AlabamaSpothunter

Milliken is an absolute world beater on Florida strain based fisheries, on the other hand he's shown last year through the Opens that he's a middle of the pack angler outside of true Southern fisheries. He's more of a specialist rather than a jack of all trades in my book. Hopefully over time he builds his entire game out, that's my prediction. Come on Hamner, this thing has gotten way to close.

Yeah he went all in.....quit his job as a mechanic to pursue the dream. Sadly that was his high water mark as far a professional Bass fishing goes. I don't know what's going on with him these days, I tried to find a contact a year or so ago to reach out but didn't have any luck. I haven't given up as I'd love to talk with him again some day.

Hamner likely does win with a 13lb bag, but as we've seen 13lbs is far from a guarantee especially when the horse that you rode in on bolted. Last guy who almost won the Classic from Northport, AL. was Dalton Bobo in 1997 on Logan Martin. I was there for the final day weigh in at the BJCC in BHAM.....he was a HUGE hometown hero and underdog, and sans a dead fish penalty his life would have been changed epically. It destroyed me as a kid, can't imagine what it did to him. Long story short I looked up his number in the White Pages, asked to speak with "Mr Bobo", to my surprise he gets on the phone and I precede to tell him how much of a hero of mine he is, and he's the Classic champ in my book. A week later he picks me up in a brand new Ranger Commanche at takes me fishing on Lay Lake where we proceeded to have one of the greatest days of my life, and certainly fishing. Best 5 Spots went easily over 20lbs. I fell in love with suspending jerkbaits that day. I also learned that the difference b/t pros and everyone else is enormous, best angler I've ever fished with easily. What a heck of a man, and Bass fisherman. I know he's cheering hard for Hamner to bring it home to Northport. Video: 1997 Bassmaster Classic - Bassmaster

As much as I want Hamner to win being an Alabama boy, 20-30mph winds are going to destroy his program with a jerking stick and FFS. It could get epic tomorrow, I can see 6-8 guys battling all the way until they shut down livemix. This is kind of turning into the perfect storm for Christie.....he has literally been saying for months he needs a "major curveball" in the weather to happen in order to win it. His thought process was that FFS has leveled home field advantage outside of a crazy weather event that ruins everybody's program. First two days have been pretty muh and you can tell that by the replies in this thread vs. the first two Elite Series stops of the year.......but this one is setting up to be an epic final day! It's a tough act to follow Lake Fork, that's one of the best derbys I've watched. Greatest pro sport in the world!

Would love to see Hamner win, great dude and has been trending upwards big time for a cpl. years. Listen to Steve Kennedy's Clear Lake win back in the early 2000s......because of that CA law he had to release the biggest Bass he's ever caught, a DD because one of the extra hooks he rigged on a big soft swimbait was hooked on the outside of the fish. So silly. I'd say 75% of my jerking stick fish are hooked on the outside. eta: Holy smokes, Fujita just busted the top 10 after being near last place after the 1st day. Dude is incredible.

Fujita was strolling a minnow yesterday but you're right, FFS and minnows aren't a part of this derby in a meaningful manner. That said, even with FFS and minnows.....I vastly prefer a Toledo Bend or Lake Fork event to shallow dink fest like this one or last year at the Sabine for the Elite stop. I get why they like to put Classics on lakes like this though, they want the weights tight, and they don't want anyone to run away with it on day 1 or 2. Maybe 25-30lb bags will be on the menu at Ray Roberts next year.

They're so beautiful when they're healthy and up shallow like that @TnRiver46, great job! Is crackhead creek near methbilly point? 🤣

Yeah, said he was too confident and only caught non keeper fish.

same but worse.....my best is 11th and he was my 5th bucket pick 🤣 Ole Patty Walters is in 53rd......my horse died at the gate

Wow my roster is so screwed lol.

