All captions: Bryan Brasher
Knoxville, Tenn.
This pick almost seems too good to be true â and if there was real money changing hands, past experiences might tell me to go a different direction. But since weâre just playing for fun, I put Ott DeFoe at the top of the list for three obvious reasons: 1. He lives in Knoxville. 2. Heâs dominated tournaments in his home state in recent years with a pair of Bassmaster Opens victories on Douglas Lake (2017 and 2018) and a 13th-place Elite Series showing on Kentucky Lake (2018). 3. He excels in the very type of river setting that Fort Loudon will provide.
New Market, Minn.
Thereâs talk that two very distinct patterns could emerge in this Classic, with some anglers finding shallow-water success in the dingy waters of Fort Loudon and others targeting smallmouth in the deep, clear waters of Tellico. If the latter pattern proves viable for all three days, itâs easy to imagine a Minnesota resident and deepwater specialist like Seth Feider making some noise. I donât know what Feiderâs victory celebration would involve, but Iâm guessing it would be perfectly suited for a town with some of the most raucous and passionate sports fans in the world.
Fayetteville, Tenn.
Before you start labeling Lester a âhometownâ favorite in this Classic, hereâs a quick, simple geography lesson on his home state of Tennessee: Itâs a really lonnnng state. It takes six hours to drive from Memphis on the western edge to Knoxville over on the eastern side, and Lesterâs home in Fayetteville, Tenn., is somewhere in the middle. He lives about 3 1/2 hours from Knoxville â four hours if youâre pulling a boat â and itâs not a convenient drive. Still, heâs a Tennessee guy and one of the hottest anglers in the world, having finished fourth, third, third, second, fifth, 12th and 44th in his last seven tournaments. One of those third-place finishes was at Douglas Lake â in Tennessee.
Spring City, Tenn.
In my mind, Wesley Strader is the very type of angler that other, more over-the-top tournament competitors should fear in a major event like this. Heâs not a loud, boisterous guy. Heâs never flashy on the weigh-in stage. But he always seems to be in the thick of the action. Anglers who like to lurk just outside the spotlight have excelled in this tournament. Plus, Straderâs a Tennessee guy with two high-level B.A.S.S. victories during the past year, including one at Kentucky Lake on the same Tennessee River chain where the Classic will take place.
Grant, Ala.
Last year, in the Classic Odds gallery we produced before the 2018 event on Lake Hartwell, I wrote that history was working against Jordan Lee because only two anglers had scored back-to-back victories in the 48-year history of the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing. Then Lee told history to go hop a freight train by becoming the third angler to do it two years in a row. Now history is really working against him â as much as it ever has anyone â and it seems unlikely that heâd be the first to ever bring home a third-straight trophy. But go aheadâ¦tell this guy he canât do something. I dare ya.
Harrison, Tenn.
Jacob Wheeler claimed his first Bassmaster Elite Series victory in 2014 at Chickamauga Lake. In Tennessee. Then he earned his second Elite Series victory in 2017 at Cherokee Lake. In Tennessee. Then he decided to relocate from his home in Indiana and built a new houseâ¦in Tennessee. If a pattern doesnât emerge in all of that to explain his position in this odds gallery, you should never even think about going to Vegas.
Guntersville, Ala.
Iâve had numerous conversations with Justin Lucas when he basically labeled himself a shallow-water specialist. I donât know if he was being modest or flat out fibbing, but that just wasnât true. You donât win Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year â as Lucas did in 2018 â by doing just one thing well. Heâs a versatile, well-rounded angler whoâs had success in waters that resemble both fisheries accessible to competitors in this Classic. Plus, he proved at last yearâs AOY Championship on Lake Chatuge that he can handle big-stage pressure as well as anyone.
Kalamazoo, Mich.
