TTBC Notebook: Jordon the Favorite
Kelly Jordon of Texas is one of the favorites this week to win the TTBC. (Photo: Doug Cox)
PAA Communications
CONROE, Texas – Notes and quotes from the 5th annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which begins Friday morning on Lake Conroe …
Who’s going to win?
With 50 of the top professional anglers in the world, that’s a pretty heady question. All of them have experience in tough situations like they’ll encounter this week. Multiple championships and Angler of the Year titles along with years of fishing throughout the country make the TTBC’s world championship field incredibly strong.
Thursday morning during a visit with the media, several were asked who they favored to win. Kelly Jordon of Mineola, just a few hours away, was given the nod … albeit in a good-natured, pile-on fashion.
Kevin Vandam of Michigan tabbed Iaconelli and Todd Auten picked Brian Thirft of North Carolina.
“There’s probably several schools of big (Toyota) ShareLunkers out there,” Vandam said, “so I’m expecting it to take several hundred pounds to win.”
But defending champion Brian Snowden of Missouri, Gerald Swindle of Alabama, Terry Scroggins of Florida, Mike Iaconelli of New Jersey and Scott Martin of Florida all put the bull’s eye on Jordon.
“He’s the man on this lake,” Scroggins said. Martin added a little advice for the fans out on the lake planning to follow the pros.
“If you want to help him, don’t get too close but you can idle around him a few times,” Martin said. “That really helps him.”
Jordon took it all in stride.
“Thanks a lot, guys,” he said.
The anglers have kept their cards close to the vest this week about practice reports. Other than “one or two good fish” or “it’s going to be tough,” little has been revealed about catches or successful techniques. With 50 great anglers battling for the world championship, no one wants to reveal anything.
Pro league mashup
The TTBC is unique in that it combines the best anglers from the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series, Bassmaster Elite Series and Walmart FLW Tours based on the leagues’ season Angler of the Year points finishes.
Four sponsor exemptions are added, along with the defending champion, for the field. But with the schedules of each tour each year often preventing anglers from doubling up, the TTBC gives them the chance to visit with old friends.
“We don’t get to fish together too often and I haven’t seen some of these guys, so it’s fun to fish against them,” said Auten, the PAA Tournament Series Angler of the Year. “We all get to visit and spend time together for a few days.”
“It’s like a brotherhood and whoever wins will be doing some trash-talking at the end,” Jordon said.
“These are the best guys who have competed consistently at the top level of the three tours all year,” said Vandam, the reigning Elite Series Angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic champion. “It’s a great end to the year and something every angler looks forward to.
“I’ve competed in every one since the first one on Lake Fork but never have done very well,” he added, laughing a bit. “I’m a little mad about that.”
Special award
A special award was given Thursday to Toby Hynes for his longtime support of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic.
Hynes retired Wednesday as president of Gulf States Toyota, so he spent his first “off day” fishing in the U.S. Reels Pro-Am with Jordon. More than 150 pros and amateurs fished on Lake Conroe for fun and bragging rights.
Gulf States Toyota has been the primary sponsor for the tournament since its inception. Eight Toyota dealers from the area also participated in the pro-am.
Favorite treats
With Halloween just a few days away, we asked several of the pros to name their favorite candy they might steal from a trick or treat bag.
“That’s about as random a question as I’ve had in a long time,” said Steve Kennedy of Alabama, who said he prefers a Kit Kat bar.
Here’s what the others picked:
Greg Vinson (candy corn), Mike McClelland (Snickers mini), David Walker (Reese’s Cup), Chad Morgenthaler (taffy), Mark Rose (Smarties), Brian Snowden (Twix), Todd Auten (Reese’s Cup), Scott Martin (candy corn with chocolate top), Terry Butcher (M&M’s), Gary Clouse (caramel apple), Tommy Biffle (Tootsie Roll), Brent Ehrler (Reese’s Cup), Kevin Vandam (Snickers), Denny Brauer (Hershey’s bar), Randy Howell (candy corn) and Cody Bird (Tootsie Rolls).
Mike Iaconelli named the Mike & Ike candies, naturally, and Gerald Swindle picked Dubble Bubble gum.
“It’s in that little yellow wrapper and loses its flavor after about five minutes,” he said. “Love ‘em.”
What’s Biffle going to do?
With Lake Conroe being more than 7 feet below normal pool due to the ongoing drought, shallow shoreline cover is taken out of the equation this week.
“You might be able to snag a cat or dog if you make a cast around a dock,” said Edwin Evers of Oklahoma, “but you sure won’t catch a fish.”
Last year’s tournament saw guys alternating between deep and shallow cover during the day. Docks and boat houses, along with shallow brush or laydowns, offered the possibility for a 1-2 punch. Not so this year, however.
“You know what I’m going to be doing,” said noted flipper Tommy Biffle of Oklahoma, who said he’ll be out deeper with his Gene Larew Biffle Bug. The soft plastic craw-creature bait is rigged on his wiggling Hard Head jighead, and he scuttles it on the bottom like a little craw or baitfish.
“There’s not many areas with the right stuff like I like to fish, but there are a few,” he said. “I’ve caught a few fish in a couple of areas.”
For more information on the TTBC, visit www.ToyotaTexasBassClassic.com
