Forty-seven anglers face off today at the 2005 Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa. Most are tour pros who are on the water hundreds of days each year, fishing tournaments across the country. But five are comparatively inexperienced – they came up through the grass and qualified via the BASS Federation ranks. Many say that the rigorous Federation qualification process is every bit as tough as the Tour, and if you make it to the Classic, you belong there.
Only one Federation angler has ever won the Classic – Bryan Kerchal, in 1994. He died tragically in a plane crash shortly afterward. One other came within an ounce of winning. Dalton Bobo, who later became a tour pro, would have won on Logan Martin Lake in 1997 (still his only Classic appearance) if he hadn't suffered one dead-fish penalty.
Not all of the Pittsburgh "Fed Five" are Classic rookies. This year's crop of Federation anglers has four prior Classic appearances among them, although three of those belong to one man – Gerry Jooste of Zimbabwe, who qualified as the Central Division representative. He fished the Classic in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
The other prior appearance belongs to Pennsylvania native and Eastern Division representative Ed Cowan, winner of this year's Federation Championship, who fished his first Classic in 1991. The other three – Jeff Hagar (Southern champion), Dave Palmer (Western) and Jami Fralick (Northern) – are making their first appearance at the Big Show.
The Dazzle Factor
Classic first-timers, whether tour pros, Federation or Bassmaster Open anglers, all face the challenge of trying to keep their wits about them amid the hoopla, glamour and glitz that is the Bassmaster Classic. While Jooste and Cowan have their prior experience to aid them, the others are at least testing the waters little by little as the week warms up to Friday's blast-off.
The Classic pros helped with the Junior Bassmaster World Championship on Sunday (practice day) and Monday, which was held on pools 6 and 7 of the Allegheny River. Those pools, of course, are off-limits during the Classic.
"It was pretty cool to be around Yelas, Cochran, Nixon and those guys during the youth tournament," Hager said, who's from North Carolina. "Another thing that helps me is that last year at the Classic in Charlotte, I drove a camera boat. So I got to see how it all worked and I kind of know what to expect. The hard part will be staying focused on fishing. It's bound to be distracting, but as a Federation guy I'm not in the limelight as much."
Palmer, from Oregon, didn't think jitters would be any problem. "I'm having fun with it," he said. "I'm not nervous. I'm not feeling any pressure. I'll just give it my best shot and whatever happens, happens."
Cowan's from Pennsylvania, but had never been on the Three Rivers near Pittsburgh before. "I hear I'm a favorite," he said. "That's what they're saying, but I had never fished those pools until (practice). Federation guys are always favorites because we have a bunch of fans – more so than the rookies, anyway."
He doesn't feel any pressure as a home-state favorite, though, despite a previous Classic appearance under his belt. "What pressure? I'm a Federation guy. They all say we can't win, and if we do, they'll just say it's a miracle anyway. So there's no pressure.
Three Rivers, Level Field
While none of the Federation anglers BassFan interviewed thought they had any particular advantage over their pro competition, and indeed might be at a disadvantage based on an experience deficit, they also thought that the tournament waters at Pittsburgh will generally make things more even.
"Anybody could win," Palmer said. "The guy who finds something different may be the one who wins it. I doubt anybody has an advantage, especially here. I don't think anyone has spent much time on this water before the official practice. The guy who adapts each day will have better success, and that could be any one of us."
Hager agreed: "The fact that it's here in Pittsburgh kind of opens it up. It's sort of similar to Paducah (Ky.) where I qualified (for the Federation Championship). To a certain extent, a river is a river, and I caught them here (in practice) in the same kinds of places where I catch them on rivers at home. My practice was fair, but I caught keepers every day. It's going to be a tough bite, but if (what I found in practice) holds, I think I can bring some fish in and do okay."
Palmer also mentioned river-fishing experience. His was on the Columbia River. "I liken it to the lower Columbia River, as far as being industrial with some bridges," he noted. "The Columbia is a better fishery, but the look and feel is sort of the same. Any river fishing (experience) will help, like being able to read little subtleties in the current, seeing where shoals are by looking at the water, knowing how channels work and things like that.
"For example, it was obvious in the kids' tournament that some of them had never fished a river system before. It's different from lake fishing.
"I think a Federation guy could win any of these (Tour-level) tournaments," he added. "We're all pretty seasoned guys. The main thing the pros have (to their advantage) is that many Classics are on waters they've fished before. The main equalizer here is that it's new water for all of us. It's a little more level of a playing field."
Fishing Expectations
Nobody expects this to be a big-weight Classic – in fact, just the opposite. "I'll be honest," Palmer said. "I'm not sure the guy who wins will have a limit every day. There are some good 4-pound bites out there, and those are gold. But I think maybe 15 pounds will win – although that's based on month-old data. Somebody with 10 to 11 pounds one day probably won't be able to (repeat that weight the next day)."
Dave Palmer doesn't feel any jitters – he's just having fun.
Hager seems to think he's on at least some "fair" fish, and Cowan also likes his chances. "I fished the Ohio River before (but not the Classic pools), so I had a pretty good idea of what it was about," he said. "I pretty much found what I was looking for. I feel like I can catch into the teens, and if (the winning weight) is in the teens, I think I have a pretty good shot at winning. I can catch 3 to 6 pounds a day."
As far as where to start on day 1, Palmer hasn't made up his mind. "I'm trying not to know yet or decide too early," he said. "I want to have an open mind. I do have one area in the back of my mind, but it's a feast-or-famine place. I may not want to go there right away.
"That first day will be critical. You can't win the Classic on the first day, but you can sure lose it."
Notable
> Palmer hopes the fish will start to school during the Classic. "I think schooling fish may be a key. I saw a little more activity (than in pre-practice) during the kids' tournament, but it could be just that it was a different part of the river."
> Cowan and Kerchal were good friends, and Cowan dedicated his National Championship win to him.
> Cowan finished 13th at the 1991 Classic. Jooste's finishes are as follows: 39th in 1994, 24th in 1995 and 15th in 1997.