One of the sportâs all-time greats is now a couple of years past his 50th birthday and somehow still looks like the same cocky kid who swept in on professional bass fishing from the North during the late 1980s with no apologies â and very little mercy. Heâs coming off a 2018 season on the Bassmaster Elite Series that saw him earn checks at seven of the 10 events he fished, including a $100,000 victory at Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Like B.A.S.S. legend Rick Clunn, KVD will have a puncherâs chance in any event he fishes until he decides to put his tackle away for good.
Newport Beach, Calif.
When Brent Ehrler left the FLW Tour to join the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2015, it seemed like B.A.S.S. fans said, collectively, âWho is this little guy who enjoys snow skiing and listens to rap music while he fishes?â Heâs since provided a simple answer: âOne of the best bass anglers in the world.â Ehrler has qualified for the Classic in three of his four seasons on the Elite Series with 30 paychecks and nine Top 10 finishes. He has four career second-place finishes with B.A.S.S., including last yearâs Classic at Hartwell.
Payson, Ariz.
Just when you think you have Clifford Pirch pegged as a deepwater specialist who spends every moment using a drop-shot rig, he goes to the Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River in February and blows your mind with a 34-pound bag of largemouth he caught shallow. I donât know what was more impressive â that giant bag of largemouth at St. Johns or the giant bag I watched him catch on light tackle during the Elite Series event on Lake Havasu in 2015. It wouldnât be that hard to imagine Pirch exploiting one â or both â of the patterns that could be available on Fort Loudon and Tellico.
Fort Worth, Texas
Chris Zaldain is a perfect example of Elite Series globetrotting versatility. Heâs a California native, a former Nevada resident, a current Texas resident and a threat to win a bass tournament held anywhere in America. Zaldainâs performance at this yearâs Toyota Bassmaster Elite on Lake Lanier was nothing short of amazing â five-minute casts to giant spotted bass that were suspended 40 feet deep in 60 feet of water. Spots arenât likely to come into play in this Classic, but his deepwater California roots certainly could.
Panama City, Fla.
Drew Benton has been a star since he arrived on the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2016. Heâs had eight Top 10 finishes, including a victory at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on Lake Travis. Plus, he fished Day 2 of Februaryâs Toyota Bassmaster Elite at Lake Lanier with a kidney stone. If youâve endured that particular experience, itâs impossible for you to question his toughness.
Talala, Okla.
Edwin Evers has 11 career B.A.S.S. victories, including the 2016 Classic on Grand Lake Oâ the Cherokees. Heâs fished 231 tournaments, finishing 173 times in the money with 64 Top 10 finishes and more than $3.1 million in career earnings. If all of that doesnât make him one of the greatest anglers of all-time, I donât know what would. Andâ¦think back to his Classic victory on Grand. He only caught four fish on Day 1. He went and did something slightly different on Day 2 and then went and did something radically different on Day 3 to finish with a final-day weight of 29 pounds, 3 ounces. With so many scenarios in play, this yearâs Classic could be the one he was born to fish.
Leeds, Ala.
Iâve always said if fate has a Classic favorite, it has to be Aaron Martens. The California native has certainly put in his time watching other people carry off the trophy, with a record four second-place Classic finishes. Heâs another guy who can catch them shallow or deep, in dirty water or clear. So a good decision on Day 1 could easily put him in the hunt again.
Hayden, Idaho
Brandon Palaniuk reminds me a little bit of former Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux, whoâs now in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Heâs a softspoken, unassuming little guy who quietly wants to beat all of his competitorsâ brains out and make them like it. His last two tournaments resulted in Top 10 finishes â one on the current-oriented waters of New Yorkâs St. Lawrence River and one on the deepwater bass-fishing sanctuary that is Georgiaâs Lake Chatuge.
Newnan, Ga.
Itâs hard to believe Micah Frazier is still only 30 years old. Youâd swear heâs a grizzled veteran, mostly because he started fishing professionally as a teenager. Heâs fishing his third Classic in four years, and heâs turned in back-to-back 14th-place finishes in fishingâs biggest event.
Tulsa, Okla.
