All captions: Bryan Brasher
When Buster Douglas fought Mike Tyson in the Tokyo Dome for the Heavyweight Championship of the World in 1990, he was considered such a long shot to win that many Las Vegas casinos wouldnât even offer betting odds on the fight. But Douglas knocked Tyson out in the 10th round, proving anything can happen when talented people are placed in just the right situation. The next few anglers are the ones with a chance to make something really special happen.
At age 20, the College Bracket qualifier is one of the youngest anglers ever to fish the Classic. Making the move from college to the pros is tough in any sport, and itâs hard to imagine that Garrett could be prepared for the chaos ahead of him. For a little perspective, consider this: Michigan angler Kevin VanDam has reached the Classic six more times than Garrett has spent years on this earth. Recent college qualifiers have struggled, including Trevor Lo (55th place in 2016) and Brett Preuett (50th place in 2015).
Clift qualified by winning the Classic Fish-Off portion of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship. Thatâs one of the coolest routes to the Classic, for sure â and no oneâs going to win the Team Championship berth without being a good fisherman. But the pressure of a big weekend team event simply doesnât compare to the enormity of fishing for a world championship. Perhaps the best thing he has going for him is that heâs fishing on house money and has very little to lose.
There will be a lot of talk about the Nation anglers having a good shot at the Classic because they qualified through the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, which was held on Lake Conroe. But that was in November when conditions were a lot different on the lake than theyâre likely to be in late March â and thereâs no way to quantify the jump in competition these anglers will be facing moving from the Nation circuit to the Classic. It would be a historic victory for Klinger, a Nevada resident.
While qualifying for the Classic through the Nation Championship, Ocamica also earned an invitation to fish the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series. So he now has two Elite Series events under his belt, including a 50th-place finish in the season-opener at Cherokee Lake, as he prepares for Conroe. That experience can only help.
This Louisiana angler already made a bit of history by becoming the first nonboater to qualify for the Classic through the Nation pathway. He won the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship by a whopping 16 pounds.
Hardy scored a Classic berth by winning the 2016 Northern Open on New Yorkâs Oneida Lake. In that tournament, he caught limits of big smallmouth each day by fishing one spot with a jig and a Carolina rig. It was his only career Top 10 finish in 23 events with B.A.S.S. Heâs in position to earn some pro fishing stripes in this event.
Hamilton is one of the more interesting stories in pro fishing, having qualified for his first Classic and the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series in a small aluminum boat on the Central Open circuit. Heâs fishing in an Xpress model aluminum boat at the big events this year and representing all of the anglers who launch aluminum crafts on their own local waterways every weekend. A youngster like Hamilton winning in an aluminum boat would be a monumental occurrence â and he’s done nothing in two Elite Series events to prove he’s not capable. He placed 22nd at Cherokee and 48th at Okeechobee â enough to earn a check at both events.
The ultimate nice guy will have a lot of support from the fishing community after qualifying for the Classic with a 2016 Northern Open win on the James River. Heâs one of the hardest workers in the sport, and he knows a thing or two about flipping and pitching â two techniques that could come into play on Conroe. But Hartley has often referred to himself as âDisappearing Charlieâ due to his habit of fishing well early and fading as an event moves on. It happened in his only other Classic appearance (2008 on Lake Hartwell) when he led after Day 1, only to finish in 15th place.
For those of you whoâve never placed a bet â and if you havenât, good for you, it can be bad for your wallet â hereâs a simple explanation of how odds work. If you walk into a Las Vegas casino and place a bet $100 bet on a team or a person with 5-1 odds, youâll collect $500 with a win. For the same bet with 10-1 odds, youâll receive $1,000. Itâs really just simple math.
Such long odds may seem strange for a 21-year veteran and former Classic champion making his 15th appearance in the world championship. But heâs had some struggles on Conroe, and he had a tough season on last yearâs Elite Series missing four checks in a row during the meat of the season.
Duckett has eight Classic appearances, including a win in his first trip to the event on Alabamaâs Lay Lake back in 2007. But unless you count last yearâs AOY event on Mille Lacs (where weigh-in stats donât mean as much as how the numbers affect the final year-end standings), Duckett only has two Top 12 appearances on the Elite Series since the end of the 2012 season. A good showing on Conroe would give his career a major shot in the arm.
When it comes to catching fish in deep, clear water, Pirch is one of the best in the world. But all signs say this tournament will be the complete opposite of that. Those in the know expect a heavily stained lake with the fish holding shallow in some phase of the spawn.
