The wannabes are weeded out well ahead of the tournament where 35 of the world’s best bass fishermen compete at Lake Fork in Quitman, TX. The invitational spots are filled by the top anglers from the FLW and the Bass Elite Series. Their combined winnings prior to the Classic were over $56-million and their stats included 190 major tournament wins and 19 Angler of the Year awards. But, as with any sport no one cares about what you’ve done before. That’s only the price of admission.
This year the wet Texas spring added another layer to the challenge. It was cold, rainy, muddy and unpleasant; so much so that the non-fishing events that surrounded the event were cancelled entirely. Even with all of the obstacles, the tournament winner, Brent Ehrler, brought in a 10 lb. 11 oz. bruiser for his last catch of the day. That brought him to a three-day total of 89 lbs. 12 oz., which was good enough to claim the prize, estimated at about $150,000 including a 2015 Toyota Tundra with all the trimmings, a big check and a range of other prizes.
It is his self-motivated competitiveness and attentiveness to detail that he says make him a good fit for bass fishing. “You need to be able to concentrate and observe astutely because it may come down to the placement of a blade of grass”, he added, noting that there is still a lot of trial and error involved.
“…a combination of instinct and experience”, he explained when asked whether bass fishing was more intuition or technology today. Crews’ boat is a Basscat, and with the trailer and all of his gear weighs in at about 3500-lbs. It is completely outfitted with the latest in technology and he tows it with a 2014 Toyota Tundra, even though the vehicle manufacturer is not one of his sponsors.
“This is my second Tundra…before it was a 2011, and I couldn’t be more pleased,” he said, noting that the only thing missing is a diesel version. “I will stick with the Tundra either way but for the long-drive highway trips a diesel could improve the fuel efficiency, I think,” he adds. Comfort is also big factor when you are driving from California to Virginia in three days, which is a pretty typical trip for him.
As we sat in his boat checking for pockets where fish appeared on the navigational screen, and talking about previous catches that weighed in at 10, 11 or 12 lbs., Crews said that the best weather for the tournament would be dry with little or no wind. So much for wishes.
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