As you read articles and info about this year’s Bassmaster Classic on the Red River, there are many factors that can play, like the weather, changing water levels and spectator crowds.  So here are a list of good articles and fantasy picks, with my highlighted takeaways, I have found that I think will be helpful for you to make your picks:
Skeeter Anglers Red River Report – Kelly Jordan says this is my backyard
Bassmaster Classic Pundit Picks – All eyes on Greg Hackney
5 Classic ‘X’ Factors – Bet on Power Techniques
Bassmaster Practice Report – Ike reports finding “Magic Area”
BassFan Practice Report – Ish not on right fish?
Former Classic Angler Picks – Don’t bet on Bain
6 under the Radar – BassZone’s Dark Horses

Well enough of that, you can go batty reading all that info.  Here are 10 guys that I like:
KVD – He is a favorite any where, Top 5 in last 5 Classics, 2nd place FLW Tour event on Red River 2001
Greg Hackney – Hungry for Signature Classic victory, love rivers, local angler
Kelly Jordan – Catches big fish, 90 minutes from home, 2nd place on Red River 2000
Scott Rook – Won a Major on a tough river system, lives close, Red River has been a cash cow for him in other events
Randy Howell – Shallow water junk fisherman, think he could do damage swimming a jig like when he won Dardanelle Elite 50, might run an Aluminum boat
Brent Chapman – Won a Red River Invitational, I think he needs the $$$, lots of dropped sponsors, might go Aluminum as well
Bill Lowen – The quintessential River RAT
Ike – Can grind it out with the best of them, says he has a “Magic Area”
Davy Hite – Won an event in November 2001 at this very site
Ricky Morris – He is my Dark Horse, he took 2nd at the Bassmaster Classic on Toho and I think he may get his chatterbait going here

If you are looking for some bargain picks, look at Matt Herren & Greg Pugh, both very accomplished FLW anglers, plus you may keep Herren on your roster for a value pick all year on the Elite Series.

So here is my near final lineup:

Rich’s Roster
Angler 1	Angler 2	Angler 3	Angler 4	Angler 5
Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI	Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX	Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA	Bill Lowen North Bend, OH	Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA
MKT: $25.0 LKD: $25.0	MKT: $21.0 LKD: $21.0	MKT: $19.6 LKD: $19.6	MKT: $17.3 LKD: $17.3	MKT: $15.9 LKD: $15.9

I am still wrestling with whether to go with KJ or Rook at that $20-21 price tag, they both fit, both seem like good choices.  Right now I lean KJ for his knack at catching big fish.  Plus KJ would be a better keeper for the season, so that is one thing to consider, these salaries adjust throughout the season, so if you see good value, get them now!  Either way, I feel like I am wasting and leaving $1.2 on the table

Get your rosters locked by Friday at 8am Central.

There is still time to join my Fantasy Fishing Group.

RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

So here are the Top 10 results from my group after Guntersville, we will need to wait until the official overall standings come out, as I will award a prize to the top angler in the group who does not win an FLW prize.  So we will need to see how Jeff and a couple other top guys in this group fair overall.

Looks like Jeff showed us how important it can be to pick the winner as that was worth 5200 points!!

I ended up 34th in this group out of nearly 80, so about average or slightly above average.  I had 3,477 points and that put me 13,801st overall.  Long ways from prizes, not a complete disaster though, I can climb my way into year end contention still.  Time to focus on setting my Bassmaster Classic lineup and then Table Rock!  Looks like FLW is supposed to publish official results on Thursday or Friday, so check back to see who won our group prize!

Did I mention that I took David Dudley, Scott Cantebury and Sam Newby out of my lineup the day before the deadline???  IDIOT!!!

Best regards,
The Commissioner
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

I signed up for the Player’s Advantage, which comes with Real-Time Scoring, so I am able to share a Top 10 points update after the day 1 weigh in.  As you can see I am 27th in my own group, looks like almost 80 anglers submitted lineups this week in my group.  So these are the teams looking good so far, but a lot can chance day to day. 

I am already kicking myself on some last minute changes I made, I took guys out of my lineup that are doing very well.  I also forgot that Greg Pugh was double booked, probably not smart for me to have him in the #1 spot.  I am also baffled that Jay Yelas and Michael Bennett only weighed 1 fish each
Good Luck to all!

