Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 28, 1994 TAG: 9407290015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
The 15,750-acre impoundment was brimful, and the water in the upper reaches was the color of clay.
``The thing that caught my eye the most were the bushes barely coming out of the water,'' he said. ``I have been crying every night.''
With the BASS Masters Classic beginning today, the fullness of High Rock has gone a long way toward giving Fritts' favorite-son status a watery death. Suddenly, it's anybody's tournament.
``I'm definitely going to have to change my strategy,'' said Fritts, who grew up in Lexington, N.C., about 15 minutes from the lake.
Fritts had hoped for a more normal summertime pattern, when the water level drops a foot or so, and the bass hold deep. He has an uncanny knack of sending a pot-bellied crankbait into the deep-water vaults that frequently lock bass away from other anglers.
``I feel real confident when I'm out there on a deep-water pattern,'' he said. ``Right now, I think it is about a 50-50 chance they will be deep.''
If the bass move shallow, to cruise about in the creeks or to hug the shadows of boat docks, then the water will have become a great equalizer. The bass will be scattered and ready to be plucked by anyone who comes along.
``For me to win this tournament, I am going to need to be a little lucky, and I'm going to need to make the right moves,'' said Fritts.
The 37-year old angler has been making the correct moves all season. Since winning the Classic last year in Birmingham, Ala., he has placed first in two B.A.S.S. events, second in two and third in two.
But one wrong move will boot you out of the Classic spotlight, said Woo Daves, Virginia's only entry. High Rock is modest in size for a tournament lake, and if your favorite spot doesn't produce, there aren't many places left untouched by the other 39 contenders.
``If I go out there and don't do good the first couple of stops, I know I'm in trouble,'' said Daves, who lives in Burrowsville.
During pre-tournament practice, Daves fished the upper end of the lake, mapping 10 spots he figured would produce one bass each.
``Well, that's all shot now,'' he said.``You have red water coming down and yellow, gooky water quote looks incomplete.''
So Daves, who has finished second, third, fourth and fifth in previous Classics, has picked an alternate spot to win. It is so secret that he didn't dare go there Tuesday, the final day of practice, even though he used 28 gallons of gas to comb the lake.
``I didn't want to chance seeing anybody there and have to go to sleep thinking someone might have found it,'' he said. ``It's all I need, really. If it doesn't work, I will just have to go flip docks with everybody else.''
Few people, other than those who write copy for the chamber of commerce, see High Rock as a bass honey hole.
``There are going to be people in this tournament who [some days] probably won't weigh a single fish,'' Daves said. ``Quite a few of them, it could be. I could be one of them.''
The weigh-ins take place today through Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum Arena. By Saturday, as many as 20,000 people could be watching the figures flash on a digital screen.
``You fish this tournament different from all other tournaments,'' Daves said. ``You fish this tournament to win. Second or third doesn't mean anything at the Classic.''
by CNB