Classic 2003 New Orleans

Classic 2003
New Orleans, LA
Mississippi River Delta

My trip
By Karl Guegold

Well from the beginning it truly was a dream come true from the drive down to the final time spent at the sports show.

The drive down was quite fun, thanks to my wife, with a stop in Kentucky to visit Mammoth Cave, which was a stop to allow the kids to stretch and get out of the truck for a while. We decided to give the two-hour two-mile tour a try, and I was very glad we did. It was very informative and interesting. Ben and McKenna both made it through without being carried. Take their advice and take a coat. It was chilly down in the cavern after being in the heat of a summer afternoon. After a stop at a nice hotel we had planned to make another stop the second day. Birmingham Alabama Zoo was a nice diversion with several different animals than we have at the Columbus Zoo; it made for an interesting stop too.

I give my wife credit for helping keep the butterflies under control for the beginning of the trip.

We arrived in New Orleans and checked into our room at the Hyatt Regency Monday night, a day earlier than required. I was glad that my wife suggested that because we needed that to settle in with the kids and also I needed time to get tackle ready.

Tuesday morning, I had to take my tackle to the boat yard (10 rods and reels and two tackle organizers) before the official check-in. There was also a sponsor briefing and boat orientation scheduled after check-in.

The nicest thing about this day was the very friendly gesture by a pro I met in the hall on the way to check-in. The pro was Ishama Monroe. He noticed that I was wearing a Skeeter polo shirt and asked if I was a Yamaha / Skeeter contestant. Then he invited me to come to the Yamaha Pro meeting and introduce me to some of the Yamaha Staff and the other pros. That was when I started to get nervous. I was sitting there and in came Roger Boler, Jay Yellas, Harold Allen and the rest of the Yamaha pros in the tournament. I started to sweat a little at this point. But after being introduced to the staff, I was told I was supposed to be there. WOW! I was supposed to be there! Thanks Boat Boys! They proceeded to give me the same things the PROs were getting. Talk about a proud moment. During the meeting they told us the theme for the tournament was “Feel The Pressure” geared after their new 1000-psi fuel injection and the pressure to perform in the tournament. I can honestly say I was “feeling the pressure!” Many thank to Ish Monroe for being so friendly!

Well check-in was fairly standard, but the sponsor walk-through was a neat thing. We walked along and met the sponsor reps and owners. All competitors received gifts, including a new suitcase, soft-sided coolers, belt buckle, plaques, hat bag, and a neat little organizer for MMC cards, measuring boards and other fun things!

After check in they walked us through the boat operation and SOSpender operation.

Then off to the evening riverboat cruise on the Cajun Queen presented by the State of Louisiana, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and Jefferson Parish.

On the riverboat cruise I met up with some of the other federation anglers who qualified through the Tuscaloosa tournament along with me. I had dinner with Jerry Shawver and Tom Hamlin one of the Pros from Georgia. The cruise was pretty short to allow the anglers the chance to get back to their rooms to get things ready.

Practice Day

The water had been off-limits to the Classic fisherman since March 1^st with exception of the official pre-practice week the first of July. Anglers, who qualified for the Classic after that date, had only two opportunities to learn the water and find the fish, an official practice week in late June and the one practice day prior to the tournament.

The practice day went as a practice day can go, with a 260 mile round trip it didn’t leave much time for fishing. After covering two areas and only finding one small fish, I didn’t feel comfortable with the area, even though several other notable Pros were fishing nearby.

Stopping on the way back in, I thought I had found an area close to the launch with a lot of baitfish activity and even some fish busting them. I missed one bass that hit on a spinnerbait. I guessed that they were small fish, but decided to take that chance rather than running all the way to Venice and only having 3 hours to fish an area where I lacked confidence.

Contender Autograph Session/ Kids Classic

One word to describe it—COOL! I sat in between Shaw Grigsby and Greg Hackney for the autograph session. To be signing autographs sitting beside the living legends of the sport was a real privilege. I signed shirts, magazines, hats, oars, posters and just about anything else the people had with them.

Then we were off to the Red Fish Grill for some great food and a place for the media to talk to us. Not many wanting to talk to me (this time!) so I tried to talk to some of the other pros when they were not busy. Great Cajun food!

It was a great event and a huge show, with all the leading companies and organizations who support Bass fishing – all the BASS sponsors and more. I met some of the representatives from Skeeter, Yamaha, Navionics, Berkley, Motor Guide, Lowrance , Rugged Shark,and Crown Royal. We saw the new boat models, talked to a lot of people and even had the chance to sign some more autographs! I mentioned Crown Royal mainly because I found out that a good friend of mine, Rob Strader, had just signed on as one of their Pros and was very excited about his new opportunities.