Best regards,
The Commissioner
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

This will be the first of many installments of my Fantasy Bass Fishing Corner genre of blog entries for both FLW & BASS Fantasy Fishing. 

How to Pick’em!
So let’s start out talking about the strategies on how to make a good lineup for FLW Fantasy Fishing.  Things of note:
1. There is no salary cap, so feel free to litter your lineup with big names and superstars if you see fit
2.  FLW has a large field, 150 boats down from 200, so scores should be even higher this year
3. Jackpotters are for the most part out this year, last year FLW filled fields with locals, not the case last year
4. It’s all about the Top 10’s!!!   Guys that are perennial consistent finishers, and don’t make Top 10’s are of little value in the FLW scoring system
5. Take a look at Player’s Advantage, last year at $40, I thought it was bit of a rip off, this year at $10, I think its a very solid value.  It tells you the anglers that live closest to the lake, expert picks, angler lake match-ups based on their strengths and past successes.  I guess you can’t argue against the fact that the $1 million winner last year, used Player’s Advantage, I am guessing he signed up again
I signed up, mostly so I could better give analysis on lakes and lineups to share with you.  So I say get it, but if you are too cheap, come back to my blog and I will give you the highlights!!
There are a lot of great tools in PA, check it out!!!
6.  There is luck involved, I think a certain amount of skill goes into picking guys in the Top 10, but the Exacta bonus points are a little more luck, that is where you are going to win the big prizes.  Do a good job of stacking your lineup with guys in the Top 10 on every tournament and hopefully lady luck will hook you up on some Exacta picks and you could wind $100k!!!

Now let’s talk about Guntersville – a.k.a. The Big G.
Type of water: Lowland Tennessee River impoundment
Surface area: 69,100 acres
Shoreline: 950 miles
Average depth: 12 feet
Max depth: 45 feet
Primary structure/cover: hydrilla, milfoil, stumps, ledges, points, riprap
Species: largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass
Length minimum: 15 inches for largemouths and smallmouths, 12 inches for spotted bass

Guntersville is known for its grass and big bass and this time of year, it should yield some hefty pre-spawn sacks of fish.  For at least one tournament, the FLW should not the be shakey head tour this week.  Cranks, traps, jerkbaits and jigs should be the deal.  Couple things that makes Guntersville tricky when selecting a lineup.  FLW has not made many stops here other then the BFL stops and usually they don’t fish it in February.  Although they have fished several events on Lake Wheeler was is the next lake in the TVA chain and can fish similar, so check results for anglers that do well there.  Also, BASS has fished a couple events on Guntersville in February, George Cochran & Zell Rowland those events.  (Click there names to see results)  Incidentally Cochran will be fishing this tournament.   If you look at those results, you will also see names like Stacey King, Luke Clausen, Jay Yelas as well; all now fish FLW.

So here goes my lineup, I may tweak it a bit, but this is essentially what it will be when rosters lock on Wednesday morning:

I used a combination of the Player’s Advantage, independent research and gut feel to set this lineup. 
Still time to join my group, I will be awarding prizes for every event.
Here is the details to sign up:
Please go to www.FantasyFishing.com to sign-up or learn more. After you have completed the sign-up process, click “Join a League” in the Game Tracker and enter the following information to become part of RichLindgren.com’s League:

League Id: 11590
Password: bassin

Good luck to all that play!!

Best regards,
The Commissioner
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

Rich Lindgren is challenging you to play Fantasy Fishing Challenge on ESPN.com.

This game challenges you to build a roster of five anglers while staying under your team’s $100m salary cap. The amount of points an angler can earn in a tournament are based on the Angler of the Year points system. Best of all, it’s FREE to play.  Plus I will award prizes to winners at each event in my group!

Here is how to sign up, go to http://games.espn.go.com/bass/frontpage
Create your entry
Click Join a Group
Search under Private Groups for Rich’s Bassin’ Blog
Password: bassin

BASS this year, now let’s you join multiple groups, so don’t worry if you already joined a group, you can still be part of this group and win prizes!

For more info on my FLW Fantasy Fishing Group – check this post – http://bassinblog.richlindgren.com/2009/01/27/join-my-flw-fantasy-fishing-leauge.aspx

I would like to welcome our newest email subscribers, we are now up to 86, plus all the RSS subscribers!!

Best regards,
The Commissioner
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog