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Birmingham, AL
2002 BASSMASTERS CLASSIC
Summary
07/29/2002 - "Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory. To Him be glory evermore. Amen."....ROMANS 11:33,36 NLT
What an unbelievably humbling experience it was, winning the 2002 Bassmasters Classic. The hand of God was on my fishing in a way that I have never experienced before in my entire career. To think that He would choose me for such a worldly honor at this time is so humbling. I know how far I have to go to conform to the likeness of Jesus. Yet, He must see something in me that has changed, something He likes, something that bears a distant resemblance of His Son.
In Gods' eyes, the time had come for me to win the Bassmasters Classic World Championship. He must figure that I have finally matured enough as a Christian to be able to handle it without it going to my head. He has waited for the day when I could win it and not let pride enter my heart. Hallelujah, praise, honor and glory be to the name of Jesus! He alone is worthy of all glory, honor and power. What a mighty God we serve!
I wrote in my 2002 Classic preview about how I could feel the powerful shift of momentum of things starting to go my way when I won the FLW Angler of the Year title last month. God began raining down blessings on my fishing career in June, and I could feel in the spirit that He didn't shut them off before the Classic. In fact, His annointing was even stronger at the Classic than it was when I won the FLW Angler of the Year. I could do no wrong all week at the Classic. I caught the big bass every day of the tournament, an unprecedeted feat in Bassmaster history. I could just feel the presence of the Holy Spirit so strong all week. Even my boat was annointed. In the spirit, I could just feel it glowing all week as it sat in the boatyard among the 52 other Classic boats. I have never experienced a feeling like that about a boat before.
I found my key spot on Tuesday, the one official practice day. It was a bank that had nothing but big stripers on it during my prefish a month prior. In fact, there were so many stripers and shad on this bank back in June, that I fished it three different days looking for, but never finding, the first bass. I checked it one last time on Tuesday, and caught two big spotted bass and saw a live bait fisherman catch a big bass. The best part was, the stripers were gone. Everyday the Alabama Power Company would generate water from Logan Martin Dam from 10 am until 3 pm. I was fishing 500 yards below the dam on the last good ambush points heading upriver before the dam. When they turned the water on, it would rise three feet and the fish would move up to the shallow banks and hang out in little shade pockets, in front of undercut banks, ambushing shad.
I have some great stories about how the Lord blessed me in such obvious ways during the 2002 Bassmasters Classic. On day 1, I caught a 4 1/2 pound spotted bass from under an overhanging tree. As I fished on up the bank, an boat with three old men pulled right up to where I had just caught that big fish and dropped anchor. All three men tossed live shad under the tree where I had just caught the big bass. I fished on up the bank a ways, then turned around and headed back towards them. As I got close, I heard them say "lets go, they are not here today". They pulled anchor and left. Five minutes later I tossed my jig under the same tree and caught the big bass of the day, a 6# 1oz beauty. That bass had been looking at live shad for 30 minutes, but the Lord kept his mouth shut. Thank you Jesus! Later the same day, I headed back to weigh-in about 10 minutes early just to be safe. After my 30 mile run back, I had a few minutes left, so I just pulled up to a nearby dock, flipped in, and yanked out a 3 1/2 pound spotted bass! It was the first dock I had fished all day. Thank you Jesus!
On Day 2, the Lords hand was even stronger! Late in the day, I had about 11 pounds, and I was fishing up my best bank. A pontoon boat with live shad fishermen drifted towards me, catching bass as they drifted. When they got down to where I was, they were apparently upset at me and my 20 boat entourage invading their fishing hole, so they fired up their motor right next to my boat, and put the hammer down. They blasted right next to my boat, then right up the bank I was preparing to fish not 10 feet off the a bank! The right side of their boat was nearly touching the over hanging trees I was fishing! I turned around to my cameraman, laughed, and said "how am I supposed to win the Classic when people are doing stuff like that to me?". I paused, then said "It would take an act of God for me to catch one now!" My very next flip I caught a 6# 4oz. giant, the biggest bass of the whole tournament!! I gave the Lord an opportunity to show His power on ESPN, and He gave me the biggest bass of the 2002 Classic! Jesus!!
On Day 3, I again caught the biggest bass of the day, and it was the bite that clinched my victory. Jesus made it all happen, and He gets all the glory.
The best part of winning the Classic for me has been all of the very sincere congratulations I have received from everyone. Friends, acquaintances, fans, and peers alike have all been so very gracious in their congratulations. Everyone seems so genuinely happy for me. Thank you. You don't know how good that makes me feel. It is the best part of winning.
I could sit here in vain and tell you all about how awesome I am, and how I won the 2002 Classic. But that would be a lie. Instead, I want everone to see that Jesus is alive, and working here on Earth right now for the Fathers Glory. His desire is to have intimate relationships with everyone because of His great love for us. Get to know God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. I am glad I did. Now He can work through me for the Glory of God!!
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