KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Bryan Schmitt kept his third-place spot in the standings after two days of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota. He’s now 5 pounds, 14 ounces behind leader Jeff Gustafson, after trailing by only 2-7 on Day 1. However, Schmitt left the Tennessee River Saturday full of confidence.
“I found a new spot,” he said. “I pulled up there at one o’clock, and I caught a four, a three, a keeper and about 10 shorts. And I feel like I didn’t even touch it.”
The 42-year-old pro from Deale, Md., has proven he knows how to close on the Bassmaster Elite Series tour. Schmitt won titles at Lake Champlain in 2021 and the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis., last year.
“I’m very excited to start there in the morning,” he said. “My other wood, the sun needs to be up for them to be there. Current is the key at this spot. We’re going to have sun and no wind. I think it’s going to be good for me, I really do.”
Schmitt said all his bass came on a Missile Baits Mini Magic Worm on a 1/4 -ounce shaky head jig. He’s using a 12-pound test P-Line fluorocarbon leader tied to a 10-pound test P-Line braid main line, thrown on a Fitzgerald Shaky Head rod.
Schmitt trails second-place John Cox by only two ounces. It’s obvious he needs a big bag Sunday if he’s going to overcome that nearly 6-pound deficit to Gustafson. These waters of the Tennessee River and Fort Loudoun and Telico reservoirs haven’t produced a 20-pound five-bass limit yet this week.
Schmitt has weighed all largemouth bass the last two days, while Gustafson has weighed nothing but smallmouths. When asked what he thought a reasonable, not outlandish, possibility for him on a largemouth limit, Schmitt smiled and said, “Twenty pounds, maybe 21.”
That might be enough to do it, if Gustafson stumbles ever so slightly.
