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John's Journal... Entry 155, Day 3

THE MAN, THE BAIT AND THE CLASSIC

The Motor And The Secret Spot That Won The Classic

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thirty-six-year old Jay Yelas, of Tyler, Texas won the 2002 BASS Master's Classic in July after winning FLW Angler of the year for 2001-2002. Here, Yelas describes the tactics, both physical and mental, that he used to help him win the biggest fishing tournament in the nation.

POWERFUL TROLLING MOTOR OPENS UP NEW BASS-FISHING WATERS

"My trolling motor gave me the ability to move up the bank in that strong current and flip the jig next to the weeds," Yelas explains. "The strength of the motor also meant that very few spectators had trolling motors that could hold their boats in the current and watch me fish. Without a strong trolling motor, I wouldn't have been able to fish that bank effectively. Trolling motors as powerful as my Motor Guide only have been on the market for two or three years. So, I don't think this stretch of water has had much fishing pressure from bass fishermen. Because the current runs so fast on that bank, I believe this bank has been somewhat overlooked by most anglers. But even with the trolling motor keeping me in position to fish, I know I couldn't have won the Classic without the baits I used."

THE SPOT

"I discovered the spot where I won the Classic before the cutoff of our pre-practice days in June," Yelas explains. "Although I never caught a bass there, I did catch a lot of stripers. However, I saw more bait in that one place than I did in any other section of the lake. Stripers busted and chased shad all around that bank during pre-practice fishing days. I just felt that largemouth and the spotted bass had to come into this area at some time. In the last few hours of the practice day on Tuesday before the Classic started on Thursday, I returned to this spot and caught a 4-pound largemouth on my jig and a 3-pound largemouth on the crankbait. I made the decision to come back to the spot during the tournament and fish the jig. I felt that the bass had moved into that site, and the stripers had left for some reason."

To learn more about the Jay Yelas Power Jig or the Frenzy crankbait, click here at www.purefishing.com

TOMORROW: CLASSIC-WINNING TACTICS

 

 

Check back each day this week for more THE MAN, THE BAIT AND THE CLASSIC ...

Day 1 - How Jay Yelas Won The Classic
Day 2 - Classic Baits
Day 3 - The Motor And The Secret Spot That Won The Classic
Day 4 - Classic-Winning Tactics
Day 5 - Jay Yelas Makes All The Right Bass-Fishing Moves


John's Journal