2013 Bassmaster Classic
"STONE COLD" CLIFF PACE KEEPS POKER FACE TO TOP FIELD OF CLASSIC QUALIFIERS
BY DON BERRY
Cliff Pace was a wire to wire contender in the 2013 Bass Master Classic on Grand Lake of the Cherokees but few would have guessed it if you witnessed his first walk through his last walk across the Classic stage. Pace was all business, maintaining a poker face throughout the ceremony as Bass Master of Ceremonies Dave Mercer announced his final weight which ousted one if the crowd favorites Brandon Palahniuk from the hot seat, with a total in excess of 54 pounds for the three days.
According to Pace, the final day was a real challenge for the Mississippi Pro, not catching a fish until ten o'clock. Although his quality of fish continued, the numbers he caught each day of the Classic dwindled.
Trying to put a pattern together on the final day that would give him the weight to win the Bass Master, Pace struggled to catch fish on his bait of choice, a football jig. After trying a stick bait for several casts mid morning, just trying to get some action, Pace moved back to the jig and slowed down his presentation which was nearly at a snail's pace to put four fish, one short of his limit, in the live well.
Pace is no stranger to competition, having fished as the runner up in Classic and Elite competitions in past years. His stone-cold personality seemed to be the buzz as Classic fans exited the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK, commenting on how great the B.A.S.S. organization performed, teaming up with the Tulsa Tourism Office to bring the Classic to Oklahoma.
It was teaming up with the Hard Rock Casino that made the whole venue a super success with fans packing the Tulsa Convention Center with full-house crowds on each of the weigh-in days and heading to the Hard Rock following the ceremonies.
In only three years, Brandon Palahniuk has risen to fan favorite status with a fourth place Classic finish as well as an Elite Series win in a very short time. His dream of winning the Bass Master Classic, with his growing talent, seems to be a feat that he will soon grasp.
With the final day of competition being the only one that anglers reported being bearable temperature wise, the top 25 contenders were all over the charts with their catches. The crowd raised the roof when Oklahoma Pro Edwin Evers weighed his fish, two short of a limit, and Evers apologized for his letting his fan base down, but was quick to say, "I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to fish when our soldiers are fighting and dying to keep us free, people are stricken with cancer and suffer daily, and we, these guys and me, still get to fish, so fishing takes a back seat to what is important."
Hank Cherry, a Pro that swore when he first started fishing that he would never attend a Classic weigh-in until he was able to appear on stage as one of the competitors. Cherry kept his promise and nearly pulled off a feat that all bass anglers dream of doing, winning the Bass Master Classic. Cherry put together three days of superb fishing, relinquishing his position in the hot seat to Palahniuk after Arkansas Pro Mike McClelland nearly got comfortable in the "Yellow and Gray Throne" sitting beside the 2013 Bass Master Classic Trophy.
Mercer waded through the Super Six, starting with Kevin Van Dam, who admitted that he was disappointed in his effort to catch a winning weight on a lake that is full of big fish. It was estimated that over 80 boats tagged along where ever KVD tossed his lures.
Besides Tommy Biffle, who failed to make the cut, and Edwin Evers, who only landed three fish on Day Three, the third Okie to fish, Jason Christie, was tagged from the beginning to hoist the Classic Trophy. "David Walker told me that once you fish a Classic, you will want to be in everyone of them from that point on, and believe me, I already want to come back next year, this is just awesome," Christie admitted to the crowd.
Sacrifices are a part of fishing the national tours and Jason Christie, a former Junior High Basketball Coach, was unable to attend his daughter's competition in the Oklahoma State Basketball Tournament on Saturday because of his fishing in the Classic. It was an emotional moment for Christie but he asked the BOK crowd to give her the applause he was unable to on Saturday night for winning the Oklahoma State Basketball Tournament and pointed to her in the crowd.
Hank Cherry took over for Mike McClelland in the hot seat, but the crowd was certain that Mike Iaconelli was destined to capture the lead as his trip to the stage was met with a huge round of cheering from the Tulsa crowd.
It was later revealed that Ike had experienced trolling motor problems and had to switch out his unit which interrupted Iaconelli's fishing day, taking away from his focus. Over three thousand fans were on hand in Grove, OK on Saturday and Sunday to send the anglers into competition and a huge flotilla followed their favorite anglers around.
Gerald Swindle, who fell short of the cut commented that at one time, sixty bass boats, two pontoons, two diesel cruisers, a host of cormorants and one eagle was seen following Kevin Van Dam.
With Palahniuk in the hot seat, Ike was unable to unseat the Bull Shoals Elite Winner, and anticipation grew as the final boat was towed to the stage area. Only one angler remained, but that was Cliff Pace. "Cool Hand Luke" had been very consistent each day and Palahniuk knew it would take a big stumble to overcome the seven pounds he was behind at the start of the day.
Palahniuk's 20 pound bag of Grand Lake bass excited him and when Dave Mercer called the weight, the young pro's fists immediately went into the air. Mercer calmed Palahniuk long enough to asked the Idaho Pro a couple of questions about what a win here would mean.
Mercer asked, "Now Brandon, when you are on tour, where do you sleep?"
"Well, I sleep in the "Toyota Suite", that's the back of my truck," quipped the twenty-five year old angler.
"You know, if you are the 2013 Bass Master Classic Champ, you can stay in a motel, and a darned good one at that?" quizzed Mercer.
"That's a lot of money, but not enough for me to feel comfortable, I have to have more for the future, so I will have to keep winning, but heck, I'm too tight to stay in a motel, I will continue to sleep in the Toyota Suite," revealed Palahniuk.
The final boat pulled to the stage and the last angler who had a chance to unseat Brandon Palahniuk from his first place perch, stepped to the scales, handing Trip Wellman his bag of bass.
Mercer sounded off, "Cliff Pace, four fish, and then the dream came true. Your new 2013 Bass Master Classic Champion, Cliff Pace."
Pace gave credit to his "Little Football Jig" but later responded more to Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona's questions about the Classic, getting him to reveal a few more of the happenings of the three day event which will be aired on March 2 & 3 on ESPN. He also commented about the $500,000.00 win being a life changing factor in his career.
Reportedly, a Classic win is a million dollar venture for the winner with endorsements and personal appearances as well as a host of new sponsors to take the "Classic Champ" into the next season and the next level of his fishing career.
Even when Pace lifted the Classic Trophy above his head and the confetti fell from the sky, Pace kept his "Poker Face" in place, leading spectators to believe he was one cool dude, "Stone Cold Cliff."
Chris Lane, 2012 Classic Champ, handed Pace the new trophy, declaring the change at the top and exited the stage to a huge roar of appreciation. Now, it will be up to Cliff Pace to promote bass fishing as he serves as "King of the Casters" for 2013.
A huge congratulations to B.A.S.S. for taking the Classic to Grand Lake of the Cherokees and high fives to Tulsa and Grove, OK for being the utmost hosts. From what I saw, Grand Lake will be back on the schedule for the B.A.S.S. events very soon, and maybe another Classic in the future.
