Usually I do ALL the baits of the Classic, but this time for whatever reason could not make that happen. So here's most of the top 25 – quick turnaround, a lotta guys still driving so hope to get anyone I missed in the next one.
Regular BB will be at ya Thurs or Fri plus a new Sea Foam Top 5 of the Week vid! 🤙
Startin' this off with the old but still rockin' tune by Sweet – "Fox on the Run." That's for you Seth Feider! 😁
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry bout that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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How Justin Hamner won his first Bassmaster tourney
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That's right, his first and what a tourney to have it be your first! But seems like he was headed thataway anyway. The way he'd been fishing – basically 3 top 10s and 4 top 20s in his last 8 Elite events, including a 3rd at the most recent one – looked like he was about to come out on top.
So I guess it's not a huge surprise he won this Classic. Pretty dang cool, here's how it went down.
Going in and practice
> "I had a lot going on in my mind about what I wanted to target. I had an idea about how the lake would set up. I thought it would be more of a LiveScoping deal...chasing them around with the Damiki...[fish] chasing bait, suspended fish.
> "...every lake it seems like this time of year you can still find those pre-spawn fish out there feeding on the shad and bait out in the middle. Especially at Grand, it felt like it hadn't been the dominant thing, kinda like at Toledo Bend. You don't really hear about it on those lakes and I felt like we were about to expose that.
> "About half a day to a day into practice, I realized that was not going to be the case. I realized that lake is the trash fish capital of the world – so many drum, carp, catfish and white bass. It's unreal the amount of fish in that lake. To be able to decipher what was a bass and what wasn't would waste way more time....
> "I switched gears. I knew I was going to be targeting brushpiles and docks and laydowns, and wanted clearer water to be able to utilize a jerkbait and stuff like that a little bit more.
> "I wanted to find the coldest water I could. I wanted to find as pre-spawn a fish as I could. I know everybody wants to find the warmer water, the fish moving up to spawn. But I hate the instability of that. When fish are trying to make that decision, it gets too unreliable for me. I wanted the most consistent and reliable fish and...still feeding up."
Tournament
> Day 1: "It was very calm. Kinda partly cloudy and super slick calm. I went to one of the creeks – a really deep creek, way deeper than any other creek. That's why it had coldest water, I believe.
> "There was absolutely zero bait in there on day 1. I was literally just going down the bank throwing a jerkbait and a jig, targeting laydowns and docks, stuff like that. I was watching my jerkbait on LiveScope, seeing if anything reacted to my bait so I could tell if it was a bass or not.
> "I never was targeting specific fish – there were just too many. I cast my jerkbait to whatever looked good...if I saw any fish react to it, react like a bass in a positive way, I would have to make multiple casts to it to get it to bite.
> "What really shocked me was how many bass were actually in that creek. It was kind of nuts.
> "I love to fish fast, but I stayed in that one little creek arm that was 300 yards long from takeoff to almost 12:00."
He said he fished the jig on laydowns and skipped it behind docks, and it accounted for 1 of his weigh fish that day.
> Day 2: "A little bit of wind was blowing right into the end of that pocket, and I thought it would just be phenomenal. It blew the bait into that creek...so much bait in there, the fish were feeding on it, even schooling. But I could not get them to bite at all. That had completely ruined it somehow. How does that makes sense?
> "I tried doing the Damiki stuff and nothing. They did not even pay attention. I caught a bunch of little ones just going down the bank, paralleling a bluff wall...I had to leave that area.
> "I went to Horse Creek at about 10-10:30 and started fishing brushpiles. The ones I was targeting were a lot shallower than I think most guys were fishing – in that 4-8' range.
> "I couldn't see the fish at all [on FFS]. I couldn't see the bass. There would just be a massive wad of fish in every pile. I'd throw the jerkbait in there, and all the trash fish would scatter out. If a bass was there and kind of reacted to it, I'd make multiple casts to it.
[Many times he made a bunch of casts but the fish wouldn't trigger.]
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> "...one little pile – literally looked like 2 little twigs on LiveScope – 2 blobs were in it. My first cast over there, both of them went straight to [the jerkbait]. The first one got it – it was a 5-02. I put it in the livewell, get back up – the other one had went back to the little sticks. I threw in there and got hung. I had to get it off and felt like I messed it up.
> "I kept on going [down the bank] and was about to go but said, 'Let me check that one fish again.' My first cast I caught it – it was a 5-01. Whoever sank those 2 little sticks, thank you.
> "It was little things like that all week. It was so Randy Howell [his Classic win] – he was going to that other place, then turned around halfway thru his drive and went back to Spring Creek. That 2nd 5-lber...had 1 hook...99% of the time that that fish is going to come off.
