I know I’ve been doing this (traveling around and covering Bassmaster events) for a long time. I know this is my 38th Bassmaster Classic. I know that makes me old in some circles. I know it’s weird being the same age as old people.
I know behind every 62-year-old there is a 22-year-old wondering what in the heck happened.
I know on the Elite trail, many of these events seem to run together. But every Classic is memory all to itself, each with its own personality. I know this Classic seems to have a mean personality. I know that personality has everything to do with the wind. I know that makes it a really exciting Classic, or at least one potentially filled with drama, with every gust.
I know I’ve been to stingy Classics and some not so stingy. I’ve been to windy Classics, including in the Windy City of Chicago. I know I’ve never seen winds like we saw on practice day and are expected to see during competition. At least winds in the form that we absolutely want our competitors to have to go and compete in.
I know there were high expectations for this Classic, record-breaking expectations. I know many of those expectations are now swirling in the wind, with the wind, against the wind and in general all over the place. I know this event may set the record for breaking equipment.
I know during registration we polled 45 of the 56 anglers on their expectations for the winning weight. I know those predictions are a good example of “all over the place.” They included Jeff Gustafson’s “no idea” prediction, Will Davis’ high of 101 pounds, 3 ounces and Cody Huff’s low of 45 pounds.
I know the average of all of those was 67 pounds, 3 ounces, which would put this Classic in third place in the heaviest-winning catch at a Classic, snuggled in between two Guntersville’s Classics in 2014 and 2020.
I know that 24 of those polled had weights higher than 70 pounds, which would put Ray Roberts at the top of the list, unseating the Louisiana Delta in 2011. I know if you try and hang your hat on any of those predictions you will likely lose your hat, just like there will be many hats lost on the water due to the wind.
I know it will still be an exciting Classic. I know big bass will be a big part of this event. I know Lee Livesay caught a 12 pound, 8 ounce lunker during practice. I know that fish would be the heaviest ever caught in Classic competition if it shows up at the right time. I know in practice Tyler Williams caught an 11 pounder that would be at the top of the heaviest bass ever caught as well.
I know the wind blew on those days as well. I know this isn’t the first time the wind has ever blown in Texas. And it’s certainly not the first time big bass were a product of that.
I want to know, but can only guess that more than one really big bass will be caught during this Classic. I almost expect it.
I base that expectation on timing and simply great fishery management. I know Ray Roberts has six bass in the Legacy Class of Texas Parks and Wildlife ShareLunker Program, ranging from 13.06 pounds to 15.18 pounds. Ironically, they were the first six ShareLunker bass caught on Ray Roberts from 1999 to 2015.
I know it’s been a while since a Legacy Bass has been caught from the lake. The last and largest in 2015. But knowing age and growth of truly big bass, it takes 10 years to grow a fish of gargantuan size. I know those previous Legacy Bass were spawned with other big bass and their spawn returned to the lake, meaning those offspring are at the 10-year mark or older.
I know the meticulous records of ShareLunker shows that one of those caught by Stan Lawing in 2012 spawned, resulting in 15,285 fingerling ShareLunker offspring stocked back in Ray Roberts. I know some of those genetically-improved bass could have survived and will be of age to be Legacy-class age.
I know thirty seven percent of all ShareLunker bass from Ray Roberts were caught in March, while 80 percent or all but one of the Legacy Bass was caught in March.
I know all of the Classic competitors are aware of what is out there and what is at stake. I know most of them are living with this credo, despite the wind: I know you have three choices in life; give up, give in or give it all you got.
I know we can fix the broken things after the final day.