James Elam is fishing his fourth-straight Classic, and the last two â on Lake Conroe in Texas and Lake Hartwell in South Carolina â have both resulted in Top 12 finishes. His last event was the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Lake Chatuge, which he won.
Donalds, S.C.
Itâs hard to believe the fresh-faced Casey Ashley just turned 35 years old. But itâs time to face facts: Ashleyâs not a young whipper-snapper anymore. This tournament will be his 143rd event with B.A.S.S. and his 10th Classic appearance. Heâs made the Top 12 at three of his last five Classics, including a win at Hartwell in 2015, and he cashed seven checks on the Elite Series last year. One of those was a second-place payout of $25,000 on South Dakotaâs Lake Oahe.
Pitts Grove, N.J.
Ike is one of my Top 5 all-time favorite guys to interview. When other anglers are tightlipped about how theyâre catching their fish early in a tournament, heâs likely to do a mini-seminar, listing which baits heâs using, which colors are best and how heâs working them. Itâs like he says, âI donât believe anyone else can catch them as well as I can. Hereâs how Iâm doing it. I dare you to give it a try.â Thatâs a special kind of confidence â and itâll always give him a chance in the Classic.
Temple, Texas
Frank âThe Tankâ Talley is a big, hulking, exceedingly likeable guy who made it here by finishing inside the Top 12 at three of the five Bassmaster Opens he fished in 2018. His best finish was a fourth-place showing in the Central Open on Alabamaâs Logan Martin Lake.
Park Hill, Okla.
Another angler who knows how to exploit both shallow and deep patterns, Christie has five B.A.S.S. victories. His most recent winning catch, in 2017, came from the deep waters of Lake St. Clair. But then, everyone knows his prowess with a spinnerbait. So again, good decisions will be key.
Lakeland, Fla.
Bobby Lane is making his 12th career Classic appearance â and in his previous 11 tries, heâs managed six Top 12 performances. Four of his last five trips to pro fishingâs biggest event resulted in Top 12 showings, including a second-place finish in 2015.
San Tan Valley, Ariz.
When last we saw Josh Bertrand, he was making the noble decision to leave the AOY Championship at Lake Chatuge early to make sure he was home for the birth of his second child. That child is approaching six months old now â and while Bertrand probably hasnât had as much sleep as he would have liked during those months, itâll be awesome to see how he fishes without a million other much more important things on his mind. Like Lucas, Martens, Zaldain and Pirch, he brings western versatility into an event that may be put together perfectly for a pro who can do it all.
Tuskegee, Ala.
I fished with Mark Daniels Jr. on Lake Jordan back in December, and his ability to call his shots with the new Garmin Livescope technology was unbelievable. That could certainly come into play during this Classic. Heâs a classy guy who would fit the title âClassic championâ perfectly.
Jasper, Texas
Because of Fairclothâs understated personality, itâs easy to forget just what a career heâs put together with B.A.S.S. In 224 events, heâs notched five victories, 42 Top 10 finishes and more than $2.3 million in career earnings. Heâll be making his 17th appearance in the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing.
Guntersville, Ala.
I know thereâs been a ton of talk about the two distinct patterns that could emerge. But what if neither of them really does? This could turn in to a junk-fishing event, and that might favor the one of the greatest âself-proclaimedâ junk fishermen of all-time. Swindleâs 18 Classic performances have been up and down, but there have been at least two times â in 2005 at Three Rivers and in 2008 at Lake Hartwell â when he quite possibly had the winning fish on and didnât put it in the boat. Heâs too good of a fisherman to believe it wonât all come together for him eventually.
Phoenix, Ariz.
If prespawn fish are inhabiting the dingy waters of Fort Loudon, they could be susceptible to a ChatterBait. If big smallmouth are lurking in the deep waters of Tellico, they could fall victim to a drop-shot rig. If one or both patterns dominates the event, Brett Hite could be hard to beat. His sixth Classic berth marks a return after he failed to qualify for the event last year.
Auburn, Calif.
