Chickamauga Lake was angry today, my friends, and it turned some of yesterday’s heroes into today’s disbelievers. Nevertheless, someone – or a group of someones – always manages to figure things out, and while the weather hasn’t made it easy, it still took over a 16 pound daily average to qualify for Day 4.
We have an Australian, a Japanese angler, a Paperboy and an Arizonan continuing on to tomorrow’s final day of competition, but apparently the only people who didn’t want to fish in the Tennessee cold were the Canadians and Minnesotans, all of whom will sit this one out.
If, like me, you were unable to free yourself from the grasp of the television and LIVE Mix coverage of today’s happenings, some of this might be old news, but here’s what I saw from the comfort of my office, no long johns necessary:
Rollin’ on Twenties – There were seven 20-pound bags on Day 1, and six more yesterday, with no angler catching that amount twice during that time period. Today the remaining anglers added four more 20-pound-plus sacks, topped by the 23-8 Jacob Foutz toted to the scales. Jason Christie is the only angler in the field who has topped 20 pounds twice so far. The reigning Classic champ is 6 ounces out of the lead.
Is anyone out of it? – While the number of 20 pound limits has decreased each day, there are plenty more of them left in the lake, and the possibility of a 30-pound or larger bag is certainly not out of the question. The difference between first and tenth place is less than 10 pounds, which means that any angler still competing tomorrow has a legitimate shot at the victory. The gap between first and third place is 6 ounces, less than the weight on a Tennessee River gizzard shad.
Four out of five doctors – After a banner first day, Carl Jocumsen stumbled on Day 2, falling one fish short of a limit and weighing in only 8 pounds to fall from 1st to 16th. He was the only angler who made the Top 10 without catching a limit all three days. That missed fish alone may not be the difference between winning and being an also-ran, although he did lose an estimated 7-pounder yesterday that would’ve made up the gap, but it could cost in in terms of dollars and Angler of the Year points. He’s currently in 8th place. The failure to catch five yesterday cost Matty Wong dearly. He finished 14th, just 8 ounces out of the cut. Caleb Kuphall, who may have missed winning at Santee Cooper precisely because he failed to catch 20 bass over four days, seems to have rebounded nicely. He’s currently in 6th place, 3-14 out of the lead, and has caught a limit every day so far.
Cox misses Top 10 – For the first time in the 2022 Elite Series season, John Cox will not be competing on the fourth day of competition. Then again, if this week’s 33rd is his worst finish this year it seems pretty likely he’ll be the Angler of the Year. The bigger question is whether he’ll be able to fulfill his ironman destiny and find another tournament to fish tomorrow.
You are what your record says you are – I had doubts about Matty Wong, not through any personal interactions with him, but rather because of my enduring belief that it was impossible to go from untraveled club angler to Elite Series pro in four years. Even after he made the Classic, and even after a fantastic start at the St. Johns, I was dubious. I mentioned it to former Elite pro Kevin Short, who it turned out had been paired with Wong at a US Open on Lake Mead. Short, who does not freely give undeserved praise, assured me that Wong is “the real deal.” After watching Wong this week I’m increasingly agreeing with KPink – and reexamining my belief system. Today’s final keeper, caught as he was talking about the need to head back to weigh-in, was a thing of beauty.
Lighten Up, Francis – Today the LIVE crew had a good time watching Daisuke Aoki and talking about his 4-pound line, while doubting Davy Hite’s claims to have occasionally used 6-pound line in the past. It reminded me of a 1998 BASS event on the Potomac River won by Denny Brauer flipping a jig and the then-new flipping tube – both on 20- and 25-pound test line. The second-place finisher that week was Indiana’s Ken McIntosh, who caught his bass in the gin clear water of a sewage outflow in Washington, DC, not far from where Justin Lucas won in 2017. McIntosh amassed his weight by throwing soft plastic “French fries” on 8-pound line. Asked if he’d used anything that light, Brauer was blunt: “I don’t even own any 8-pound line,” he replied.
Ageism at its best – “There’s fish in this pond older than you.” Steve Bowman, talking to Wes Logan on LIVE. Logan was not yet born when Rick Clunn won his fourth Bassmaster Classic title. For the record, 15 of this year’s Elite Series anglers were born after Clunn won that Classic. Seven of them were born after Logan. Alex Redwine, born August 27, 1999, is the youngest angler in the field.
Big Bass, Big Dreams, Big Stage, Big Checks – “I kind of like these big Happy Gilmore checks so I’m going to keep stacking them up.” Pat Schlapper, who caught the big fish at Santee Cooper and is in line to achieve the same feat this week. He finished 18th this week after finishing 10th at Santee, the two best finishes of his Elite Series career.