The 2013 Elite Series Rookie of the Year had an up-and down season in 2016, before finishing on a decent run with checks in the final three regular-season events. He has finished no higher than 29th in a B.A.S.S. event on any Texas fishery â and that was on the Sabine River, which some people consider to be more southern Louisiana than Texas.
Roy is making his first Classic appearance after finishing 32nd in the 2016 AOY standings. He already made waves during practice, catching a personal-best largemouth that weighed somewhere between 9 and 13 pounds (depending on which online guestimate you agree with most). But it may take a couple of those to make actual Classic waves on a lunker factory like Conroe.
OK, OK, Jesse. We hear you. During the decision-making process for this odds gallery, we thought hard about moving Wiggins out of the long shot category when he won his second Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open on Floridaâs Harris Chain of Lakes in January. But we wanted to wait and see how he’d fare on the Elite Series. Then he opened that portion of his career with a third-place finish on Cherokee Lake â an event he led for two days. Heâs still only fished 10 events on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail â and nothing compares to the pressure of the Classic. But with the way heâs been fishing lately, he at least merits numerical odds in this gallery.
Itâs hard to believe Strader fished his first B.A.S.S. event more than two decades ago in 1996, because he hasnât been a regular on the circuit. But heâs earned 14 checks in 22 events with B.A.S.S., including a win in last yearâs Southern Open at Floridaâs Lake Kissimmee to get him into this event. He also has $1.4 million in career earnings with FLW and finished ninth in the 2011 Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Conroe.
Crochet is just glad to be here after missing the Elite Series Classic cut for the second straight year, but then grabbing a Classic berth by winning the final Central Open on the Atchafalaya Basin. Heâs a shallow-water fisherman who prefers to fish stands of cypress trees and shallow-water vegetation â and Conroe doesnât have much of either.
Montgomery is another quiet, businesslike guy who always seems to catch his share of the fish. He had three top 15 appearances on the 2016 Elite Series and placed second in the 2009 TTBC on Conroe. But he struggled in his two previous Classic appearances, finishing 43rd and 36th. He still needs to prove himself on fishingâs biggest stage.
California anglers like Lintner will be a bit of a mystery coming into this tournament, considering how much they like to throw swimbaits and jerkbaits. Neither will be a likely choice in the murky waters of Conroe. This will be his sixth appearance in the Classic, and heâs never finished higher than 18th.
This is Elamâs second Classic appearance, and he needs to prove his mettle in such a crazy environment. Despite coming into the 2016 Classic red hot â with four straight Top 10 finishes in B.A.S.S. events â he seemed to crumble under the pressure of being one of the favorites on Grand Lake oâ the Cherokees in Oklahoma. He finished 30th in that event and then stumbled to an 84th-place finish in the Elite Series season opener on the St. Johns River.
Another swimbait/jerkbait whiz, Zaldain finished sixth in the 2013 TTBC on Conroe. But the conditions wonât work in his favor, and his two previous Classic appearances resulted in a 41st-place finish on Grand and a 52nd-place showing on Guntersville.
Grigsby, who was recently named one of the 10 best anglers never to win a Classic by Bassmaster.com, is running out of opportunities as he approaches his 61st birthday in May. He is possibly the greatest sight fisherman of all-time, and the fish are likely to be spawning during the Classic. But most people agree the water conditions wonât make it easy to see the beds and drag a bait across the fishâs nose.
In the unlikely event this turns into a swimbait tournament, Kennedy could be one of the guys to beat. But even if it doesnât, expect him to find a way to be near the top half of the standings. Somehow, he always does.
Ehrler has some good history in Texas, having won the TTBC on Lake Fork in May 2015 with more than 89 pounds. A shallow tournament with stained water wonât fit his strengths. But still, heâs a big-time fisherman who seems poised for a breakout moment with B.A.S.S. someday soon.
Williamson is a quiet, unassuming guy who might be easy for some fishing fans to overlook. But he just keeps sending subtle reminders that he’s a force to be reckoned with. After finishing the 2016 Elite Series season on a roll with a 19th-place showing at the Potomac River, a 14th-place finish on the Mississippi River in LaCrosse, Wis., and a seventh-place showing in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Minnesotaâs Mille Lacs Lake, Williamson is off to a fast start in 2017 with a 17th place finish at Cherokee and an eighth at Okeechobee. His stock just keeps going up.
Lefebre is another former FLW star who arguably deserves better odds. He won the 2009 Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Conroe and then finished fifth there in 2010. But he made his lone Classic appearance 14 years ago, finishing a distant 22nd on the Louisiana Delta.
