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Classic: Big bass of Lake Hartwell
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Big bass on Lake Hartwell played various roles in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Despite not having a true giant, Jason Christie exacted some vengeance on Lake Hartwell in finishing some business. Christie has twice led going into the final day of a Classic, including 2018 on Hartwell, but never held on. Let’s look at the big bass and big bags that had an impact on the three-day event.1/24
Fan favorite Gerald Swindle had a Bassmaster LIVE camera on Day 1 and performed well. In his 19th Classic, Swindle had a dramatic catch of a 6-pounder, complete with commentary. He weighed 17-6 to stand seventh, but fell out of the hunt the next two days and tumbled down the standings to finish 24th.2/24
Greg Hackney added to the marquee names atop the leaderboard with 18-9 to stand tied for third. But like Swindle, Hackney’s fortunes turned and he ended 25th.3/24
Patrick Walters, one of the home-state favorites, started off well, catching consistently good bass in a limit of 18-2 that put him sixth. He couldn’t top 14 pounds again and finished 12th.4/24
Second-year Elite Justin Hamner brought in this 5-1 in his bag of 16-8 that put him 16th. Without it, Hamner might have been in the bottom 16. In his first Classic, the Northport, Ala., pro said the excitement of the event had him fishing too fast. He sat down at 8:30, had a bite to eat, then got his big bite once he slowed down.5/24
Steve Kennedy, known for targeting and catching big fish in the Classic, got into the hunt with this 6-7, the big bass of the day. His 18-9 limit put him tied for third. The big bass didn’t come the next two days, and he fell to 15th.6/24
On Day 1, 52 of the 55 anglers caught limits, totaling 269 bass that averaged 2.88 pounds. Kyle Welcher caught way above the average with his second-place bag of 18-13. 7/24
Bryan New of Saluda, S.C., listed a 4-15 as his largest on BassTrakk in his Day 1 leading limit of 20-0. He also had a 4-5 and 4-1, but he couldn’t find that quality in two 13-pound bags that had him finish ninth. He did win the BassTrakk Contingency award of $1,000 for most accurately entering his weights.8/24
No one topped 20 pounds on Day 2, when 54 anglers caught limits with an average fish weight down to 2.81. Tyler Rivet was one of several to weigh 19-pound bags. He started 50th and his 19-2 pushed him less than a pound out of the Top 25 cut.9/24
Matt Herren finished one spot ahead of Rivet in 32nd after bagging 19-11, the biggest of Day 2. The Ashville, Ala., angler talked how he was really upset. He went into the Classic thinking he had one of his best chances to win the championship but started with four fish for 9-0.10/24
One of the tournament favorites was Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., who fished for years on Hartwell and won the 2019 Bassmaster Elite there. After a disappointing 48th on Day 1, Cobb landed a Hartwell giant. His 6-12 took the Berkley Big Bass award of $2,500, but his 17-6 bag was 1-4 short of fishing Sunday.11/24
Two-time defending champion Hank Cherry was in similar situation. He had 12-0 on Day 1 but climbed 30 spots with 19-9 to keep his dream alive. A rally from 5 pounds back wasn’t to be on Championship Sunday as he finished 17th.12/24
Taku Ito was another expected to fare well at Hartwell, and he climbed from 36th to ninth with 18-7 on Day 2, which included a 5-8. The Japanese angler finished seventh after 16-1 on Day 3 gave him a 47-14 total. 13/24
Opens qualifier Nick LeBrun was ounces ahead of Ito on Day 1, but this 6-pounder made up more than one-third of his 15-11 day. It gave the Bossier City, La., pro a two-day total of 29-7, edging out two anglers by an ounce for the 25th and final spot to Championship Sunday. LeBrun finished 18th.14/24
Jason Christie moved from ninth into a tie for first with his Day 2 bag of 19-6. He and Welcher each had 36-7, both 3 pounds ahead of the third-place Bryan New. While Christie said he didn’t want to go into the final day with another lead, a tie was OK. He would need every ounce.15/24
B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier Taylor Smith, who had a 2,500-mile drive from Valleyford, Wash., for his second Classic, got better each day on Hartwell. He had 13-13 then 16-9 before bringing in 17-7, which included a 6-11, the biggest of the day. Smith finished eighth with a payout of $21,000.16/24
Luke Palmer of Coalgate, Okla., took the consistent route to sixth and its $22,000 payday. Palmer had 15-0, 17-6 and 15-12 for 48-2 in posting his best Classic finish in three entries.17/24
Canadian Chris Johnston stair-stepped up the leaderboard after a middling start. Bags of 17-8 and 18-5, which included a 5-8, pushed him to fifth and its $25,000 check.18/24
Justin Hamner, aka Mr. Consistency, was at it again on Sunday, catching one well above the day’s average of 2.73. His bag of 16-5, coming after 16-8 and 16-10, gave him 39-7 and the fourth-place check of $30,000.19/24
Stetson Blaylock started 3-11 off the pace on Sunday, but he took the lead on BassTrakk around 8 a.m. after landing the first of two 5-pound-plus bass. Bryan New regained the lead about an hour afterward, but Blaylock topped him moments later when he went over 46 pounds. And he kept culling.20/24
When Blaylock checked in, the Benton, Ark., pro held the lead on BassTrakk, but it’s said they are unofficial for a reason. Blaylock’s estimate of 19-2 wasn’t far off his actual weight of 20-9, which ended as the Rapala Monster Bag of the event and added $7,000 to Blaylock’s $40,000 for third place. But others were much lower.21/24
Kyle Welcher was again a couple pounds low on his BassTrakk, bringing in 17-4 that included two close to 4 pounds. It gave the Opelika, Ala., pro a total of 53-11 and a 6-ounce lead on Blaylock with only Christie left to weigh. Christie was off on his estimated weight even more, leaving Welcher second but with a healthy $50,000 payday.22/24
Starting the day tied with Welcher, Christie only needed 17-5 to win. On BassTrakk, the pro from Park Hill, Okla., only had 13-12. On the scales, Christie’s fish weighed 17-9 and elicited a huge celebration of screams and fist pumps from the now seven-time Bassmaster winner.23/24
Behind solid bass but no true monsters, Christie totaled 54 pounds even, the highest winning weight in four Classics on the South Carolina fishery. For Christie, it meant a $300,000 check and finishing some business.24/24