What will the weather do? That's the hottest topic at this year's Bassmaster Classic. The Lake Toho, Fla. venue is changing by the hour, and so is the weather report. Wind forecasts have been downgraded to 15 mph for today, with some stronger gusts. That's a lot better than the 20 to 30 mph winds predicted earlier this week.
And a front is moving through, though the temperature drop won't be as severe as originally expected. That makes this Classic a particularly tough one to call.
On the one hand are the sight-fishermen who could easily dominate if the weather holds. On the other are all the anglers throwing moving baits. And the fingers in-between represent the rest in the field who might do a little bit of both.
Versatility Matters
No matter what the weather does, it's almost certain that an angler will have to change. Could be baits, could be areas, could be retrieve speeds, could be techniques. That's because this is Florida, and it's Florida during its most volatile time.
Three days is a long time to fish a single pattern, so included on the watch list are those anglers who are known for versatility, or who've established multiple patterns during practice.
The biggest factor in versatility right now is the post-spawn bite. For the most part, the big females have already spawned. Nobody's quite sure when, which means nobody's quite sure when they'll go back on the feed. There are some sporadic reports of wolf packs forming, which means an all-out post-spawn bite might arrive today.
That's when topwaters – either frogs, buzzbaits or propbaits – might turn on. If so, look out because that could push Top 10 weights well into the 20s each day. It would also eliminate the sight-fisherman.
With all that in mind and more, here's BassFan's recommendation on the Top 10 to watch in the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.
Top 10 To Watch
In no particular order they are:
Kevin VanDam's ready, focused and No. 1 in the world.
1) Kevin VanDam – He's the reigning champ, he's won three BASS events in a row, and he's the No. 1 angler in the world. All that aside, he had a good practice and anticipated a lot of what's happening on the lake. He seems well set for wind or no wind, and intensely focused. A heavy favorite.
2) Larry Nixon – It could be his last Classic ever, and it was easy to see how badly he wants it. He's worked harder for this Classic than perhaps any other – he said so himself – so there's pride he's working for, alongside the prize. Won't sight-fish, but he's a plastics master, which might be what it takes here.
3) Terry Scroggins – A Florida terror who's always had good Classic (never worse than 16th) and he's No. 11 in the world. He's won here before, and at Okeechobee, so there's no problem with the local jinx. He's got a solid handle on what's happening and if everything falls apart, he can still scramble.
4) Mike Iaconelli – He's smiling, which means he's got something. Confident as usual, but easy to tell there's something there. He's extremely hot right now and his key is versatility. He's geared up for any potential scenario and can capitalize when things change.
5) Greg Hackney – The Hack Attack's never had a good Classic and wants desperately to change that today. The No. 2 ranked angler in the world is doing something different, far away from the crowds. He's totally open-minded and not locked into anything – that's a big plus here. Watch for Hackney to hang on the first 2 days, then come on strong.
6) Aaron Martens – He's arguably the most versatile angler in the field. Great with sight-fish, great with flipping and great with winding. He's finished 2nd in the last three Classics he's fished, and there's no reason to think he'll do any less here. And he's the 2005 BASS Angler of the Year and ranked
7) Preston Clark – The other local in the field, Clark's bite is happening. He's set up well to absorb tough winds and more than able to scramble. He's quiet, reserved and mostly passed over by other media, but he's a huge factor here. Watch him.
8) Zell Rowland – Zell's on the watch list for one reason – the post-spawn topwater bite. If that develops, he's the best there is. He caught a 7-pounder up top in practice and there's more where that came from. Might not have enough areas though.
9) Dean Rojas – Everybody talks about Rojas as a sight-fisherman. He's a good one, no doubt, and he's strong in Florida. But the real story here is the frog bite. There's one starting to happen, so he could bed-fish and throw frogs – a strong combination.
10) Tim Horton – Another strong stick in Florida with the wins and high finishes to prove it. Was pretty quiet during interviews, which is usually a sign that he's got something. This bite sets up well for him.
Zell Rowland's the best with post-spawn topwater, which could become a major factor this weekend.
Others To Watch
> Dave Wolak – He's out deeper on pre-spawn fish. Might be nothing there, then again, could be a gold mine.
> George Cochran – The $500,000 man would like nothing more than to win this event before he leaves BASS. Confident in what he's got.
> Jeff Kriet – He's on quality and thinks he can weigh 25 pounds today. Let's see it.
> Joel St. Germain – He's this year's Federation pick. A great stick who's loose, energetic and willing to adapt.
> Skeet Reese – Thrives under pressure. His Western roots play strong here, especially if the reaction bite's happening.
> Rick Clunn – He bears watching in every Classic, and said he'll sight-fish for only the second time in his life (if he must). Won the Classic here in 1977.
> Tommy Biffle – He's been close so many times he's bound to win one. Flip bite? Think Biffle.
Notable
> Preston Clark signed a new sponsorship deal with Beef O'Brady's restaurant chain. He'll run that wrap in this year's Bassmaster Elite Series.
> Rick Clunn's got new colors – his tournament shirt's blue and gray.
> Dean Rojas on the topwater bite: "I caught three on the frog (Wednesday) and I didn't even throw the propbait because I knew I'd get bit on it."
> If VanDam wins this Classic, he'll join only Rick Clunn in having won back-to-back Classics. He'll also become the only angler to win four consecutive BASS events. He'll also overtake Denny Brauer as the all-time leading BASS money-winner.
> The heaviest bass ever weighed in Classic competition was 8-09 (Ricky Green, Lake Guntersville, Ala., 1976). It's a good bet that record will fall here.
> BassFan News is brought to you by Rapala.
Weather Report
Here's the Weather Channel's forecast for the tournament days. Note the change of wind direction Saturday, then again Sunday, along with a 10-degree temperature drop.
> Fri., Feb. 24 – Mostly Cloudy – 73°/53°
- Wind: From the E/NE at 15 mph
> Sat., Feb. 25 – Mostly Cloudy, Few Showers – 77°/55°
- Wind: From the E/SE at 10 to 20 mph
>Sun., Feb. 26 – Partly Cloudy – 67°/42°
- Wind: From the N at 10 to 15 mph