My local shop just blew out the old inventory of GLXs for $199 at the Redcrest expo. Several times a year they go on "sale".....because of MAP pricing they usually do something like "buy any GLX, get $150 store gift card" type deal. Most high-end rods have MAP pricing, so they can never advertise sales on the products. However, if you contact the dealer directly, many times you can get a better price than the sticker even during non sales times.

Yeah the first time I saw a big Bass turn sideways on a FFS screen (not mine, just a video) and you could clearly make out it's forked tail my mind was blown. One fascinating thing I've learned recently is that the vast majority of the time, Bass know the scope/boat is there and are staring straight at the transducer. I'm sure other species are less educated and don't immediately turn towards the ping. The best guys I see on the scope don't even need to see the fish from the side in order to know what species. They say catfish barely move, while Bass almost never sit still. The big Crappie who tend to roam by themselves are the hardest to tell from Bass from what I can gather.

I'd be in hibernation right next to the Bears if I lived by you Katie 🤣 You'll be making the place look like paradise in 4-6 weeks though 😎

Sadly FFS has changed Paddlefish angling perhaps more than any other species. I have no idea what the appeal of snagging a fish using FFS is.

Haha, thanks Katie!

Never imagined I'd fall in love so much with pixie wands, but after this winter and early spring that's the only way I want to catch big fish now. I've found a magical 75-100yd stretch that has produced a 8.5, 7, 6.12, 6.1, 5.9 within the last week. 7 on the dot Partly spawned out with some fresh tail damage 6lb 12oz 5.9 Choked Lastly, why orange and red work so good in the Spring

Missed the cut last season on tour with AOY points. Top 40 earn a Classic berth, then the other dozen are made up from other qualifying events like Open wins, and Nation champion.

It happens to everyone, you ever notice how some days the fish choke the baits, and other days you only get them in with a single treble point in the lip? Non committal bites are a real thing. Bass are curious creatures, and equally aggressive ones.....two traits that lead Bass to hit a bait, but not completely eat it. I had over 20 fish come off on Sunday. More than I actually caught, first time that's ever happened to me. Unless it becomes a pattern don't sweat it.

And just like that Fujita is back out scoping with a jighead minnow.

Come on Jonny Cox! This is your event, scopers are being held at bay for now.

Sure let it rip......your not chunking a high dollar swimbait after all. Lots of very season big swimbait guys use 20lb big game for 2oz+ baits.....Magdrafts come in different sizes and lengths. On the 6" 15lb Big Game is perfectly fine, however on the 8" size I might want 20lb Big Game if that's the route you wanna take (mono vs. FC. vs braid) Personally, Sunline FC Sniper 20lb is what I throw 2oz+ big swimbaits on. I'm a devout FC user though.

Short and easy answer: Ray Scott He's the godfather of modern day Bass fishing as we know it, he was an absolutely brilliant marketeer, and cared deeply about the health and preservation of our beloved Bass...."dont eat your catch/catch N release" was started by Ray Scott as we know it today.

Played with these today in the local shop.....the particular one I had my eye was sublime in the hand. 7'1 MH Extra Fast Great tip and very parabolic. Would make a killer Free Rig/T-Rig rod, along with a host of other things including some moving baits I'd imagine. Typical boring yet refined and flawless aesthetics that Loomis rods have always had. I ain't paying $550 for it though.

The fish themselves, they're elusive, ever adapting, a true apex predator in their environments. The first time I laid eyes on a Bass as a little boy I was hooked. I'm willing to bet most other anglers feel the same way.....instant connection. The endless ways it takes to catch them provides the angler with the ultimate ever-changing puzzle. I could write a book, I bet most others on this forum could as well. The fish is that special and I've caught a ton of salt and freshwater species.

Fished a 25-30acre golf course pond in college slap full of 5+ fish.......and about a dozen Alligators. Our only option was to night fish this place wink wink lol, amazing what a 5lber will motivate a Bass degenerate to do 🤣 I was beating the bank, and about 10 yards in front of me a gator took off into the water at mach 3, scared the life out of me. Kept fishing like a champion though lol. Man that brings back good memories.