BASSMaster Classic Anglers Already In Town

The Bass Masters Classic on the Red River is still more than 2 months away, yet some of the anglers are already braving the cold waters, looking to rule out some of the immense river system and to hone in on some of the more promising "hot spots".  

According to BassMaster.com, Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Arkansas could be among the top finishers at this year's tournament, as he's a self-proclaimed "river rat" and lives less than 3 hours away.  Others like Jamie Horton, who's in town now, are convinced that research and preparation will be vital in their efforts.  710 KEEL radio's Angela Thomas, spoke with Horton, the 2011 BASS Federation Champion from Alabama, and he says he’s staying through the weekend. He decided to wait to pre-fish for the tournament til this colder time of year because it’s closer to what February temperatures will be.

He says the water early next year will be on a warming trend, so the fish will be more active than they are now. Horton says the anglers who have been in town this week aren’t as concerned about CATCHING fish as they are about scoping out the areas where they might WANT to fish…and figuring out how to best get to them. The anglers will be competing for a $500,000 prize February 24th through 26th. We’ll bring you more about the 2012 BassMaster Classic as we get closer.