You've heard from the winner and all the anglers who made an obvious run at the 2006 Bassmaster Classic title. Those stories have been told and re-told. But what about the anglers not-so-close to the top of the standings?
Understanding how a Classic plays out doesn't completely center on those who were obviously in contention to savor the thrill of victory. There are equally good stories centered around those who made decisions that created the agony of defeat.
Bassmaster.com is asking a series of questions to some of those anglers scattered throughout the final standings to get a glimpse of the whole picture of Classic competition. Here's our fourth angler:
Brian Snowden
Reeds Spring, Missouir
2006 Bassmaster Classic finish: 30th
Two-day weight: 24-pounds, 1-ounce
Heaviest stringer: 12-pounds, 2-ounces on day two
Bassmaster.com: After the conclusion of the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic, describe your overall feeling about your performance?
Brian Snowden: Performance wise I felt good because I didn't lose any fish and caught everything that hit, but a little disappointed I didn't get that quality bite to help me make the top 25 cut.
Bassmaster.com: Trace back through each day of competition on Lake Toho — what areas were you fishing, what baits were you using, what game plans and strategies had you formulated?
Snowden: I was fishing the east and west sides of Lake Toho. I was using a black YUM Buzzing Frog and a YUM Sour Grape Worm with black and blue flakes.
Bassmaster.com: What kind of fishing techniques were you using with each of your baits?
Snowden: With the Buzzing Frog I was fishing shallow and heavy vegetation in about one foot of water. With the Texas-rigged worm I was fishing isolated little clumps of arrowhead grass in about 2 to 3 feet of water.
Bassmaster.com: Looking back at the tournament; was there something you wish you would have done differently that might have changed the outcome of the event?
Snowden: I think during practice I should have spent a little more time covering some water because the wind changes from the North really affected me. I should have tried to find a couple more areas that were similar to where I was catching fish that were a little more protected.
Bassmaster.com: What is your most memorable Classic moment from this year?
Snowden: Probably a 4-pounder that just crushed that Buzzing Frog. It was just an amazing bite and he was way back in the grass, and just pulling him out through that stuff was pretty fun. In Missouri we don't get to throw a lot of things like that and this was my first experience throwing something like that and my first experience catching something on that bait.
Bassmaster.com: Was there ever a moment at the Classic where you felt like you were on the verge of winning the tournament?
Snowden: Unfortunately I never did because I never got that big bite. The first day I caught 26 keepers, but I was more frustrated that I couldn't get that heavy keeper. I knew it was going to take some heavy weight, and after about the 15th keeper I moved out to a deeper area and tried to target the bigger bite but it never came. So it was a little more frustrating than anything.
Bassmaster.com: What lessons did you learn from your experience on Lake Toho?
Snowden: I learned a lot about fishing those frogs over the matted cover and how the fish move in to spawn. What they look for, the sandy bottom and more isolated patches of grass, because it definitely wasn't a mat flipping heavy weight tournament.
That was kind of neat to learn mats and that's the latest we've ever been in Florida. Mostly I learned about the frog fishing and where to look for the fish when they are spawning.