First Competition Day

I still had the feeling that the area around the ramp would be the ticket for a limit, but the fish were not there, not active or something? I spent about four hours in this area. I think they were still there but I could not get them to bite. There was the possibility that they were hit by the hustle tournament that goes out on Wednesday nights. I left that area and went to another section just north of Lake Salvador that had produced a few fish in the pre-practice. When I arrived I found that the water level was down and the area where I had previously caught fish was out of the water. I couldn’t get a bite anywhere in the surrounding areas. One short and maybe two other bites I was still lost.

Waiting to come in to the stadium at the weigh-in, I was praying I would not have to go in last without any fish. Luckly, I was second to last. Even without a bag of fish, the weigh-in was a kick. They had music playing and my name in flashing lights around the arena. I had a great cheering section between my family, my friends, my buddies from OBCF and, of course, the Boat Boys (who some how were shooting pictures from the media area – go figure!). I’m sure I would have appreciated it more with a few nice fish!

Up on Stage Fish Fishburne was his typical ornery self, but he only gave me a bit of grief. I told him I still felt like I was in practice mode – trying to learn the water – and will probably try something new in a completely different area.

Day Two and the Last for Me

A New day and a new area. I decided to try another area a little closer than Venice but not as close as the first day. I made the run to Lake Bouef a fifty minute boat ride and after about 4 hours I figured out they had sprayed for the vegetation and knowing that was not good for the fish I left that area without a bite. The clues were there like the milfoil being a little soiled and more open water even with the dropped water level but I was not reading them until I had fished for to long in lake Bouef!

I made my way out into the Lake Des Alemands area and started to do what I like to call speed fishing just trying to find something, the word skunk (not weighing a fish) was starting to weigh heavy on my mind.

After what I called power fishing down into the narrows between Lake Des Alemands and Lake Salvador I had a fish show itself by coming to the surface to feed and 4 casts later with my Kistler Flipping Stick, Shimano reel, 20lb Trilene Big Game and homemade jig tipped with a Venom Trailer and trailer hook I had a keeper in the boat and it was a quality one. With only about an hour left to fish and storms blowing in I settled in this area and managed two other quality fish. The fish weighed in at 8 pound 4 ounces and was a respectable catch for the day but it was to little to late. I wonder if I would have given myself another hour or so there what might have happened.

Knowing that it was a far reach to make the cut with what I had I still hoped that there would be a way to make the cut. NOT!

When they pulled me in to the arena in my Skeeter / Yamaha, being the first to weigh was really cool , you could here the crowd getting worked up, screaming and yelling. Getting those fish out of the live well and getting the Yamaha cheerleaders to yell was very exciting. Then Fish Fishbourne having me walk the larger fish around the stage to show it of was a real treat and makes you feel really proud.

The experience was well worth it and I hope I can compete in the Classic and on these waters again someday!

Saturday evening

An Alliance media event was scheduled for the evening and was a nice time to meet some more of the sponsors and there support groups. Very interesting was the speech by the Federation Champion Jerry Shawver asking for help to resolve any of the conflicts with the Federation and ESPN/BASS.

The Last Day

I had the chance to spend some time with my wife and kids in the morning. We went to breakfast at Café du Monde and ate something called Beignets. (Very good! I recommend these!) Then I spent the rest of the day at the Skeeter and Yamaha booths signing autographs and talking to the people at the show.

To be watching from the Lily Pad area right in front was kind of neat. I don’t think there would have been a better seat it the house without being one of the fisherman who made the cut. The pre-show was quite and event and I was pleased to get to see some of that and when you look around on that final day and realize who some of the other fisherman that didn’t make the cut where you don’t feel as bad. There truly were some of the legends of the sport in the same boat.

After the final weigh-in and some more time at the show I went to the Champions Toast and talked to several of the pros and congratulated Mike!

Wow did I feel privileged to be a part of this!

I want to thank God who with him all things are possible

My wife would be my number one sponsor with a great deal of patience, love and support.

A lot of friends who have given me support either with fishing information, baits or just fantastic moral support.

Venom Lures,
Kistler Custom Rods,
www.Anglertech.com
Ohio BASS Chapter Federation & www.ohiobass.org
Bass Station,
Navionics,
And
Berkley - Pure Fishing

Thanks are due ESPN BASS and to their sponsors for the tournament. Citgo, Busch, Chevy Trucks, Mercury, Triton, Skeeter boats, Yamaha motors, Kumho Tires Flowmaster, Berkley, Diamond Cut, Abu Garcia, MotorGuide, Bank One, Progressive, Jefferson Tourism, State of Louisiana, Greater new Orleans Sports Foundation, G3 and Bryant.