> "The bigger piles – don't know if everybody been fishing them, but I never could catch those fish. I might get a few of them to follow it, but I couldn't get them to eat. I fished [piles] that were shallower and smaller. Where those 2 big ones were it was like 3'."
He also fished the Yo-Zuri 3DB MR crankbait, the "autobass," and caught a bunch of fish on it but no weigh fish.
> "The last day was probably the craziest day [it was super windy]. I tried to start at the front side of that island in Horse where I caught them on those brushpiles. But the wind was blowing directly into it and I couldn't fish it.
> "I went to the next little pocket that was protected with a bunch of brushpiles, but apparently that's where Adam [Rasmussen, 2nd] had been fishing...stuff I thought I was saving. So I found the only protected water I could behind the island. I'd never seen it before. I put the trolling motor down and started going through there, looking around for those brushpiles.
> "My biggest fish came on the jig in one of those piles. ...got a decent limit, then decided to run back to the creek I caught them out of day 1. When I got in there, all of the bait was gone again and I started catching them pretty quick. But the size wasn't there like it had been. I caught 2 of them I weighed in there on the jerkbait.
> "When I was coming back in, the cameraman told me I needed to pick up [Bassmaster on-air guy] Robbie Floyd at the bridge, It was so windy I gave myself a couple extra minutes. I had about 8-9 minutes before I had to check in, so I pulled over to a random stretch of docks [and started fishing]. Robbie said, 'You only have 5 minutes....' I kicked the trolling motor on high and threw on one of those docks...one about takes the rod outta my hand. It was one of the biggest ones I caught all day, on a ChatterBait.
> "I hadn't caught a fish on a ChatterBait all week. It was wild. Turns out I didn't even need that fish."
Baits
> Jerkbait: Unnamed deep-diving jerkbait (you can tell what it was, shad color, full size) with #6 Duo Realis trebles (the ones a lot of tour pros swear by – they are a little heavier), 12- and 14-lb Yo-Zuri T7 Fluoro, Daiwa Zillion Reel, 7' MH Halo Scott Canterbury Cranking Rod.
> He said looooong casts were key with the jerkbait, and trusting that line shallow around wood was a big deal.
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> Hardcore Minnow Flat (ghost pearl shad) – Fished it in the super-shallow pockets, not around brush, with the same gear. Caught a bunch of fish but no weigh fish.
> BaitFuel Stick – "It's almost like ChapStick. It's made for hardbaits. That stuff is awesome. I went through 2 tubes of it. For the fish that constantly follow that jerkbait.... So many times I've seen it where they follow it and follow it, then I put [BaitFuel] on there and the next cast they eat it. It's pretty crazy. It happened a lot at Fork too."
> Jigs: 1/2-oz skipping jig (gp with a gp trailer) and a 3/8-oz finesse jig (gp with red/orange strands) with a NetBait Mini Kicking B (gp), 20-lb Yo-Zuri T7 Fluoro for the skipping jig and 16-lb for the finesse jig, 7' 2" MH Halo KS II Elite Rod.
> Yo-Zuri 3DB MR crankbait (real brown crawfish) – Also a bunch of fish but no weigh fish, same setup as the jerkbait.
> 1/2-oz Z-Man ChatterBait Elite EVO (bama craw) with a Netbait Mini Kicking B (watermelon red magic), 20-lb Yo-Zuri T7 Fluoro, 7' 3" MH Halo Lee Livesay HFX Rod.
Electronics
> Garmin LiveScope – "I used FFS basically to identify the structure. I was not targeting specific fish with it, only seeing how the fish reacted to my bait to tell whether it was a bass or not. Then I would make multiple cats to that structure to see if there was a bass in it. Those drum were tricky."
> "I side-scanned a lot in practice to find the majority of those brushpiles. Wish I'd have done it a little bit more, but I didn't think the brushpile deal would be much of a player.
> "...using the 2D, I was riding around these areas on pad...was able to start marking bait on these areas while actually being able to cover water...to know which areas I wanted to hit."
Shout-outs
> "My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Trusting in Him throughout my whole journey, from my wife letting me quit my job just to chase silly green fish and having faith the whole way that everything's going to be alright. That's what made this so special.
> "The Bass Tank – they're the ones who rig all my electronics. I drive all the way to OK to do it. They really are that good. He is OCD about everything being perfect and I love it.
> "X2Power Batteries – I made the switch [from AGM to lithium] this year. To be honest with you, I just didn't trust lithiums. After talking with all [the other X2 pros, all of whom run lithiums]I switched over.
> "Yo-Zuri has been with me – all of these companies are the first ones that gave me a chance when I just got started...a nobody, and I haven't changed sponsors this whole time. I've added a few along the way, but these guys have stuck with me."