Those whoâve been following the sport for a while might find it hard to believe that the ever-youthful Skeet Reese actually turns 50 this summer. But even after 236 career tournaments, 74 Top 10 finishes and more than $3.3 million in career earnings, he still has plenty of game left â especially when it comes to the lakes of the Tennessee River. Just last year, he finished second place on Kentucky Lake and his last victory came in 2015 on Lake Guntersville.
Port St. Joe, Fla.
A four-time Classic qualifier, Randall Tharp has fished 83 B.A.S.S. events and finished in the money 56 times (a 68 percent clip). He has four career B.A.S.S. wins and is always a threat when jigs and/or crankbaits come into play.
North Prince George, Va.
With four B.A.S.S. victories under his belt, Jacob Powroznik has proven he can win anywhere on any type of water. His best showing last year was a second-place finish on the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wisc.
Fairview, N.C.
After a tough start to last season, Jake Whitaker rebounded to earn checks in six of the nine Elite Series events he fished and claimed Bassmaster Rookie of the Year honors. That included one stretch of five paychecks in a row during the heart of the season.
Lake Havasu, Ariz.
Even after catching enough bass to finish second in the 2018 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings, Hawk is still waiting for his breakout moment as a pro. He started strong last year, with a second-place finish at the Elite Series event on Lake Martin and a third-place showing at the following event on Grand. But after that, he had four finishes of 70th or lower. None of that would matter if he raises the Classic trophy.
Arroyo Grande, Calif.
The big, soft-spoken guy from California has now fished 140 tournaments with B.A.S.S., and his last one â the Bassmaster Opens Championship on Table Rock Lake â resulted in his second tour win. Lintner had one of his best seasons last year, earning nine paychecks and topping the $1 million mark for career earnings.
Vineland, N.J.
After scratching and clawing so hard to get to the Classic â he qualified through one of the final openings at the Classic Bracket in October on Carters Lake â you have to wonder if Adrian Avena might just be happy to be part of the field. But Iâve never gotten that vibe from him. Heâs fished 45 tournaments with B.A.S.S., earning 23 paychecks and five Top 10s.
Guntersville, Ala.
The first tournament I covered after going to work for B.A.S.S. was the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine River in 2015. It started out as a tough deal. Then it started raining sideways. But Chris Lane just kept adjusting and readjusting to get the win. Weâve talked about what might happen if two distinct patterns emerge in this event. Weâve mentioned what might happened if pieces of patterns present themselves. If neither happens and itâs extremely tough, we should talk about the chances of Lane hoisting the Classic trophy for the second time.
Lancaster, Ky.
With one of the easiest drives to Knoxville of any angler in the field â just over two hours down Interstate-75 â Roy could be as prepared as anyone to solve the Fort Loudon/Tellico puzzle. In just 98 tournaments with B.A.S.S., heâs managed 10 Top 10 finishes and more than $500,000 in career earnings.
Blacksburg, S.C.
With two B.A.S.S. wins and more than $563,000 in career earnings, Montgomery has proven heâs a threat to win anywhere. But in three previous Classic appearances, heâs finished 36th, 43rd and 44th.
Cullman, Ala.
With Alabama roots and a reputation as one of the best young spotted bass fishermen in the business, itâll be interesting to see which route Wiggins takes during this Classic. While there arenât likely to be many spotted bass weighed in, lots of deepwater opportunities will exist for smallmouth. How much will the knowledge that helped him win twice at Alabamaâs Smith Lake and once at Harris Chain come into play?
Baton Rouge, La.
Derek Hudnall is a diehard LSU guy bringing his game to Rocky Top. That scenario has made for some great sports stories through the years. This Tiger had a pair of Top 5 finishes on the Bassmaster Opens series last year.
Bivins, Texas
After a stellar 2018 season that saw him earn checks in four of the five Bassmaster Opens he fished, Whatley is off to an excellent start on the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series. He finished 27th in the season-opener at St. Johns River and 21st at Lake Lanier.
