2014 Classic Expo

[Dan]

Anybody know where they will be having the Classic Expo for the Guntersville, Bassmaster Classic. Is it going to be in Guntersville or Huntsville?

[Waterfoul]

You should just call one of your Elite buddies and ask Dan.  :-)  I'm sure it's in Alabama somewhere.

Glad I could help.   

[Dan]

When I look it up online through Bassmaster if found a reference to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center, but Birmingham is 89 miles away. Doesn't look right. Did send an email to Ed's buddy Chris Lane. We'll see if he responds. Just doesn't seem right. I want to watch the take offs etc., but then if I stay say at the Lodge at Guntersville State Park I'll have to drive a there and back 180 to attend the weigh-in and visit the expo. Not going to happen. May have to rethink this trip???


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. LLC announced today that a new combination of sites – Birmingham and Lake Guntersville – has been selected for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, the world championship of bass fishing.
Massive Lake Guntersville will provide first-class competition for the Feb. 21-23, 2014, event. Birmingham will host the daily weigh-ins and the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC).
"We are extremely pleased to bring the Classic back to Birmingham, now the home of B.A.S.S.," said Don Logan, co-owner of the company. Alabama-born, B.A.S.S. returned to its roots after Logan, Jim Copeland and Jerry McKinnis purchased the company from ESPN in 2010.
The Birmingham-Guntersville combination gives the Classic a new twist, but the city is a tried-and-true Classic site. This is the eighth time that Birmingham has been named the host city. And Alabama will welcome its 12th Classic. Gov. Robert Bentley marked the milestone by being on hand at the BJCC's Arena Club for Thursday's announcement.

[fishhound]

They are holding in Birmingham. Almost a full two hours from Guntersville. That wont be all that good on the fish but I hope it works out.

[Waterfoul]

They are holding in Birmingham. Almost a full two hours from Guntersville. That wont be all that good on the fish but I hope it works out.

That just seems asinine to me.  Too far to expect many fans to travel that distance as many as 4 days in a row.  Dumb idea.

[dartag]

How far was it from Grand lake to the Expo.  I thought it was a long drive. 

[gmetime24]

That's one hell of a drive! Seems they could figure out something better. Not good for the fish and I wonder how many people won't want to make that trip

[Dan]

It is a long drive and the distance will complicate it for those who like to watch the launches and who would also like to watch the weigh-in. The weigh-ins are epic, they take a long, long, time.
In the South, they get tons of people out to the weigh-ins and Birmingham is a large town whereas Guntersville is like a Holland or Grand Haven. However, Huntsville is a good sized town and they could have had the Expo there. It's less than half the distance.
Then again BASS has a history with Birmingham. Transporting the fish that distance though, in my opinion, is just too far. If they wanted it in Birmingham, then pick a river system or lake near there. Now do I book a room in or around Guntersville or do I get a room in Birmingham.  Might have to do a night in each town.

[djkimmel]

Sounds like a done deal maybe... but give it another 2 or 3 weeks to see if any details change. I have seen many bigger events travel about an hour give or take a little from launch site to weigh in. I think the All American I fished back when I could still catch fish was over 30 minutes... it goes with the big show deal...

I remember seeing FLW have the anglers and their bass flown in by helicopter. I also remember having police escorts in at least one event I fished in to help us get through smoothly. I've seen some of the bigger tournaments do that to keep things flowing.

Don't they have rockets in Huntsville...?? Maybe there's something real special planned for this Classic?!? Anglers rocketed in to Birmingham with their bass!! That would be pretty fast...

Though that would be pretty cool... realistically, way more people go to the weigh in and expo than to some of the blast offs usually so it makes sense to me to have those two final parts of the event be closer to more people and amenities. I've seen a few pretty big crowds at a few blast offs and when they come in, but the crowds at the expo and the weigh in still usually dwarf those at the lake.

[Team houston]

Dan, my recollection is that it was 20-25 min at Lake Hamilton to Hot Springs. The police escorts were very cool.

[fishhound]

The distance at Grand lake was about an hour and a half I think. Birmingham will be interesting logistically. A police escort would be interesting because of the multiple jurisdictions. State police would probably work best I guess.

[dartag]

I remember the FLW guys rode in a chinook helicopter one year.  That was only the top ten.  The fish rode with them.    Remember it is.all about.the show.

[Dan]

I got to ride in a helicopter once, with the doors open and feet out the door. Thank you National Guard.

[djkimmel]

I got to ride in a helicopter once, with the doors open and feet out the door. Thank you National Guard.

That explains some things I've always wondered about...

[djkimmel]

I remember the FLW guys rode in a chinook helicopter one year.  That was only the top ten.  The fish rode with them.    Remember it is.all about.the show.

That was pretty cool. Too bad they no longer have the National Guard connection...

[djkimmel]

The distance at Grand lake was about an hour and a half I think. Birmingham will be interesting logistically. A police escort would be interesting because of the multiple jurisdictions. State police would probably work best I guess.

Having the Classic in Alabama means absolutely anything is possible. They really support bass tournaments in that state at pretty much all levels! (dare to dream...)

[djkimmel]

Dan, my recollection is that it was 20-25 min at Lake Hamilton to Hot Springs. The police escorts were very cool.

I was probably averaging it out... and that is a long time ago now... PLUS, they left me at the lake that one day!! With a big storm rolling in... That was over an hour that day thanks to having to find my trailer... after finally getting them to realize they 'forgot' one angler... after I believe they had to find and send a second trailer... after - I think I heard - one accident and maybe a fire...

On a positive note, the several thousand people in attendance patiently waited while  Charlie Evans killed time (my wife said) by telling the crowd over and over that they were waiting on one more angler... who would be there any minute now... AND they had my picture up for (my wife said) about an hour too! So people could remember that I was actually a redhead. which probably explains why they left me at the lake for over an hour...!!

I hope they kept my catch a secret because the same guy won two years in a row and I wanted him to think I just might have whacked a big bag of fish!!! (I didn't... though I did have big bass on the boater side! ) I said something dumb about them not wanting me to weigh my fish or some such nonsense... I don't recall but I do have it on VHS somewhere. A nice friend sent me a copy of the raw truck tape since it is my one and only time fishing a championship. (I didn't make the TV show of course ) I really liked that lake but it threw me for a loop in the event for sure.

I didn't really mind the drive (other than that last day). An hour or two hours might be different...? Though, if I had a big bag of bass in a bunch of treated, cooled, oxygenated water and was thinking I might win... I wouldn't mind the drive then!

I guess I may find out. About the drive, I mean, since part of my Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation conservation person duties includes going to a bunch of meetings at this Classic, and hopefully they leave some time to see some of the show too.

[Team houston]

I never knew any of that happened to you. But after hearing many of your stories it doesn't suprise me. lol  You think they would have realized when they had an empty trailer in the parking lot.