Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times

Cody Pike, 16, ends his day as a tournament marshal, spending the day on Smith Mountain Lake with angler Tommy Biffle.

Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times

Fans watch from the shoreline Thursday as anglers in the Bassmaster Elite Series Blue Ridge Brawl bring in the fish they caught for the official weigh-in. The tournament ends Sunday.

Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times

Greg Hackney of Louisiana unloads his catch Thursday, the first day of the Bassmaster Elite Series Blue Ridge Brawl.

WESTLAKE -- Bedford resident Bill "Tennessee" Easterly's face lights up when he talks about bass fishing.

"I'd rather fish than eat a hot dog," said Easterly, tucked into a corner of Virginia Outdoorsman making lures. "And everybody knows men like their hot dogs."

His excitement about the sport is at its peak this week as 100 anglers from around the world cast their lines in Smith Mountain Lake for the Blue Ridge Brawl, a stop in the Bassmaster Elite Series. It's pro fishing's equivalent to NASCAR's Sprint Cup series.

The competition began Thursday and will conclude Sunday with $400,000 in payouts for top catches.

Like athletes in major league sports, anglers hook fans that line docks and fill waterways to get a peek at their favorite or simply take part in the sport.

Easterly said he watches the tournament on ESPN all the time and considers his table in the Westlake sports supply store prime real estate. There he can meet the pros that he watches on television.

Last year he was able to discuss jigs -- a type of bait anglers use -- with Mike Iaconelli, the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion. And the "Bill jig," handcrafted by Easterly himself, was used by Morizo Shimizu of Murrietta, Calif., who finished fifth in 2007, the last time the tournament was held at the lake.

"It's hard. These guys make it look easy," said Kevin Hodgson of Roanoke. Armed with a camera, Hodgson watched anglers from dry land Thursday, waiting for them to weigh their catch.

He was also trying for a peek at Iaconelli, his favorite angler, who finished 10th in the first day's rankings.

Having the tournament so close to home isn't just good entertainment for the weekend, but a learning experience, said Blaine Chitwood of Wirtz.

The 18-year-old has fished in other Bassmaster series before and is looking forward to this weekend when he can get on the lake and watch the anglers' styles and techniques.

Chitwood said he doesn't really have a favorite angler, but gets excited for the sport and the community.

"I root for them all to do well so they'll get an interest in the lake and want to come back," he said.

Many spectators are expected on the lake during the tournament, especially on Sunday when the competition field is whittled down to 12, said Scott Martin, Franklin County's director of commerce and leisure services.

While promising to give the anglers space, fans follow behind their favorite angler to witness catches not visible from land.

For the ultimate fan or eager learner, Bassmaster organizers offer BASS members a ride with anglers for $100.

Cody Pike, 16, has participated in numerous fishing tournaments and traveled from Richmond with his parents this week for a firsthand look at a professional angler at work.

Thursday he rode as a marshal with angler Tommy Biffle, who is fresh off a victory at the Evan Williams Bourbon Dixie Duels tournament in Alabama earlier this month.

"It was fun, I learned a lot," said Pike, who added that being able to spend all day outdoors would make him a fan of the sport even if he didn't compete.

Fans and enthusiasts lined the dock to watch anglers unload their catch and prepare for weigh-in.

When anglers stepped on the ESPN stage to get their first weight totals of the tournament Thursday afternoon, the audience listened as they described their day on the lake, what they caught and any hardships experienced along the way.

With the combination of warm weather and potential for big catches, county officials are prepared for up to 5,000 people to visit Franklin and Bedford counties this weekend.

The last time the region hosted the tournament in September 2007, about 3,000 people descended on communities surrounding the lake, Martin said.

An event like the Bassmaster tournament can add $1 million to $1.5 million to the local economy, Martin said.

But even more than the money, the event provides national exposure through television coverage that could produce long-term benefits for the area, he said.

Work to capture a 2009 stop resulted in a two-year contract, ensuring the series will return to Smith Mountain Lake in August 2010.