Canton, Mich.
Twenty-four-year-old Garrett Pacquette has fished only 15 tournaments with B.A.S.S. and has finished in the money 15 times. If heâs still maintaining that ratio when he reaches the 100-tournament mark, heâll be in sound financial shape â especially if he finds a way to do well in this Classic. His best finishes have been fifth, fifth, fifth and fourth â all in Bassmaster Opens.
Pike Road, Ala.
Despite fishing 125 events with B.A.S.S., this will only be Keith Pocheâs second appearance in the Classic. On the upside, he finished third in the one Classic he fished â in 2012 on the Red River.
Gonzales, La.
After notching four Top 15 finishes on the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series, Gerald Spohrer is making his first appearance in the Classic. His best career B.A.S.S. finish was a second-place showing in a 2014 Bassmaster Open on the Red River in his home state of Louisiana.
Lake Quivira, Kansas
Chapman has fished 259 career events with B.A.S.S., finishing in the money 162 times. Thatâs a remarkable percentage of 62.3 percent. Along the way, heâs won four times, made the Top 10 three dozen times and qualified for the Classic 14 times. A $300,000 victory in this Classic would put him over the $2 million mark in career earnings.
Lake Havasu, Ariz.
One of B.A.S.S.âs $2 million men is long overdue for a victory. His last win came almost eight years ago on Toledo Bend, and the accomplishment heâs most known for â his B.A.S.S.-record catch of five bass that weighed 45 pounds, 2 ounces on Lake Toho â is now more than 18 years old. A Top 10 finish at this Classic would be the 50th of his career with B.A.S.S.
Lorena, Texas
Itâs hard to believe, at age 26, that Alton Jones Jr. is already fishing his second Classic. In his second season on the Bassmaster Elite Series, all he did was earn paychecks â eight in nine events, to be exact.
Petal, Miss.
After missing some time with an injury and then failing to qualify for the 2016 and 2017 Classics while he got his legs back under him, Pace is looking more and more like his old self âthe dominant angler who hoisted the 2013 Classic trophy on Oklahomaâs Grand Lake Oâ the Cherokees. He had six Top 20 finishes in nine Elite Series events last season.
Oakdale, Calif.
The first-ever B.A.S.S. Nation champion from California made one brief scouting trip to Pickwick Lake in October 2018. Then he returned to the lake a month later and won the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick by almost 4 pounds. Only one Nation qualifier has ever won the Bassmaster Classic, and that was Bryan Kerchal in 1994. But others â like Connecticutâs Paul Mueller â have made lots of noise, and Pierson could do the same.
Odenville, Ala.
As the second-place finisher in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake, Kyle Dorsett certainly proved his abilities on the Tennessee River. Now, he has a chance to follow in the footsteps of other great Nation competitors in the Classic â like Bryan Kerchal and Paul Mueller.
Elizabethtown, Ky.
Nick Ratliff won the 2018 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops to get here. College qualifiers have enjoyed mixed results through the years, but Ratliff, a youngster from Campbellsville, Ky., has absolutely nothing to lose. He should fish that way.
Kuttawa, Ky.
Some of the longest odds in bass fishing biggest event almost always have to go to the Team Championship qualifier. But that always puts guys like Matthew Robertson in position to be the best story. Consider this: His two-day total during the solo portion of the Team Championship on Harris Chain weighed 57 pounds, 9 ounces. That gave him a 24-pound cushion over the nearest competitor in the six-angler field. Plus, he wore a custom-made hat that said, âOn âem.â Thatâs almost worth an odds bump right there.
Firenze, Italy
Iâll be the first to admit that I donât know a whole lot about Jacopo Gallelli. But in all fairness, he does live more than 5,000 miles away from me. What I do know is that he came all the way to Pickwick Lake from Italy and caught a three-day limit of 15 bass that averaged more than 3 pounds apiece during terrible conditions in November. For that, he deserves respect.