Day 1 St. Johns behind the scenes

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Take a look behind the scenes on Day 1 of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.
Take a look behind the scenes on Day 1 of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.
Team members including Syler Prince (Elite Series pro Cliff Prince’s son) and Robert Warwick kept bags of ice flowing to the release boat to ensure the fish remained healthy. Syler said one of the draws of working the event was seeing how everything operates.
Team members including Syler Prince (Elite Series pro Cliff Prince’s son) and Robert Warwick kept bags of ice flowing to the release boat to ensure the fish remained healthy. Syler said one of the draws of working the event was seeing how everything operates.
The youths’ energy was revealed as they ran from the release boat back to the stage so they were for the next bag of bass. Here, Hayden MacGibbon hustles up the dock ramp.
The youths’ energy was revealed as they ran from the release boat back to the stage so they were for the next bag of bass. Here, Hayden MacGibbon hustles up the dock ramp.
One of the benefits of working the weigh-in is being backstage and able to watch the anglers as they staged up at the docks.
One of the benefits of working the weigh-in is being backstage and able to watch the anglers as they staged up at the docks.
Team members quickly grabbed the bags and ran them to the release boat.
Team members quickly grabbed the bags and ran them to the release boat.
Kelly Byrd was in the stage-the-release-boat rotation.
Kelly Byrd was in the stage-the-release-boat rotation.
Lucas Chapman signaled anglers when it was time to move from the livewell tanks to the stage.
Lucas Chapman signaled anglers when it was time to move from the livewell tanks to the stage.
Glenn Burnett ran to and from the release boat. “I wanted to see the big bass,” Burnett said.
Glenn Burnett ran to and from the release boat. “I wanted to see the big bass,” Burnett said.
The first step in ensuring a smooth weigh-in process is ensuring competitors had weigh-in bags. Westin Lesiter of the Putnam County Bassmasters prowled the docks handing out the bags so anglers could quickly move their catches from their boats to the livewell tanks.
The first step in ensuring a smooth weigh-in process is ensuring competitors had weigh-in bags. Westin Lesiter of the Putnam County Bassmasters prowled the docks handing out the bags so anglers could quickly move their catches from their boats to the livewell tanks.
Team members also worked with Bassmaster weigh-in staff collect bags.
Team members also worked with Bassmaster weigh-in staff collect bags.
The cycle was complete as team members like Glenn Burnett handed the bags of bass to Bassmaster weigh-in staff on the release boat.
The cycle was complete as team members like Glenn Burnett handed the bags of bass to Bassmaster weigh-in staff on the release boat.
Luke Tincher and Wyatt Chapman were ready to take the bags from Bassmaster Tournament Director Trip Weldon and hand them to high school anglers off stage.
Luke Tincher and Wyatt Chapman were ready to take the bags from Bassmaster Tournament Director Trip Weldon and hand them to high school anglers off stage.
John Badger was one of the youths who carried many pounds of bass to the live release boat.
John Badger was one of the youths who carried many pounds of bass to the live release boat.
High school anglers were Johnny on the spot to grab bags of bass from the stage to hurry them to the live release boat.
High school anglers were Johnny on the spot to grab bags of bass from the stage to hurry them to the live release boat.
“It’s good experience,” Prince said. “We get to see how it works, in case we want to do this in the future.”
“It’s good experience,” Prince said. “We get to see how it works, in case we want to do this in the future.”