After an hour and 20 minutes of fishing Justin Lucas finally landed his first bass. “It’s a toothpick,” said Thomas Allen, looking through his long camera lens. But hey, it counts. We have several spectator boats following Lucas this morning. They all clapped an hollered when he held up the little fish, as if it were a giant.
And really, the size of the fish doesn’t matter. It is an honor for all of us to watch this Champion close the deal today. Only 22 men over the 50 year history of B.A.S.S. have earned Toyota Angler of the Year trophies. Lucas, the California native who now makes his home in Guntersville, Alabama, will become number 23 today. That’s worth clapping about.