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5 Qs with the 1st-time champ
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1. Is the N in your last name now silent? 😁
> "Absolutely! I don't know – I don't like talking about myself. I'm fine with 'Hamner Time.' But I am from AL – we can't pronunciate anything."
2. After Hank Cherry won 2 Classics on a jerkbait, were you like: Hey I can do that!
> "I've never been more jealous of watching somebody win a Bassmaster Classic than watching him jerk on that riprap at Guntersville. Oh my goodness, absolutely."
3. Why was a Classic your first Bassmaster win?
> "If you're gonna do it, you gotta do it big!" [Laughs]
4. The only other Classic you fished was Hartwell in 2022. You finished 4th. Are you a big-game gamer or a cold-water guy or both?
> "The honest truth I think is what I'm starting to figure out...about halfway through the season last year, I was finally able to quit my lawncare business and start focusing on fishing full-time...not having the stress of having to requalify and all the points.
> "The Classic the first time [at Hartwell] – that was the first tournament where the points did not matter and I could just freely fish. I feel like I just trusted myself more...being able to make those gut decisions.
> "I feel like I've been doing that since halfway through last year."
[He ended last season with a 17th, 21st and 8th, and had an 19th and 8th that season as well. This year he finished 14th and 3rd in the first 2 Elite and now got his first win.]
5. At what point did you think you were going to win the big show?
> "Day 1, after I caught that 2nd fish that was 5 [plus]. That was pretty wild.
> "I did 3 podcasts the week before the Classic, and I said on every one of them that I was going to win. Mercer, Alex Rudd and the Serious Angler podcast – all 3 of them had this clip of me saying I was gonna win the Classic. I don't know why I said that. I've never been one to act like that or do stuff like that. I have no idea."
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Bonus Q: How much of your motivation was Gussy taking that trophy hostage to a foreign country last year? 😆
> "Oh my goodness, There's no way we can leave the Bassmaster Classic in hostile territory like this. Canadians are so mean and vicious, we couldn't leave it like that. This was for America. [He cracked up.]
> "Gosh I tell you – Cooper Gallant is going to be a handful. I know the Johnston brothers are, obviously Gussy won the Classic – we gotta watch out for Cooper. That dude's serious."
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6: Cory Johnston
> 1/2-oz 6th Sense Hybrid Jig (gp) with a 6th Sense Bongo (gp), 20-lb Seaguar Tatsu fluoro, Daiwa Tatula Pitch/Flip Reel (8:1), 7' 5" Daiwa Tatula Elite signature Small Jig Rod. "1-6' – wood, docks."
> 6th Sense PD4 Pressure Crank Flatside (wild lava craw, green threadfin), 12-lb Seaguar Tatsu fluoro, Daiwa Tatula Elite Reel (7:1), 7' 2" Daiwa Tatula Elite Small Crank Rod. "Cranking a lot of different rock in 1-6' – any rock in the mouths of pockets."
7: Kyle Patrick
> "I caught every fish on the Missile Baits Ike’s Head Banger Jig they came out with at the Classic. The skirt is hand-tied by Greenfish Tackle. Greenfish has the Little Rubber Jig (hot sauce) that I used as well throughout the event. Both of the jigs I used 3/4-oz because I like to be able to maintain bottom contact while dragging the jig faster, rather than having to slowly move it to keep it on the bottom.
> "I fished chunk rock and pea gravel on 45-degree banks as well as 90-degree banks. The fish on day 1 were in 8-12'. Days 2-3 they moved up shallow and it was easier to pinpoint where they were sitting because you could target banks that had a chunk rock to pea gravel transition and almost guarantee a bite.
> "I used a Missile Baits Chunky D (bruiser flash) on one of the 3/4-oz jigs. When I felt like they were short-striking it, I would trim the skirt way down and use a very small craw-style trailer in purple/blue flake."
> 22-lb Sunline fluoro, KastKing Deadbolt Reel, Douglas 745F XMatrix Rod.
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8: Hank Cherry
> 3/8-oz jig (AL craw) with a BassMooch Pig Tail (gp red), 20-lb fluoro, Shimano SLX Reel (7.2), 7' 3" MHF Level NGX Rod.
> 3/8-oz Z-Man JackHammer (BHite delight) with various trailers, 20-lb fluoro, Shimano SLX Reel (8.2), 7' 2" MH Mod Level NGX Rod.
> "1-4' of water behind docks and around scattered wood north of the takeoff in stained water."
9: Shane LeHew
> Berkley Stunna Jerkbait (Table Rock) with #7 treble hooks, 15-lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluoro, Abu Garcia Zenon X Reel (6.8), 6’ 10” M Mod Abu Garcia Winch Jerkbait Rod.
