Seaside, Astoria, Tillamook Bay, The Wilson, The Trask, The Nestucca, The Nehalem, The Necanicum, Big Creek,
Youngs Bay.........

Special to Fishing the Coast---That old Carolina Moon's still shinin' and today one of the bass fishermen basking in its glow is Davy Hite, of Prosperity, South Carolina.

Hite, you see, just walked away with the 1999 championship of the BASS Masters Classic. He did it by whipping the 44 other top bass anglers competing in this 29th "Word Series of Bass Fishing."

This year's Classic was based in New Orleans. It was staged Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week on the hot and shallow waters of the Louisiana Delta. That hot, shallow water didn't bother Davy Hite. He managed to boat 55 pounds, 10 ounces of largemouth in the three days of competition. That total is a new record for the Classic since anglers have been limited to a 5-fish limit.

Deny Brauer, the defending champion from Camdenton, Missouri, finished second with 45 pounds, 11 ounces. Larry Nixon, a former Classic winner from Bee Branch, Arkansas, was third with 43 pounds, 14 ounces.

Hite caught his prize winning total using a Gambler Bacon Rind soft plastic lure that resembles a crawdad. He had to run more than an hour to reach the fishing spot he'd found during the pre-Classic fishing back in June. He stayed in the same place all three days.

The 45 Classic contestants faced three days of sweltering temperatures hovering right around 100 degrees.

For his winning effort, Hite pocketed the $100,000 check that goes along with the Classic trophy. The South Carolina pro, a former BASS Angler of the Year, had already won $350,000 in previous 1999 tournament action.

All weigh-ins for this year's Classic were held in the New Orleans Super Dome. I doubt there's much more interest when the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League are there for a home game than there was at the final Classic weigh-in last Saturday. It's a cinch the thousands of bass fishermen on hand for the event did as much hollering and hooting as their favorite pros brought their bags of fish to the weigh-in stand.

Next year's BASS Classic will be staged in Chicago. The fishing will be done on Lake Michigan and its tributaries. All of the weigh-ins will be held at Soldier's Field.
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