By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor
Grand Lake and nearby Tulsa, Okla. acquitted themselves quite well in the eyes of most Elite Series anglers when they hosted their first Bassmaster Classic in 2013. B.A.S.S.' announcement this week that the event will return to the Sooner State next year didn't elicit many grumbles from competitors on the organization's top circuit.
Moving the Classic a few weeks deeper on the calendar – from the third weekend in February to the first weekend in March – was also received favorably.
"I think it's a fantastic thing for both B.A.S.S. and for Tulsa," said 2012 Classic champion Chris Lane. "One thing I can say is that Tulsa's a great venue and Grand Lake is a great fishery, and maybe pushing it that far forward will take away some of the risks of blizzards and stuff like that. They could certainly still happen, but maybe the chance is a little bit less."
The crowds in Tulsa 2 years ago were big and enthusiastic, but it's primarily the lake's diversity that makes it a hit with competitors. And if the weather's a little chilly or otherwise inclement, well, that's just part of the deal.
"I don't particularly enjoy fishing in 10 degrees, but that being said, it should be tougher on us," said veteran David Walker. "Anybody can fish when it's partly sunny and 74, but we're supposed to be the guys who do it better.
"I like the lake a lot. I hadn't fished there before (he finished 38th in the '13 Classic) and we definitely had some tough conditions, but I knew it had the fish and that's always the big thing to me – that they live there."
Away from Daytona
The last 10 Classics – beginning with the '06 event at Florida's Lake Toho that was won by Luke Clausen – have been staged in February. For most of that period, fishing's premier competitive showcase followed NASCAR's Daytona 500 by a week.
However, the race was moved back a week this year, and Joey Logano took the checkered flag on the same day that Casey Ashley hoisted the Classic trophy after his clutch performance on his home waters of Lake Hartwell. Fans of both sports won't be forced to divide their attention next year.
"I think it's a good move because I've been around NASCAR quite a bit and I know there's a lot of crossover," said four-time Classic winner Kevin VanDam, who also has an Elite Series triumph at Grand on his ledger. "From a sporting standpoint, early in March is the perfect time – the Super Bowl's over, the NCAA (men's basketball) tournament hasn't revved up yet, baseball hasn't started and the NBA's still playing regular-season games. I think it's smart to do it like that."
Mike McClelland has both an Elite Series win and a Top-5 Classic finish at Grand.
As to whether the later date results in more spring-like conditions, that, of course, remains to be seen.
"It's still going to be a gamble," said Ardmore, Okla. resident Jeff Kriet. "We had snow at my house during that week this year, and I'm south of there. But this year, in the same week it was held last time, we had really nice weather."
Second Chance Welcomed
The 2013 derby at Grand, won by Cliff Pace, was the first of three straight Classics that Kriet has missed out on qualifying for. With it coming back, he'll have additional incentive to perform well during the upcoming regular season.
"It made me sick that I missed it last time and I dang sure don't want to miss it twice," he said. "I'm really glad it's coming back because I really like Grand Lake and I like to fish those kinds of lakes at that time of year – they suit my style.
"The deal is in March, the fishing could be really good or really bad. I used to fish some (Red Man tournaments) there in March and when it was right, there were some really good sacks caught. But last week part of it was iced over and the water was 38 degrees. (Former Elite pro) Jeff Reynolds went up there and got one bite in 5 days and then zeroed in the tournament."
Mike McClelland, who resides about an hour from Grand in Bella Vista, Ark., credits the lake for helping him develop the versatility he needed to become a pro. In 2006, it became the site of the first of his four Elite Series victories.
He was in contention throughout the '13 Classic before settling for a 5th-place finish.
"I'm pretty tickled about it (coming back) is all I can say," he said. "I'm not upset about it all. Hopefully we'll have one of those milder-than-normal winters and a lot of things will be in play.
"I'm going to fish as hard as I possibly can this year to make it, just like I do every year. But with the Classic being at Grand, that gives me that little bit of extra motivation to make sure I get there."
