Now in his fifth year on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Georgia pro Drew Cook is readying for his fourth Bassmaster Classic after a 12th place finish in the points last year. He's been a consistently good pro angler since he burst on the scene and scored his first big win last season. Now, he's got his eyes on the Classic and the ever-changing weather conditions that the anglers have been dealt.
He knows that to do well this week; he must be willing to adjust and make changes on the fly.
Thoughts on Fishing the Tennessee River
When the Elites fished Ft. Loudon and Tellico lakes two years ago, Cook was there and he had a good event. He finished 30th in that one and said he's hoping to improve his finish this time.
"I've only been there one, but had a decent finish," he said. "It's one of those places that we go to where every single bite matters. There are some big ones in there, but not a lot of keepers, especially the smallmouth that have to be 18 inches long to bring in during a tournament. Those big smallmouth are like gold here."
Cook is expecting tough fishing for most of the field and believes limits will be at a premium. This is partly due to the time of year and also because of the fishery.
"It's so hit or miss there and there is a lot of dead water," he said. "You need to be able to cover some ground to find the good areas. But you must also fish slowly; it's a hard balance to do well there."
Preparing for anything
Leading up to the event, the Knoxville area experienced a rollercoaster of weather conditions and Cook says this will compound the challenge of the event.
"They had 80-degree weather recently and it was extremely cold during practice," he said. "We had temperatures in the low 20s and it's going to warm up again during the tournament. It's an interesting deal, but it's March and the fish want to be shallow."
Initially, Cook thinks shallow cranking will be the way to do well here and that's part of his plan. "That's how I caught them in 2021 and this event, being later in the year, it should make that bite even stronger," he said. "That tournament was won out deep, but I don't think that will play as much this year. But I could be wrong on that."
Gearing up for any weather
Because of the continuous change in weather conditions, Cook packed his truck and boat with a gamut of different types of tackle and clothing. Each piece of gear may come into play and he was ready for any possible situation.
Among his clothing items were some essentials, especially for the heavy rains they experienced during official practice.
"The AFTCO Hydronaut suit is a must this time of year," he said. "When it's cold, you have to layer up and you have to have a good suit that will keep you dry and something that is also windproof, so you stay warm. Staying warm and comfortable is always important, but with the Classic on the line, it's even more important so you can mentally stay in it."
Another critical item Cook brought with him is something he always keeps on hand in early season events, the AFTCO Hydronaut gloves, an insulated glove built for cold weather fishing.
"I always have to wear those when I'm driving because you can't pull up to a stop and expect to fish well with cold hands," he said. "That's all you'll be thinking about and you have to be 100 percent focused during the Bassmaster Classic."
Another item he always has with him, whether as a layering piece while fishing the Bassmaster Classic or hunting back home during the offseason, is the AFTCO Hexatron Technical Fleece Hoodie.
"It's an awesome baselayer piece under my Hydronaut," said Cook. "But, it's also something I wear a lot back home in the fall when it's just a little cool out. The hood is great and it's an extremely comfortable hoodie."
One final piece that Cook will have with him is a quality beanie such as the Sherpa-lined AFTCO Summit Beanie. "You've got to keep your head warm at all times," he said."
The Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville will offer some challenges to the anglers. Everything from the weather to the fishing will be in flux and those who adapt the best will be the ones who have success. Drew Cook is keeping an open mind, but preparing for any possible situation will put him in the best position to contend for the win this year.
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