Big Bait Wishes and Caviar Dreams

When I walked down the docks prior to blast-off at the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, I saw lots of swimbaits on the decks of the competitors’ boats. With his permission, I even blogged about the fact that Rick Morris had 16 rods out of the locker, three of them with big guns ready to blaze.

Alas, despite my wishes expressed that day and at other times, the Classic was not won on a swimbait. It was won on a crankbait (which crank or cranks is, however, still subject to debate). In four days on the water in a camera boat, the other angler I saw throwing the big bait for an extended period of time was Fred Roumbanis, who finished 21st.

Indeed, we have yet to have the swimbait play a role in a Classic victory, although Chris Zaldain gave it a valiant try last year before ultimately stumbling on Day Three. Zaldain, you might say, has a score to settle with the Classic, Guntersville, and the big bait gods.

So once again I will hope against hope that a big bait claims the crown.

I realize that the odds are against it. The water is likely dirtier than normal, and it’s a particularly tough bite to maintain for three days. On the other hand, the field has more young guns than over, anglers who weren’t as likely raised with a prejudice against the new big stuff.

If it is won that way, we’ll have more footage than ever of the winner slinging it, which means that he’ll have to come clean. That might not present the same opportunity for an angler’s financial gain -- since many of the best-known swimbait producers are still effectively garage shops or not far from it -- but it may create a mad rush for some lucky but overwhelmed manufacturer.

Furthermore, B.A.S.S. could change the slogan from “Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams.” To “Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams. Big Baits.”