It would be one of the better stories in B.A.S.S. history if the younger Jones, the son of superstar angler Alton Jones, hoists the trophy in his first Classic. Heâs been groomed for this moment his entire life â and he proved he knows how to handle pressure when he qualified for the 2017 Elite Series through the Central Opens after missing by a single point on the Northern Opens circuit earlier in the year. But heâs likely to have more microphones in his face during Classic week than heâs had for the rest of his career combined, and thereâs no way to know how an angler will handle that kind of pressure.
The reigning Elite Series Rookie of the Year proved last season that heâs a tough out when the fish are spawning. He finished fourth on the St. Johns River and eighth on Cayuga Lake during heavy bedding activity. But he said his âyoung eyesâ may have made a difference in those events â and even young eyes canât see bedding fish through stained water.
Hite had five Top 10 finishes on the Elite Series last year â and while his signature finesse tactics arenât likely to play a role in this Classic, his prowess with a ChatterBait certainly could. Hiteâs best finish in four Classic appearances was a seventh-place showing on Hartwell in 2015.
In nine previous Classic appearances, Lane has never finished lower than 20th, with three Top 10 finishes and two Top 5s. As a Florida native, he knows a thing or two about fishing shallow water, and heâs coming off a 2016 Elite Series season that saw him finish in the Top 20 at four events.
One method that keeps getting bounced around as a possible game winner in this event is fishing a jig around brushpiles. If thatâs the case, the 2015 Classic winner could easily be a factor. You have to wonder if history will work against him in this event. Only five anglers have won more than one Classic in 46 years.
Reese is a 17-time Classic qualifier and the 2009 champion. He won an Elite Series tournament on Guntersville in 2015 by catching big spawning bass that he couldnât see. That skill could be huge on Conroe in late March. Look for him to do as he always does â complain about a tough practice and then bring in a big bag on the first day. The key will be sustaining the success for three days on a lake filled with giants.
Did someone say this tournament will be won shallow? If thatâs the case, Lowen â who says he likes to fish with his âtrolling motor churning up mudâ â could certainly be a player. Heâs making his ninth Classic appearance and is still seeking his first B.A.S.S. win. With three second-place finishes to his credit, heâs overdue to land in the winnerâs circle.
Monroe is a big-fish specialist whoâs bound to be motivated after missing the Classic the past three seasons. If it turns into a jig and brushpile tournament that requires anglers to display extreme patience while waiting for five or six bites, Monroe could be a bargain at 30-1.
Palaniuk is a seven-time Classic qualifier and a two-time winner in B.A.S.S. events. In six previous Classic trips, he has finished 14th or higher four times, including a fourth-place finish in 2011 and a second in 2013. Some say heâs one step away from being a sure-fire superstar in pro fishing. A win here would certainly be the step that completes the journey.
A lot of people believe you have to have ice water in your veins to win a Classic â and Powroznik has certainly shown that with three victories in only 38 events with B.A.S.S. Heâs one of the most versatile anglers on tour, and he knows Lake Conroe, having finished third there in the 2013 TTBC.
Evers, the reigning Classic champion, is making his 16th appearance in the event â and heâs another whoâll be battling some serious history. In 46 years, only two anglers have won back-to-back Classics â Rick Clunn in 76-77 and KVD in 2010-11. If Evers pulled off the feat, he would further cement his place as one of the greatest anglers of all-time after becoming the first angler to win back-to-back Elite Series events in 2015.
One of the few major B.A.S.S. records VanDam doesnât hold is the highest number of Classics won. Heâs tied with Rick Clunn for the most ever with four. After a season that featured his return to prominence with three Elite Series victories, it wouldnât surprise anyone if he claimed a fifth Classic this year.
A 15-time Classic qualifier who excels in crowded water â perhaps because of his experience on his always-jam-packed home venue of Lake Havasu â Rojas is one to watch. He knows how to catch big fish (as evidenced by his all-time heaviest B.A.S.S. five-fish limit of 45-2 on Lake Toho in 2001), and he always seems to start strong in Classics. He has five Top 12 finishes in 17 previous Classic appearances, but three-day sustainability has eluded him.
DeFoe has enjoyed some incredible Classic success, making the Top 5 twice in five previous appearances. He also placed fourth in the 2011 TTBC on Conroe â and when the Classic rolls around, heâll only be about six months removed from his third career victory with B.A.S.S. That took place on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis.
In this spot, you find the always-dangerous wounded animal. Swindle never really got to enjoy the glow of last yearâs Angler of the Year season because of a knee surgery that went horribly wrong. But heâs had two Elite Series events to stretch out his knee since then. If heâs 100 percent â and this turns into a jig tournament â look out.
