This week, of course, brings us to the Bassmaster Classic – the original World Championship of Bass Fishing. The 55 top B.A.S.S. anglers will compete on Lake Hartwell, home to numerous regular-season and championship events in the past. I will be there, as usual, to get a feel for everything that’s going on in the sport, and bring you back my take on the big event. Later this month, I’ll travel to the other World Championship, as the MLF crew puts on REDCREST for its top anglers. But, for now, it’s Classic time.

As usual, I’ll use space for my predictions. While anyone can theoretically win the Classic, the chance of an unknown angler triumphing is remote. In the past, my predictions have often been spot-on when it comes to contenders, but I’m yet to pull off a win. This is going to be my year. Let’s dive in.

The venue always plays the biggest role. Lake Hartwell is well-known to fans and fishermen, but holds a ton of water and lots of nooks and crannies. Water is predicted to be fairly low, clean and warming. It’s unlikely aquatic vegetation will factor. The largest population of bass in Hartwell are spots, but they’re chunks, enabling good structure fishermen to surpass 15-pound limits. Largemouths, overall, are usually the larger of the two predominant species, though. Forage includes shad and the ever-humbling blueback herring.

I’m going to get started with a bold prediction: this tournament will be won with spotted bass caught in relatively deep water. While there’s a chance for a warming spell to bring largemouth to the bank, there’s simply not enough of them in Hartwell to challenge the spots. At least, not in this day and age. Sure, a one-day tournament would likely go down as a shallow-water brawl, but this is a multi-day event with a sizable field and a high level of spectator traffic.

Most importantly, this tournament will be dominated by forward-looking sonar. Each year, the country’s top tournament anglers get better with this stuff. Surprisingly, some still fall behind the best regional anglers, but the pros in the know will far surpass anglers reading the manual. Look for this tournament to become a shootout amongst the best sonar-users.

Sure, there could be an exception. I hope there is. I even throw a complimentary shout-out that way, as you’ll see. But I’m afraid technology has caught up to Bubba Bass.

So who might have a chance?

Stetson Blaylock

This kid’s got it, and he gets better each year. An old veteran trapped in a 30-something body, Blaylock routinely posts Top-10s in the AOY hunt and he’s a previous Elite Series winner. More importantly, Blaylock always puts himself near the top, resisting bomb finishes more than most. That’s incredibly important in the Classic; nowhere does a poor opening round destroy more competitors. Statistics show that it’s very rare for an angler initially near the bottom to come back and take the crown. Blaylock won’t start in a hole. He’s always been good offshore, and humble; two important credentials for the Big Show.

Patrick Walters
Walters has been the pick for many pundits, and rightfully so. He’s an ace with sonar, has high finishes across a number of very different bodies of water, and seems to be coming into his own in his pro career. Walters has multiple wins on various B.A.S.S. circuits, including an Open win on Lake Hartwell in 2020, making him an easy pick. Most of his winning fish for that event were caught in water depths the likes of which we’ll see hit hard this week. It should also be noted that the majority of his winning fish were spots.

Jeff Gustafson

Everybody likes Gussy; how could you not? The easy-going Canadian is now a well-versed veteran, and he spends a considerable amount of time off the bank. In addition, Gustafson is quick to pick up on new technologies and focuses a bunch of his fishing on alternative tactics for bass. Fans will recognize Gussy’s big win using a walleye technique as a prime example. While his record sports fewer top-10s than many of his competitors, there’s just something about this event that lines up with Gustafson’s approach. I firmly believe traditional bass fishing will be tossed out the window for this tournament and Gustafson presents a very open-minded approach.

Steve Kennedy or Greg Hackney

I clump these two warlords together for one simple reason: they represent everything I want to come true in my Classic dream. I close my eyes and I see Kennedy and a big swimbait, out in the middle of nowhere, wearing a goofy tiger shirt and not caring what anybody thinks of him, strictly in it for the competition and to prove to himself that he’s the best. Winning and riding off into the sunset. Bagger Vance after the final putt.

Or maybe Hackney punching out five mules a day, slinging a heavy jig around docks with the kind of line you wrap around your boat cleat to break. “Get in here." Boat-flipping a 6-pounder because his hook’s heavier than a framing nail. Five-four-three-two-one. Three days in a row. All bigs. The last one coming with an hour left, when the guy who’s supposed to win starts to struggle. Oh, how I wish.

But I’m not convinced. Instead, I’m betting the farm on …

Brandon Cobb

Quite the contrast, I know. But Cobb is dangerously cool and calm. I vividly remember interviewing him after a big finish on the FLW Tour, and it was as if I was interviewing Wendlandt or Swindle or Reese; just no big deal. Just another day at the office. At the time, the kid was in his late 20s.

A look at Cobb’s stats is enlightening. He’s closing in on a million dollars in earnings already. He qualified for four consecutive FLW Cups, where he placed in the Top 10 every time. He’s a two-time Elite Series winner. Oh, and Cobb’s most recent victory came on Lake Hartwell.

Cobb flies under the radar, although that’s likely to end soon. His record is just too impressive. Soon, Cobb is sure to be elevated to the favorites list, especially after winning this week.

So there you have it, BassFans. Look for my standouts to take it to Lake Hartwell this week and bring me home a much-needed win.

(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)