We all dream of fishing the Bass Masters Classic. I know its been my dream since I was about 16. Living in the West, I've never been fortunate enough to fish any circuits or events that would place me in the position to qualify for one though. Yet for the last several years, I have been able to attend the Classic and live the dream in a whole different manor. With my involvement in the fishing industry I have been able to attend the Classic Expo for the last 4 straight years now. I know, its nothing like actually fishing in it, but where else can someone with the passion for bass fishing that I have, get to spend 4 days talking to all the Pros, Anglers, and other manufactures that attend the Expo every year. The Classic Expo has turned into the iCast of Bass Fishing. So many manufactures debut new items like rods, reels,  tackle, and  boats. The Expo has grown to draw crowds that far exceed other shows throughout the country. And to think of a show being this big, with a focus on Bass fishing only, is nothing short of amazing. It all starts with the hosting city. I flew into Greenville SC and was welcomed at the airport by signs and crowds welcoming people to the Classic.  Restaurants, hotels, even gas stations are packed to capacity and aware of the reason all us fisherman have overtaken there town.  Everywhere you went there was the buzz of bass fishing, who would win it all, how it would be won, and how crazy these crowds are for a little green fish. You can see dollar signs everywhere you went that indicate just how big an impact the Classic has for the hosting city. The Expo itself was packed every day with people wanting to shop, check out new items, or get autographs and pictures with all the pros from B.A.S.S. and FLW that attend, and to chat with the legends of the sport that helped get it to where we are today like Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Forrest Wood, and way to many others to type here. For me, to be able to share meals, conversations, and call some of these legends true friends is a dream in itself. But lets talk about the other side of the Classic for a bit. The anglers that get to compete are the best of the best. They are true Professional Bass Fisherman. They struggle all year, physically, emotionally, and financially to be able to qualify for a prestigious Classic birth. Then, with the biggest tournament of there lives in front of them, they have to not only compete with each other and the fish, but what mother nature has to throw at them as well. These anglers had to pre-fish in ideal conditions prior to official practice to only discover a bite that they knew would change drastically by the first day of competition.  During official practice they had to face extreme weather conditions that saw snow, sleet, freezing rain, and night time temps that dropped to zero degrees. Each morning it was a trial just trying to get to there boats, and then get there boats safely to the lake. They had icicles that hung from there boat covers, trailers, and trucks like big glass spikes ready to plunge the heart of the beast in a horror movie. Yet they endured this all with smiles and determination on there faces and in there hearts. They were the perfect image of Class for a Classic tournament. Those that did not make the final day cut, were at the Expo with smiles on there faces to work the other side of the industry, sponsor obligations. And as much as you knew they didn't want to be there, that they'd much rather be fishing that final day for there dream, they all made the crowds at the Expo laugh and share there stories of on the water experiences from the week.  Some, like Aaron Martins, who you knew were heavy hearted at the loss of his father, were still all smiles for the people and children that asked for his picture and autograph at the Expo. (My condolences go out to Aaron and his family in there time of loss of a loved one.)  So to all the anglers that fish at the Elite Level I say well done. You are living the dream for millions that could only truly dream about it. So live it to the fullest. To the thousands of Industry workers and Manufactures, its because of your hard work daily and at these shows like the Expo, that take you away from your families and friends for weeks on end, all year long, its because of people like you that have grown this industry to the level that its at. And because of your hard work behind the scenes, its allowed the thousands of anglers that fish for a living to do just that. So to you I say THANK YOU. And to the millions of anglers across this globe that have the passion for fishing that allows me to do what I do for a living I say God Bless YOU, and Thanks for keeping that fire burning in our hearts.

So its only February 3rd, and half the country is still frozen under sheets of snow and ice. So what on earth is Vince talking about spring fever for already you might ask? Well unfortunately here in California we have had a very mild and dry winter so far to go with our already  record drought  conditions we have been dealing with for the last several years.  Our day time temps for most of the state are on the rise, with some parts of the state topping out at 80+ degrees.  Here in the region of our beautiful California Delta, we are already seeing trees starting to bloom, and bees starting to pollinate. What this tells all of us knowledgeable anglers is that the big girls are on the move! As our water temperatures continue to rise, some of the biggest bass will be spawning in only a few short weeks  to a month.  So what does that mean for anglers on the Delta? time to start concentrating on transition edges next to spawning flats where the big ladies are starting to feed and fatten up after a winter of just hanging out deep and conserving thier energy. This is one of the best times of year to catch your biggest bass of a lifetime, but its not all lights out fishing. It will still be a bit tough going till our temps become more stable. So for me, that means fishing a bit slower still. I like to concentrate on bulkier baits like big jigs, 7" senkos, and lighter punch rig type flipping baits with only 1/2-3/4 oz weights rather than the typical 1+oz weights. These baits will make you fish at a slower pace, giving you the best odds of sticking a pig. Now they are not the only techniques that will be working. A lot of guys who have a bit more control will start doing good slow rolling a big spinner bait, swimbait or crank bait. But lets face it, if your only allowed to fish one or two days a week, put the odds in your favor and take full advantage of the baits that will increase your odds for that fish of a lifetime. Usually this time of year, darker colors like black and blue, brown, and watermelon greens or bright colors work best because the water will be stained from rain and run off into the rivers that feed our Delta. Especially since most of the vegetation and hydrilla have died off from the colder temps. But as I mentioned previously, this isn't your typical early spring. Our waters haven't gotten cold enough for long enough to kill back that vegetation, and our rivers haven't seen enough rain to muddy them up. So in many areas of the Delta the water is very clear with good visibility. For that reason I have been doing better with more natural colors like Sprayed Grass, or watermelon candy. And of course the best spring time color spinnerbait and crank bait red or crawfish colors. So if you're looking to stick a giant, get up off the couch where you've been hiding all winter, and give the early spring Delta bite a chance. I think you will be very surprised.