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B.A.S.S. ANGLER OF YEAR AIMS
FOR
CITGO BASSMASTERS CLASSIC WIN
Davy Hite Excited About Returning
to Alabama's Lay Lake
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - June 3, 2002 - The last
time the prestigious CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic was held on Lay
Lake near Birmingham, Davy Hite nearly won that event - coming
within a pound of George Cochran as the Classic runner-up.
As the Classic returns to Lay Lake July
25-27, the South Carolina pro rides into town with the momentum
of being the newly crowned B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year. This
time, Hite hopes the result is slightly better.
"I'm excited about going back to Birmingham
and Lay Lake," said Hite, 37, who won the 1999 Classic in
New Orleans. "I really am, because any time you finish second
in something at some particular place, you want to go back and
try to prove you can win. I feel like I've got a score to settle.
"Now, that was a few years ago and
a lot of things on Lay Lake, I'm sure, have changed. I have not
been back there since, so do I have a big advantage and all that?
Probably not - other than mentally. Mentally, you've got it in
the back of your mind that you've done well here."
Hite admits that Lay Lake, with its shallow
and deep populations of spotted and largemouth bass, fits his
style of fishing.
"It does," he said. "It's
got the shoreline grass and a lot of ledge fish. You can kind
of do both. When we were there before, I did a little bit of
both. I actually caught the big stringer the last day that almost
won it out on the ledge, but I fished some shallow, too. Bud
Pruitt had a big stringer the last day that he caught shallow.
And Cochran won the thing shallow. I'll probably be there doing
both again."
Hite will enter the 2002 Classic with plenty
of momentum. After struggling during the two seasons since winning
the Classic, a re-dedicated Hite bounced back with a vengeance
- winning consecutive CITGO BASSMASTER Tour events and finishing
in the top 10 of two others en route to capturing his second
B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title. He also pocketed more than
$300,000.
"It's just been an awesome year,"
he said. "I wish I could just freeze time in the moment.
"I'm just tickled to death to win
it again. Winning the first Angler of the Year is great, but
the second one says even more about you as a fisherman. It says
that the first one wasn't a fluke, and that you are a consistent
fisherman at this level.
"Plus, I think with what I went through
the years after winning the Classic, I think I appreciate this
Angler of the Year more. I was young when I won it the first
time and I really hadn't been through any real adversity. My
career had gone even better than I had ever dreamed it would
at that point. So I really treasure this Angler of the Year."
Lay Lake went off limits to any potential
Classic qualifier Jan. 1, 2002, and will not re-open until the
official pre-practice days June 24-29. Lay Lake will then be
off limits until the official practice day for the Classic on
Tuesday, July 23.
The launch venue for the event will be
Paradise Point Marina. The exciting CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic
weigh-in show and the Classic Outdoor Show will take place in
the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. With the exception of
the launch site, all of the venues for the event are located
in close proximity to each another.
The Classic is much more than just the
crowning event of the CITGO BASSMASTER Tournament Trail. Classic
Week is the annual celebration of the sport of bass fishing that
attracts B.A.S.S. members and other fishing fans from across
the country, who come to meet their fishing heroes, attend the
weigh-ins and participate in youth and other fan-friendly events.
In addition to events in Birmingham, pro
anglers Tommy Biffle, Tom Mann, Jr., Larry Nixon and Kevin VanDam
will participate in a "Meet the Pro Night" at Serra
Chevrolet Olds in Sylacauga, Ala. on Thursday, June 27. From
6-8 p.m. at the dealership at 40941 U.S. Highway 280, the anglers
from the Chevy Truck Pro Staff will meet fans, sign autographs
and offer fishing and trailering tips.
By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments
worldwide, B.A.S.S. is the world's largest fishing organization.
The CITGO BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most
prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit. It continues
to set the standard for credibility, professionalism, and sportsmanship
after more than three decades. B.A.S.S. is a wholly owned subsidiary
of ESPN.
Sponsors of the 2002 CITGO BASSMASTERS
Classic include: CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Chevrolet Trucks,
Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats,
Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, Kumho Tires,
Long John Silver's, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Bass Pro Shops,
Armstrong Industrial Hand Tools, GMAC/ B.A.S.S. Vehicle &
Boat Insurance, and B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa/First USA.
Associate Sponsors include Bass Cat Boats
and G3 Boats.
The 2002 CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic will
be presented locally by the State of Alabama, City of Birmingham,
Jefferson County and Shelby County.
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