What I learned from the Classic

[joedog]

If you want to learn a lot, visit the WAR Room during next tournament.

Ok the technical things I learned.
The anglers DO NOT sandbag!
The Marshall's estimate the weights and there is only ONE rule, the angler CAN NOT tell the Marshall what weight to put.
The Bass Trax is in the Marshals boat, not the anglers.
Most anglers don't like the Bass Trax system. gives away alot of information not only about location but based on 'where' they are fishing tells you a lot about 'what' they are fishing.

Vast majority of tourneys on the Grand are won using the 'alabama rig'.
I can only tell you that not allowing the Alabama rig brought GREAT excitement to the final weigh-in if not the whole tournament.
Most of the Pros HATE throwing the Alabama rig. They do feel the 'Elite Series' should stand up to a stronger ethic or rules.
Only the Elite Series disallows the rig and I agree with the decision.
This year NO multiple lure rigs allowed, no double fluke, no drop shot with a jig as weight, one line, one pole, one lure.

The anglers go to great lengths to hide that special color or lure.
To the extent of putting a different lure in the fishes mouth before a pic is taken. As with the photo with Ike and his catches lure in it's mouth didn't have a line tied to it.

Fronts on cold water lakes works the opposite of a Front on a warm water BOW. Many an angler knows this but RARELY is it talked about.
A quick water temp increase can shut down the bite just like a cold front in Florida shuts the bite down. "This may have been the most informative thing I learned."

I've always believed that small tweaks are BIG money makers.
The War Room solidified this for me. Anglers using a blue jerk or silver/black back jerk were doing a lot better than the traditional 'greens' that the MAJORITY were fishing.
WiggleWarts were kind of written off on Grand even though they are BIG on Lake Fork and others.
We see how that thought worked.
Even though traditional thought and past success figured this lure wouldn't be a good choice.

And I re-learned how tough and how much effort goes into being the BEST!
How much WORK is involved in being a PRO.
How many of you would/could make 800-1000 casts three 8 hr days in a row and continue doing the same thing after getting 6-8 bites, not catches, BITES?
How many would go against popular thought and do what they felt would work and again stick to it?
Wiggle Wart was discussed early and kind of written off by popular thought. Wiggle is BIG on Lake fork but not on the Grand.
It doesn't matter how many electronic gadgets you got, hydro-wave included, it still comes down to execution. Kevin was a great example of this.
Guys sleeping in Tundras and planning on doing the same in the future even though they are the 'elite'.
Anglers unhappy with their performance based strictly on how the public would view their sponsors.
How loyal to the sponsors the pros are. I've never heard the NASCAR drivers spend the majority of their speech talking sponsors.