A slow grind

The weather is beautiful here on Day 1 of the Bassmaster Classic, not the typical brutal and frigid conditions we see most years for the Super Bowl of bass fishing. It’s always fun to watch guys compete on the biggest stage in brutal scenarios. Though the weather is better than normal, the fishing is still tough on Fort Loudon and Tellico for the most part today. 

With the exception of Jeff Gustafson’s 30-minute flurry to catch 17- pounds mid-morning, and the quick pair of big bites Matt Roberston put into the boat early, it has been an all-out grind to start the 53rd Classic. The 55-angler field has struggled to get bit, 2- pounders have been prized possessions and any angler fortunate enough to tie into one over 3- pounds has experienced a borderline panic attack trying to boat the bass. 

The fishing will likely get better throughout the week. And, more than likely, we’ll see a few good fish caught late today. While we all like a whackfest, it’s fun to watch the wheels go spinning for some of the best anglers in the world too. And spinning they are right now.