to have the opportunity to win on the last day. That is what we’re always thinking about during that event.
Because of that, the first day of the event, I scratched my practice and went up the river somewhere I had never been before and practiced again. I was taking a chance to find the right size fish. The ones I was on were in the 15-pound range and I didn’t think that would be enough.
In the end, that was not a good decision; because, no one else caught them very well either and 15- to 17-pounds a day was all it took to win. The first day I was down because of the decision; so, the next day, I went back to the areas that I had practiced on and found that a couple of anglers with 15- to 16-pounds the first day were fishing there. I kicked myself for that one.
Even so, I thought I would make the 25-cut; but when Mark Davis weighed, he bumped me out by an ounce and I was the first one out of the cut. I didn’t fish on Sunday.
Instead of competing the final day, I worked the Classic Expo. It set records for attendance. I got to meet a lot of fans, take a lot of pictures and sign autographs. That is always great to do for our fans; but as a competitor, every angler wants to have the chance to fish on Sunday for the trophy.
PIT STOP AT HOME AND HIGH SCHOOL FISHING
We made a quick stop to regroup at home before the Sabine River event, which ended up being cancelled, giving us a little more time between events.
We’ve been squeezing in Bassmaster High School tournaments with my son, between the Elite and Major League Fishing (MLF) events.
We had a chance to go down to Lay Lake in South Alabama for the High School tournament and I was the boat captain for my son. He was trying to make the National Championship at Kentucky Lake in August. He needed to finish in the top-30; but finished 34th. He kind of had the same luck as me in the Classic, barely missing the cut.
Alabama is one of the leaders in high school fishing, averaging 300 to 350 boats per Bassmaster High School event. It is something that I enjoy and helps promote the future of the sport to the next generation.
Since Sabine was postponed, we had an extra week for fun fishing, filming family fishing shows for YouTube and another National Championship qualifier event at Lake Hartwell. My son finished 6th in this one and made the National Championship. I was proud of him.
THREE WEEKS ON THE ROAD - FUN, GOLF AND WONDERS OF WILDLIFE MUSEUM
We packed it up and went to a Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf tournament at Table Rock. It was a fun sponsor week. We got to fish, go to Big Cedar Lodge and see the Wonders of Wildlife Museum.
The Museum is an amazing place. It is a destination that all outdoors people need to see. We spent hours in there. We filmed a lot of it and will have some of it for our YouTube shows; but filming just doesn’t do the place justice.
Randy Howell’s wife Robin with son Laker filming upcoming YouTube MOTV. com episodes of “The Catch with Randy and Robin” on a private lake. Watch for these to come.
Summer 2018
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Laker landed this one with a Livingston BV
Viper Swimbait
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