Fantasy Fishing: You should have picked Tharp at Cherokee

KNOXVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn.—Randall Tharp was the best overall pick for the Bassmaster Elite at Cherokee Lake. Tharp finished in eighth place and weighed the event’s big bass, a 5-pound, 5-ounce largemouth, which earned his ownership a few additional points.

Nobody picked the perfect team, but there was a four-way tie for the top spot. Ties are not that uncommon during the first event of the season, which is exactly the case for Cherokee. That tie was broken by the rule that Fantasy Fishing players guess the tournament’s total weight when they set their lineup. The angler closest to that weight takes the first spot, and it progresses from there.

Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing player M-HUNTER won this week’s event and is currently leading the FF points race.

M-HUNTER’s selections:

Bucket A: Ott Defoe, 260 points

B: Bill Lowen, 219

C: Seth Feider, 285

D: Paul Mueller, 280

E: Jacob Wheeler, 305

Total: 1,349

Cherokee’s perfect team:

Bucket A: Randall Tharp, 348 points

B: Jason Williamson, 242

C: Seth Feider, 285

D: Paul Mueller, 280

E: Jacob Wheeler, 305

Total: 1,460

BUCKET A: THARP

Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla., came off of a very dominant 2016, including a win at Bull Shoals/Norfork. He continued that performance at the opening event of 2017 on Cherokee Lake by earning his 0.7 percent ownership 348 points.

The second best selection in Bucket A was Alabama’s Matt Herren who finished ninth and earned his 0.7 percent ownership 264 points.

The worst pick in this bucket was Takahiro Omori who earned his 1.2 percent ownership only 59 points.

BUCKET B: WILLIAMSON

Jason Williamson of Wagener, S.C., was the top choice in Bucket B by earning his 0.2 percent ownership 241 points after a 17th place finish.

The second best selection was Boyd Duckett of Guntersville, Ala., who earned his 0.7 percent 235 points after finishing in 20th place.

The worst selection in Bucket B was Chris Lane who finished 105th and earned his 3.4 percent ownership only 65 points.

BUCKET C: FEIDER

Minnesota native and smallmouth wizard Seth Feider was the best pick in Bucket C earning his 9.5 percent ownership 285 points after a solid fourth place finish.

The second best selection was Josh Bertrand who finished in sixth place earning his 0.9 percent ownership 276 points.

The worst selection in Bucket C was a surprising Brandon Card who was the most popular angler in the bucket with 18.4 percent ownership. He only generated 61 points after a disappointing 107th place finish.

BUCKET D: MUELLER

Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, Conn., earned his 6.9 percent ownership 280 points after a strong fifth place finish.

The second best selection was David Williams of Maiden, N.C., who earned his 0.4 percent ownership 239 points following an 18th place finish.

The worst pick in Bucket D was Luke Clausen who finished dead last in 110th place earning his 5.4 percent ownership only 55 points.

BUCKET E: WHEELER

Having won the whole event, the obvious best choice in Bucket E was Jacob Wheeler of Indianapolis, Ind., who dominated ownership in this bucket with 45.3 percent and earning his supporters 305 points for his first place finish

The second best selection was Jamie Hartman who finished second place and earned his 1 percent ownership 295 points.

The worst selection in the final bucket was Robbie Latuso who finished in 106th place having earned his 0.3 percent ownership only 63 points.