They say it’s always easier the second time around.  Bassmaster Elite Series Professional Angler and 2008 Bassmaster Classic Champion Alton Jones from Waco, Texas, hopes it true.  Jones already has quite a Classic Championship resume including:  winner of the 2008 Bassmaster Classic Championship and 13-time qualifier with a string of nine in a row at one point.  The stage is definitely set for Jones to win the title again.

Jones has been fishing professionally for a number of years and it is easy to see his love of the sport and respect for the fans that cheer him on.  The Bassmaster Classic is the Super Bowl of bass fishing.  “I will never forget the first time, every angler has dreams of winning it in front of their family and friends; the sensation is unbelievable,” Jones continued, “the positive value of the win for yourself and your sponsors cannot be measured.”  Jones went on to explain, “The hardest part is for an angler to focus on fishing with all the distractions, media demands, and the socializing every evening; it’s hard to flip the switch between fans, business, and the fishing part.”  Winning the Bassmaster Classic Championship is the pinnacle of bass fishing, a career changing event, where an angler can promote his sponsors or bring attention to any causes they may feel strongly about.  “Responsibility comes with the title, the fans look up and respect you everywhere you go,” Jones went on, “if there is such a thing as a down side it would be sponsor obligations and not having enough time for family or yourself.”

Winning the Bassmaster Classic Championship takes a number of things.  “To win it takes a preparation, mental fortitude, and execution,” Jones went on, “This year there will be five guys really close to winning it and only one will have it all together to win the championship.”  Jones expects it will take quality fish along with a big fish to do well in the tournament.  “Right now it is too early to tell what lure the fish may bite or what may be happening; if I told you a lure I would only be speculating, although a lipless crankbait like the XCalibur XRK50 catches fish down there that time of year,” said Jones.

Jones made it to the Bassmaster Classic Championship by qualifying through the Bassmaster Elite Series.  A great deal of his success can be attributed to a 6-inch watermelon/candy or green pumpkin/purple flake YUM Dinger (www.lurenet.com) Texas Rigged.  Early in the season, Jones fish this rig in shallow water with a light sinker either a 1/16-ounce or 1/8-ounce.  In the summer tournaments like at Kentucky Lake, Jones went deeper with the YUM Dinger fishing it with a ½-ounce weight on the ledges.  “It was my main bait for the first three tournaments,” explained Jones.  Jones likes to rig his YUM Dinger on a 7-foot medium/heavy Kistler Magnesium rod, Ardent XS1000 reel, 50-pound braid with a 4-foot leader of 25-pound test fluorocarbon line, on a wide gap worm hook.  “The key is having a soft tip to cast far but set the hook on the fish like the Kistler rod I use,” said Jones.

Jones is sponsored by Skeeter, Yamaha, Ardent Reels, Kistler, Legacy Outfitters, Costa Del Mar, and Life Line Youth and Family Services.