Stiles chooses risky area to go for the big ones
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But when you’re one of 61 anglers, vying for a $200,000 payday as the Bassmaster Classic champion, there’s just no time to wait around for a bite.
Local fisherman Tommy Stiles has a plan for this year’s Classic, which begins today in the Louisiana Delta, but realizes he’ll need a good bit of luck — and a speedy boat — to find success.
“Everybody’s going to be making really, really long runs to get to quality fishing,” said Stiles, who has decided to fish the Caernarvon area of the delta. “It’s 2 1/2 hours just to get to where I’m fishing, so out of an 8 1/2-hour day, that’s five hours I’ll be spending on the run in my boat.”
Caernarvon, one of four areas of the Louisiana Delta which make up the 500 square miles that will test this year’s field, is considered by experts the most risky area.
An analysis of the area by Bassmaster.com experts recalled the 2001 Classic, during which Tennessee pro angler Dwayne Horton opted to fish Caernarvon. After two days of the three-day event, Horton found himself in 10th place. But rough weather on the final day of competition cost him dearly, as the run to Caernarvon itself took over half the day, forcing Horton to turn back without any fish just to reach the weigh-in on time. As a result, a possible top 10 finish turned into 22nd place.
McMinnville’s representative in this year’s Classic realizes the chance he’s taking with such a long run, and said he has a backup plan in place.
“If the day’s going to be a normal day, and the weather’s going to be calm, (Caernarvon’s) where I’m going,” he said. “But if the weather doesn’t cooperate, I’ve got to go somewhere else, because I just wouldn’t have time to get there and back.”
Stiles and the rest of this year’s field practiced in the area five weeks ago, checking different parts of the Delta. It was during that practice Stiles opted to fish Caernarvon, but will the fish still there five weeks later?
Stiles said he can only roll the dice, and hope they are.
“Since then, there’s been a tropical storm come through here, and the water levels have changed,” he said. “Fish are a lot like people, they don’t like to stay in one place for too long.
“We get one day of practice Wednesday to check out the areas we liked, and hope the fish are still there.”
It’s a gamble that can mean the difference between taking home a six-figure payoff and coming up empty.