> Berkley Squarebull crankbait (ghost red craw), 10-lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluoro, Abu Garcia Zenon X Reel (6.8), 7' 2" M Abu Garcia Pro Series Shane LeHew Crankbait Rod.
> "Docks for the jerkbait, mainly the crossbars. Cranked rock on transition banks where the rock type changed, or the sides of points."
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13: Bryant Smith
> Strike King 3XD (chili bowl), 10-lb fluoro, Lew's Custom Pro Reel, 6' 10" MF Alpha Angler Slasherlite Rod.
> "I was targeting rock transitions on channel-swing banks anywhere from 2-10' of water."
15: Matt Arey
> "I cranked up a bunch, but my main bait was 1/2-oz hand-tied jig (gp blue) with various gp trailers – a regular chunk and a craw." 17-lb P-Line Tactical Fluoro, Bass Pro CarbonLite Reel (7:1), 7' 6" H Pulse Fish Matt Arey Signature Slack Liner Rod.
> "Transition banks leading into spawning pockets where the deepest water swung up against the bank leading into spawning pockets. Rock transitions were the primary deal."
16: Easton Fothergill
> 3/4-oz Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig (blue craw) with a Strike King Rage Menace, 17-lb Strike King Contra Flouro, Lew's Hypermag Reel (7.5), 7’ 3" M Mod F Lew's Elite Rod.
> Megabass Magdraft with a #1 Ryugi Pierce Treble Hook, 15-lb Strike King Contra Flouro, same reel, same rod.
> "Flipped the jig behind shallow boat docks and also steep channel-swing banks. Threw the Magdraft on small windblown rock points with immediate deep-water access."
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22: Brandon Palaniuk
> "I spent most of my week 'floating' or 'feathering' my crankbait through rock transitions in 2-4' that met up with a contour change on my LakeMaster chart. As it would come in contact with the rocks, I would create a series of pauses, reel-handle turns and pulls of the rod that would move the crankbait across each rock. This is deadly in the spring compared to just reeling and letting the bait deflect of the rocks. It keeps better bottom contact and is less aggressive.
> "My main weapon was the Megabass Z2 in 'wild craw' (front bait). I swapped out the trebles to #6 BKK Spear 71-SS Trebles and fished it on 12-lb Seaguar Tatsu on a Daiwa Zillion SV Reel (7.1) and an Alpha Angler Rebound Rod.
> "The other crankbait is a Megabass Sonicside (matte green craw) with #2 BKK Spear 71-SS Trebles. Same line, rod and reel."
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24: Bryan Schmitt
> "I had 2 players for my bigger fish."
> Missile D Bomb (el diablo), 4/0 959 Hayabusa Worm Hook, 5/16-oz Reins Tungsten Weight, 20-lb P-Line fluoro, Fitzgerald VLD 10 Reel (8.2), 7' 3" H Fitzy Stunner Rod.
> "My key with that was anything wood – any piece of wood, laydown, anything shallow, 4' or less. Anything I came across that I needed little heavier line for, a little gnarlier cover. Also behind docks, over cables."
> Missile Mini Magic Worm (gp money) with a Floatzilla Firetail (chartreuse), 3/16-oz shakey head, 10-lb P-Line braid to 12-lb P-Line fluoro, Fitzy Stunner Spin Reel, 7 2 MH Fitzy Vursa Spin Rod.
> "...some real spawners in the upper Wolf [Creek] area. If I got into calm pockets and a piece of wood was isolated and shallow, 1.5' or less, I would make multiple casts with that. Several times I would get bit after several slow presentations. It wasn't sight-fishing but felt like that's what was going on."
25: Chris Johnston
We had bad reception so if I got any of this wrong I apologize. Said his fish were 50/50 jig and squarebill:
> 3/8-oz SPRO CJ Flip Jig (gp) with a Menace (gp), 20-lb Seaguar Tatsu fluoro, Daiwa Tatula Elite Reel (8.1), 7' 5" H Daiwa Tatula Elite Small Jig Rod.
> "3' or less, any piece of wood and behind docks. Wood mixed in back there was definitely key."
> SPRO Outsider SR55 (river gold), 12-lb Seaguar Tatsu fluoro, Daiwa Tatula Elite Reel (7:1), 7' 2" M Daiwa Tatula Elite Brent Ehrler glass rod.
> "Same areas – 3' or less between docks and behind cables...different rocky shorelines. They were eating it good the first 2 hours of the morning...covering water."
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"Morgantown’s newest reservoir is now home to 25 largemouth bass...."
Whoa that's like 5x better than NJ – get after 'em WV peeps! 🤣 Talking about the not yet open Flegal Rez. Quote from here.
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest stuff in bassin', hand-picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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