day with a 10-14 limit. Considering that he weighed a miserly 9-15 on day 1, he's more than fine with his climb, and his finish.

"Making the cut was big to me," he said. "After not doing so well the first day, I wanted to make sure I made the cut.

"The conditions (on day 2) were perfect for me to go out and put a decent bag in. (Day 3) was bright and sunny and I knew I'd probably struggle. I just went out to have a good time and catch some."

He said his first Classic experience wasn't intimidating. "The other anglers make you feel at home. I know it sounds weird, but it's like a normal tournament as far as that part of it.

"When you take the media and the stadium out of it, it's just a normal environment. That's what I was impressed with – how relaxed a lot of the other anglers were. It was a good time."

22nd: Jones Happy

Alton Jones was another who never got on a quality bite. He weighed a little over 12 pounds the first 2 days, but finished up with 9-06.

"I'm totally happy with it," he said of his finish. "You always want to win, and you always want to do better, but I vowed to give God my very best in my fishing, in my family, and in everything I do.

"I did that. And I know when I give Him my best, the results are in His hands. As long as I finished where He wants me to, I'm fine with it."

About any possible regrets, he said: "I wish I'd spent more time way up there in the river. It's hindsight, obviously, but the 1 day in practice I went up, they weren't running any current at all. The bite's dead up there when the water's not moving. I never went back. It was a major mistake."

23rd: Iaconelli Says 'Wrong Gameplan'

Mike Iaconelli started with 13-09, but things went downhill after that – 11-06 on day 2, 7-03 on day 3.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "But you know, I did what I thought I was going to do (on day 3). I caught a quick limit, then swung, but it never happened. I needed 25 pounds to win, and I fished to win. So I'm disappointed, but not too upset about it.

"I think I was on the wrong gameplan for the warming conditions," he added. "I think if we'd stepped back to a week ago, I'd have been all right. But I was never able to follow the big, big fish. I still had fish in my area, but not the ones to win the Bassmaster Classic."

He also noted he wants to know how the heck the other guys caught 16 pounds a day.

"I can't wait to see the TV show. It's one of those things when, after it's done, we get to see how these guys were catching them. You sit back and it's like, 'Oh, there it was. That's the little piece I missed.'"

He added that his mental focus wasn't a problem. "I said earlier in the week that I felt better, mentally, going into this then I had in the past, from the standpoint of being relaxed. Maybe that's not a good thing, because the one I won, I was in the worst mental state ever.

"Maybe I need to get in trouble before coming to the Classic."

Additionally, he confirmed that he had boat trouble 2 days in a row. "The first day, I had a trolling-motor malfunction. The second day, I had an outboard malfunction. The bottom line is, not only does it cost you time, but it takes away from your mental game when you have to stop first thing in the morning or halfway through the day and take 35 or 40 minutes out of the day.

"That can't happen at the Bassmaster Classic. I said (onstage) something that we've all been saying behind closed doors for years. Eventually, for this sport to be a true pro sport, we have to fish out of our own rigs every tournament day, including the Bassmaster Classic. It's like asking Tiger Woods to use someone else's clubs, or Jeff Gordon to drive someone else's car. This is a pro sport, and we should use our own equipment."

About the upcoming season, he said that a repeat Angler of the Year win is absolutely a goal. "I want to catch a limit every tournament day, and come in the Top 20 in every tournament. If I do that, I'll have a shot."

24th: Lane Laments Past History

Russ Lane was a heavy pre-tournament favorite – Lay Lake's his home water. He was in contention after his 13-13 on day 1, but them bombed on day 2 with 8-10 and never recovered. He finished with 9-09 on day 3.

His disappointment was obvious – tears welled in his eyes, and he struggled to find words as he addressed the media.

"It's like when you see grown men cry after losing the World Series – it hurts that bad right now," he said.

"I fished well (on day 3), and I did pretty much the same thing the last 2 days – I went out and got a limit as quick as I could, then went looking for big females."

He just never connected with the quality largemouth bite.

"Those big females should have been pulling up. It should have happened by this time of year. I covered the whole lake and couldn't find them."

BassFan asked him is he thinks an angler could ever win the Classic on his home water.

"I don't think it's possible," he said. "We call too much on history to make our decisions on our home waters. Instead, you have to rely on conditions to make your decisions."

On possible regrets, he said: "I wouldn't have fished it any differently. If there's anything that could have made a difference, it was the conditions. This lake, for at least the last 10 years, during this time of year, has been high and muddy.

"If we had those conditions, I think I would have had a little better tournament."

25th: Finish Will Stay with Martens

Aaron Martens finished 2nd to Jay Yelas at the 2002 Lay Lake Classic, but never emerged as a threat this time around. He weighed 13 pounds each of the first 2 days, then struck out the final day with three fish for 3-10.

"I'm disappointed to say the least," he said. "I swung for the fence (on day 3). Basically, I went out with the thought that I might be able to catch an 18- to 20-pound bag. I caught three little babies.

"Where I was fishing was from the launch to mid-river – halfway up to the dam. Where I really wanted to go was where those guys (Skeet Reese, Gerald Swindle, Biffle and Howell) were fishing. That's where I'm used to fishing.

"I practiced up there all 3 days, but after not going there the first day, I didn't want to (go in on them). Maybe some guys would have, but not me."

He added that he's already second-guessing himself, and likely will be for a long time.

"It's going to bug me for a while, but that's part of fishing – lessons learned. I just hope this teaches me something."

Notable

> To read BassFan's initial coverage from the final day, click here.

> To read about Boyd Duckett's winning pattern, click here. For pattern information from the rest of the Top 5, click here.