It may be time to stop referring to Lucas as an âup-and-coming starâ and acknowledge that heâs already there. He earned his second Elite Series win in as many seasons last year on the Potomac River â and he did it fishing one long boat dock. Lucas prefers a shallow pattern that allows him to just put the trolling motor down and fish, so this tournament may set up perfectly for him. He’s off to a rough start for the 2017 Elite Series season, which could make him all the more dangerous in this event.
Martens followed his incredible 2015 Angler of the Year season with a respectable 22nd-place finish in the 2016 AOY standings. Heâs making his 18th trip to the Classic, and heâs had as many close-but-no-cigar finishes as anyone. Heâs made the Top 10 eight times, including four second-place finishes and one third. Trust me, Iâve had many conversations with legendary anglers Bill Dance and Tom Mann â two other anglers who barely missed out on winning Classics â and that kind of thing burns inside a true competitor.
Herren comes in red hot after four Top 15 Elite Series finishes in 2016 and a win at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Ray Roberts Lake. Heâs a dock-fishing specialist who could certainly excel on Conroe if the conditions are right. But in six previous Classic appearances, he only made the Top 20 once â in 2010 on Lay Lake in his home state of Alabama.
This will be Christieâs fifth Classic appearance, and he might still be stinging a little from his second-place finish on Grand Lake last year. He led the first two days, only to watch Evers rocket past him in the final round. Unlike the situation at Grand â where he was the angler every spectator wanted to follow â heâs likely to have more time to himself on Conroe.
A Japanese native who is now a transplanted Texan, Omori has three career Top 10 Classic finishes, including a win in 2004 on North Carolinaâs Lake Wylie. Are there some similarities between Conroe and Wylie?
Lee just missed his first Elite Series victory on Cayuga Lake in 2016. He finished second to KVD by targeting spawning fish in underwater vegetation. Heâs one of the most versatile anglers on the trail and the guy who many people believe will someday carry as much weight in the sport as KVD does now. He needs a Classic win to make that happen.
After the toughest season of his career in 2015, Tharp fished like a man on a mission in 2016. He started the season with four straight Top 16 appearances on the Elite Series, including his fourth career B.A.S.S. victory on Bull Shoals/Norfork in Arkansas. Heâs another bigtime jig fisherman who could bring eye-popping weights to the scales if the conditions suit that style.
Iaconelli is an 18-time Classic qualifier, the 2003 champion and a master of staying in front of fish that are in transition. If the bass are on the move, and the tournament comes down to figuring out where theyâre headed next, it could be Ikeâs to lose. As for experience on Conroe, he pushed Keith Combs to the limit in the 2011 Toyota Texas Bass Classic on the lake, finishing second in an overtime fish-off.
Itâs hard to ignore Fairclothâs resume coming into this event. First, heâs a Texas resident who lives about two hours from Lake Conroe. He has five Elite Series wins, and two of them came in Texas â 2008 on Amistad and 2013 on the Sabine River. In 14 previous Classic appearances, heâs cracked the Top 10 seven times, including an amazing six times in his last seven appearances.
Just as Swindle is the wounded animal, Hackney could be the angry animal â and both are equally dangerous. After an unfortunate set of circumstances led to the disqualification of his Day 1 catch in last yearâs Elite Series event on Cayuga Lake, he basically dropped out of an AOY race he had led most of the season. That could give him extra motivation coming into his 14th Classic appearance, and he knows how to catch fish when theyâre shallow â whether heâs flipping and pitching, fishing a topwater lure or using a flat-sided crankbait.
Admit it, you expected to see Combs in the top spot on this list â and we understand. There are so many reasons to list him as the favorite. Combs has won two Toyota Texas Bass Classics on Conroe (in 2011 and 2013). He won the 2013 Elite Series event on Falcon Lake with 111 pounds, 5 ounces and has three Top 12 finishes in Central Opens in Texas (one on Amistad and two on Texoma). But heâs quick to admit that heâs best when the fish are deep, and this isnât setting up to be that kind of tournament. Spectator boats may also be an issue for him, especially on a small lake. But would we be surprised if he becomes the fourth straight angler to win a Classic in his home state? Absolutely not.
A Texas native and former Classic winner, Jones is one of the best in the world at catching spawning fish that canât be seen in murky water. Heâll no doubt be teaming with his son during practice, and that shared information seems more likely to benefit the elder statesman than the first-timer. Giving the best odds to a Texan just seems to make sense. So weâll go with the one whoâs actually won a Classic before â even if heâs not the Texan you expected to see in this spot.