Jay Yelas Wins the Classic

Well, it's finally happened. Jay Yelas took his first Classic Crown. He's been long overdue for years. This really comes as no surprise to many people who've been watching him for years, such as myself. Those of you who get Bassmaster Magazine (and you all should at least look into it) have just gotten your November issue, that tells all about Jay's win. Well, here's my comments and a short version of Jay's win.

The way that Jay won this Classic is really different from previous Classics. Jay said that "I think that this is the first time a Classic has been one by fishing a tailrace." Remember, the Classic held here in 1996 was won by George Cochran, who broke all the rules and fished shallow. This time around, Jay Yelas did the same thing, just in water that was going about 7 miles an hour faster. And he did a masterful job of it. Every day, when he arrived at his spot just below the Logan Martin Dam on Lay Lake, he used a Berkley topwater lure to catch whatever he could, and sometimes a Frenzy deep-diving, firetiger crankbait. Later on, when the current started, he would switch to a jig that is no longer produced, to bag the majority of his bass, including the big bass of the day every single day. God was with him, no doubt about it. By the second day, he was ahead of the rest of the pack by 10 pounds. Everyone else was basically going for second, where David Walker was barely keeping off Aaron Martens. On the last day, Martens leapfrogged ahead of Walker for second place with his finesse tactics, but Yelas was far out of reach. Remember, Walker ended up in 3rd place in the 2001 Classic, behind Scott Rook and Kevin VanDam. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he takes a Classic someday.

Yelas, $203, 000. Martens, $55,000. Walker, $35,000. What a difference a few little green fish can make. Congratulations Jay.

11/01/02

By Brandon Shook