Friday, July 29, 2005
Bass Classic field expects some tough conditions
Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor's Outdoors column and notebook appears regularly in The Roanoke Times.
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PITTSBURGH -- Fishing was tough for Bassmaster Classic qualifiers during a June practice session on waters that would host the competition.
Salem's John Crews actually hoped things wouldn't change much before the tournament, which began today on the Monongahela, Alleghany and Ohio rivers. He thought tough conditions might psyche out some anglers, taking them mentally out of the tournament before it started.
On the eve of the tournament, Crews confirmed that he'd gotten his wish. Fishing was still tough in the three rivers.
"But I'm starting to wonder now if I should have been careful what I asked for," Crews said with a mild groan.
On a final practice day Wednesday, Crews didn't boat a single bass. He wasn't fishing too hard, but he could have used a little more confirmation that his game plan could work.
Crews remains upbeat. He used the practice day to explore some areas that he didn't get to check out during June's practice session.
The tactic allowed him to eliminate some areas from, and also to find a few new spots that he thinks could pay off.
The tournament, the finale for the CITGO Bassmaster Tour, pits 47 of the tour's top pro anglers against each other. The top prize is $200,000, but the most important value is the opportunity to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in endorsements.
Crews, the first Classic qualifier from Southwest Virginia, arrived in Pittsburgh on Saturday. He has been busy since, with dinners, autograph sessions and interviews.
He even spent two low-key days on the water, teaming up with two kids during Monday and Tuesday's Bassmaster Junior World Championship tournament.
On Sunday Crews and his young partners had one of the event's few three-fish limits.
Known for his philosophy of working as hard off the water as on the water, Crews has enjoyed the atmosphere.
"I think it's fun," said Crews, 27. "I'm trying to enjoy each event, not to look at them as distractions."
Things will get a little more serious this morning when the anglers take off for the first day of competition. Although the river system holds some large bass, most of the fish Classic competitors caught in practice didn't meet the tournament's 12-inch minimum size.
"At this place, it's anybody's game," said Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala,, who said he caught just two keeper-sized bass during Wednesday's practice day. "It's going to be the toughest pro tournament I've ever fished, size-wise."
Martens, runner-up in the past two Classics, said anglers just won't have enough time during the day to catch a five-fish limit of good-sized bass.
