Yamaha Pro Angler Jordan Lee is the 2018 Bassmaster Classic® Champion. Lee, who began Sunday’s championship round in sixth place, caught five bass that weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces and won the 2018 Bassmaster Classic® with a three-day total of 47 pounds, 1 ounce. Lee, who won last year’s Classic on Lake Conroe, Texas, joins fishing legends Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam as the only anglers in history to win the Super Bowl of professional bass fishing two years in a row.
“That part of it hasn’t set in for me,” said Lee, who pushed his career earnings with B.A.S.S.® past $1 million with the $300,000 Classic win. “I’m still just freaking out. It was just a perfect week for me. I caught fish on five different baits and a lot of different techniques.”
Unlike last year, when Lee struggled during the first round of the Classic before rebounding to win, he got off to a good start during this year’s first round with a catch of 18 pounds, 10 ounces.
Since he didn’t have a good practice, he said he decided to stay within his comfort zone and fish boat docks — much like he does on Smith Lake in his home state of Ala.
“I just wanted to cover as much water as I could to give myself the best chance of putting a bait in front of a fish,” he said. “On this lake, I knew boat docks were going to play because they always do — and that’s what I like to do.”
Lee weighed in all spotted bass on Day 2 and saw his weight drop to 12 pounds, 2 ounces. However, he still easily made the Top 25 cut in sixth place to fish on Championship Sunday.
Being behind on the final day is nothing new for Lee, considering he started last year’s championship round in 15th place and came back to win. Once again, he hit the jackpot on the final day.
“Today, I went in the back of this one little pocket and the water was 57 degrees,” he said. “I caught a fish — probably my biggest one of the day — and then it turned out there were bass under every dock in there. They were swimming around by my boat. It was just loaded.”
“I didn’t go out all week thinking I was going to win this tournament,” Lee said. “I just decided I was going to fish the way I wanted to fish. You can’t plan on winning this tournament. Everything just has to fall into place.”
In addition to the $300,000 grand prize, Lee’s 2018 Bassmaster Classic® win also guarantees him a spot in the 2019 Bassmaster Classic® field.
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