Bassmaster Classic 2008

Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic - Sunday Weigh-In

  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.
  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.
  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.
  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.
  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.
  • Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.

Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic with a total weight of 49 pounds, 7 ounces. Competitors spent three days fishing on Lake Hartwell in the morning and weighing their catches at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville in the evening. Jones finished more than 5 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Cliff Pace.



Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic Day 3

  • Spectators watch during sunrise as the competitors get ready to launch at Portman Marina for the last day of the Bassmaster Classic.
  • Scott Rook launches for Portman Marina on the last day of the Bassmaster classic.
  • A spectator drives in the middle of Lake Hartwell while following a competitor to a fishing spot early on Sunday morning.
  • A spectator watches from his boat as competitor Michael Iaconelli, right, who started Sunday in sixth place, fishes a few yards from a bank of Lake Hartwell.
  • Spectators in boats troll away from Portman Marina to watch the competitors launch on the last day of the Bassmaster Classic.
  • Fans watch from their boats as Alton Jones (not shown) fishes off of a bank in Lake Hartwell on Sunday morning.


Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic - Saturday Weigh-In

  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.
  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.
  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.
  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.
  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.
  • Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.

Alton Jones took the lead in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic after hauling in more than 18 pounds of fish on the second day of the competition. Fans filled the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville to watch as the competitors weighed their day's catch.



Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic Day 2

  • A large number of fans showed up early on Saturday morning at Portman Marina to watch the competitors in the Bassmaster Classic launch to start the second day of fishing.
  • Kevin Van Dam, right, who started Saturday morning in second place in the Bassmaster Classic, fishes a few yards away from the shore of Lake Hartwell.
  • Competitor Kelly Jordan speeds up after exiting the no wake zone at Portman Marina on Saturday mornings launch of the second day of fishing in the Bassmaster Classic.
  • Spectators watch as Kevin Van Dam, left, fishes near a bank on Lake Hartwell on Saturday morning. Van Dam started the morning in second place.
  • Fans lined up early in their boats at Portman Marina Saturday morning to watch the launch of the second day of the Bassmaster Classic.
  • With a light fog on Lake Hartwell, spectators in boats turned off their motors and stayed at least 150 feet away to watch competitors in the Bassmaster Classic.


Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic Last Practice Day

  • Fisherman participating in the Bassmaster fishing tournament this coming weekend at Lake Hartwell launched early Wednesday morning from Portman Marina in Anderson for scheduled practice.
  • Portman Marina was the site of an early-morning launch Wednesday for anglers participating in the last practice round of the Bassmaster Classic at Hartwell Lake.
  • Casey Ashley, of Donalds, SC, who is participating in this weekends Bass Masters Classic, practices in a cove of Lake Hartwell during a scheduled practice early Wednesday morning.
  • Steve Kennedy of Alabama watches from the launch ramp at Portman Marina as other Bassmaster Classic participants head into Hartwell Lake during the final day of practice for the $1.2 million purse. The 3-day classic begins Friday.
  • One person watches about 7:15 a.m. Wednesday as a single file of 50 boats heads into Hartwell Lake for the final practice day in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic. Competition in the 3-day, $1.2-million event begins with a launch at 7:15 a.m. Friday from Portman Marina in Anderson County.
  • Ted Everitt of Livingston, Tex., and Steve Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., relax in the parking lot of South Cove Park on Lake Keowee. Mr. Everitt's wife Angie and Mr. Wells' wife, Pam, are fishing partners for the first day of the Women's Bassmaster Tour championship on Lake Keowee.

The Bassmaster Classic practice started Wednesday morning at 7:15 am at Portman Marina in Anderson. For complete coverage see our special section at http://www.independentmail.com/bassmaster.



Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic 2008 Top 10 contenders

  • 1. Kevin VanDam. You always must give this Kalamazoo, Mich., angler a chance to win on any lake in the nation, at any time of the year. VanDam puts fish in his boat anywhere, at any time. He won two tournaments in 2007. There’s no lake where VanDam can’t win. He likes the kind of water he’ll find at Lake Hartwell, and he prefers cold-water fishing, since he understands catching bass in cold water. He loves casting lipless crankbaits, which might be the way this Classic will be won. VanDam doesn’t care what type of water he fishes. He’s won on Lake Lanier in Georgia, catching spotted bass and largemouths in deep, clear water, the type of conditions that describe this tournament. Most fishermen go into a tournament believing they’ve got to beat VanDam if they’re going to win.
  • 2. Boyd Duckett. You can’t count out this Demopolis, Ala., angler, who last year became the eighth rookie to win a Bassmaster Classic title. He won the Classic last year on Lay Lake in Alabama and has had a very good season this year. He knows how to find and catch spotted bass, he’s extremely focused, and he’s comfortable fishing in cold water. Nothing about Hartwell will bother Duckett. When a fisherman’s fishing as good as Duckett has fished, you have to give him a strong chance to win.
  • 3. Gary Klein. I reluctantly place this Weatherford, Texas, angler in the third position because Klein has a really solid shot to win. He would be a valid No. 1 pick, because he’s one of the most-seasoned Classic anglers out there. He basically has won a Classic, even though he’s never gotten the award. He was caught in a lock in one Classic, which caused him to lose, and he almost won another Classic. Klein has been close to winning so many times that all he needs is one break to win. In every Classic he fishes, he’s always in the top 10. Klein, along with the other two guys ranked above him, also is very versatile in his fishing. He’s a dynamite fisherman when drop-shot fishing. He also is very good with any kind of light-line fishing, yet he helped write the book on flipping with heavy line. Klein’s good at fishing a jig, but this tournament might be won on a drop shot. I will bet that Klein will catch a limit of bass every day of this Classic. He’ll be extremely competitive, even if he doesn’t win his first Classic this year.
  • 4. Casey Ashley. This Donalds, S.C., angler has fished this lake many times. He understands the lake and the fishing here. He knows the lake better than any of the top 10 anglers and probably anyone in the tournament. At age 24, he’s young, but he won a tournament at Smith Mountain in Virginia. He’s a very good jig fisherman, and jig fishing can win it on this lake. Ashley’s a really-good fisherman. Last year, Boyd Duckett proved that a hometown boy can win, so I definitely think Casey has a shot to win the 2008 Classic.
  • 5. Aaron Martens. This of Leeds, Ala., angler is a great finesse fisherman. He is excellent at catching limits of fish, if the water’s cold and clear and finesse fishing works. His strengths are drop-shot fishing and fishing the shaky-head worm and the jig. Martens, like those four picked here to finish ahead of him, will come in with limits of bass every day. All he has to do is come in with one or two big ones and he can win it. Last year, Boyd Duckett won the Classic because he caught a 7-pounder on the last day. Martens finished third for Angler-of-the-Year, so he’s a very consistent fisherman. Hartwell Lake will fall into a category of fishing he prefers: deep, clear-water fishing.
  • 6. Skeet Reese. This Auburn, Calif., pro was named Angler-of-the-Year for 2007. Therefore, he has proved that he is consistent. Even though only one Angler-of-the-Year has doubled-down and won the Classic, you have to give Reese a chance to win. He likes a crankbait, and he has lived by that lure this year. I’m not so sure that his crankbait pattern will help him this year on this lake, but at the 2007 Classic, Reese finished second behind Boyd Duckett. Reese will be able to get a good bite going, because he likes fishing cold water. He’ll bring the momentum of winning Angler-of-the-Year to this tournament. Betting against a winner is hard. Too, since Reese is from California, he has had tons of experience fishing cold, clear, clean water, the kind he will find at Hartwell. He also likes to fish for spotted bass. At the first of February, there was a 7-pound-plus spot caught at Hartwell. So watch out for Reese. He might steal this Classic.


Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic Photos

  • Competitors in the Bassmaster Classic will have to battle long-term weather patterns as the ongoing drought has left Hartwell Lake at about nine feet below its usual water level at this time of year.
  • A worker leaves an area of the parking lot at Portman Marina after helping lay new asphalt there Monday. The marina will serve as the launch point for competitors in this weekend's Bassmaster Classic.
  • Walt Curry of Clemson casts his line into Hartwell Lake from under a bridge on S.C. 24 Monday. Forecasted rain and wind could make fish less likely to bite, causing frustration for competitors in this weekend's Bassmaster Classic.
  • Mike Wurm of Hot Springs, Ark. shows off a bass in his sponsor boat. Mr. Wurm will compete in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic on Hartwell Lake this weekend.
  • People stay on Hartwell Lake's shore on Monday as winds of about 20 miles per hour and runoff from recent rains create a poor fishing environment. Friday, 50 participants begin a 3-day competition for a $1.2 million purse in the Bassmaster Classic.
  • Charles Murphy, right, and Bobby Rhodes, both of Hendersonville, N.C., show off nearly 29 pounds of bass boated Friday in a Fish The Fall Team Tournament on Lake Keowee. The catch is believed to be one of the largest single-day tournament catches on the lake since it was impounded in 1971.

Anderson Independent-Mail staff photos



Full gallery »Bassmaster Classic Contributed Photos

  • Don and Diana Mabry live on lake Hartwell and like everyone else they are excited about the Bassmaster Classic. 'It is great for all of us and the surrounding counties. We really like Kevin Van Dam (KVD) he is a real class act, so much so we put up this banner on our dock to show our appreciation.'.


Full gallery »Bassmasters Classic 1st day practice


Participants in the Bassmasters Classic for ESPN2 on February 22 through 24, 2008 cruised with their boats around Hartwell Lake Tuesday February 12, 2008 for their first day of practice. First year classic participant Jay Fuller of Kingston, Oklahoma came back to Portman Marina loading dock exited about the largemouth bass biting. "It's awesome out there," he exclaimed. "I caught quality, four-five pounders," he added. Despite the lower lake levels, he said there is plenty of lake to fish on.




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