2014 TOP BASS Classic Pre-tournament Interviews with Jarrod Dean and Mike Williams

Hard times might fall on Classic competitors.

By Luigi De Rose

Boats are fueled and rods are rigged for a two-day slugfest called the TOP BASS Classic. For 75 teams, September 6^th and 7^th, is battle time. Accolades, money and a lot of bragging rights are all on the line  this weekend. By the end of the tournament, Angler of the Year, Team of the Year and Classic Champs will all be decided.  It will be a go-for-broke event like no other.

Jarrod Dean and his Punisher jigs will be hunting for a Classic win.
(Photos: Jeff English)

We tracked down two of the most dominant anglers on the TOP BASS tour to get their perspective on the event. Each has a strong tournament career and the skill to win this event.

“Buddy, fishing has been terrible!” announces tournament star Jarrod Dean. Jarrod is one half of the legendary duo of Dean and Cocks. Dean and his partner Gerard Cocks have numerous wins on this chain of lakes including a win this June.

Their Classic pre-fish has been spotty at best. “Today (Thursday) our biggest was maybe 3 ½ pounds while Gerard caught more than 21 pounds last Saturday. He wasn’t even fishing our best stuff but that was last weekend.” reflects Dean. 

“We’re expecting a 10 degrees drop in the weather. Today (Thursday night) is 29C and Sunday it is forecasted to hit to 20C." explains Dean “it might affect the shallow bass but not the deeper ones.”  Jarrod expects the winning two-day weight to be right at 34 pounds.

2013 Top Bass Classic Pre-tournament Report and Interviews

By Luigi De Rose

Gerard Cocks and Jarrod Dean hope to add another
Classic Win to their name.
(Photo: Lures and Tours)

Rice Lake, Bewdley, Ontario, will be host to the Top Bass Classic. Seventy-five of the best will fight on September 7 and 8 to claim the Classic crown. This year, Top Bass was the hottest ticket in town and had larger than average fields. Culling through so many anglers, only the top will be able to fish for cash and prizes this weekend.

Rice Lake holds historical significance with so many tournament circuits and anglers. Part of the famed Trent Severn system, Rice Lake has a bounty of structure and cover appealing to all anglers. Home to potbellied smallmouth and largemouth, this lake allows anglers to play to their strengths. September can be fickle. Cool nights mixed with hot, humid afternoons can be tricky for anglers to juggle.

With heaps of trophies and several Classic wins to their name, the team of Gerard Cocks and Jarrod Dean make IBASSIN's list as a potential Classic winners. Currently, they dominated as Team of the Year with an approximate 37-pound lead but Rice Lake has not been overly kind to them in 2013. Regardless, this team knows Rice Lake intimately.   

IBASSIN: How has your practice been going?

Cocks: It has been OK. I'm worried about the cold front that came through on Thursday. We have a lot more fishing to do before we can make any serious decisions.

Dean: This year we have not done well. No big bags for us!

IBASSIN:  What is your biggest tournament bag here?

Dean: My best was 24.90lb but that was some time ago.

IBASSIN:  So, will smallmouth or largemouth be the key?

Dean: Definitely, smallmouth will win this Classic. Time of year and the lack of weed in large sections of the lake make it difficult to dominate with largemouth. Gerard is unconvinced that largemouth will not play a key role in victory. He feels a few key largemouth will vault them to victory.

IBASSIN:  Will the rivers play any part in producing a winning creel?

Dean: I doubt it. The rivers have not done much for us in years. The main lake is where we will focus our efforts.

IBASSIN:  Winning baits?

Dean:  Tube, jerkbait and jigs. The jerkbait has not been great for me this year but it works. A lot of good bass will come on it.

Spiro is after two titles this year
AOY & the Classic

Spiro Agouros, Peterborough, Ontario, is another heavy hitter.  With over 20 years experience plus several years as a co-angler on the FLW circuit in the States, Spiro is well groomed. The 2011 Top Bass Angler of the Year will be fishing with Peter Worosz and hoping to capture another Angler of the Year Title plus the Classic.

IBASSIN: How will the cold front affect the bass?

Agouros: The weather is going to be a big factor. Water temp was 76 F last weekend and I figure it will fall to about 67 F by Sunday. This might kill the shallow water largemouth bite. But, it is not cold enough to group up the smallmouth.

There has been some good largemouth deep if you can find the correct weed. The guys who are good dunkers (off-shore pitching) will do well like they always do.

IBASSIN: Smallmouth or largemouth?

Agouros: I think it will be a mixed bag. A few good largemouth will be caught on Saturday but then taper off by Sunday.  Smallmouth should do well and be more consistent.

IBASSIN: Winning Weight?

Agouros: 38lb or 39lbs. This is lower than past years but the whole year (weather wise) has been this way. The weather patterns don’t last more than a few days and the fishing has been up and down. Some one will have a 20lb bag and then follow up with a day 2 catch of 18 or 19lbs.

The Goo Bug from Trigger-X should be Spiro's ace. 

IBASSIN: Will the rivers play a role?

Agouros: Yeah, the rivers will be good. I find there are more smallmouth in the river than usual. It isn’t cold enough for schools of smallmouth to pack up but there are a lot of scattered bass out there. If the river current is moving, the smallmouth bite should get better. One thing I noticed this year is that the largemouth size is smaller than past years. Not as many big largemouth in the river this year or even last year as in the past.

IBASSIN: 3 Top Lures

Agouros: The three best should be:

Jerkbaits

Flipping Jig

Texas Rig soft plastic like a Trigger X Goo Bug.

There you have it from three-esteemed anglers who know Rice Lake well enough to be hoisting the Classic Crown over their heads Sunday afternoon.

Come back for daily reports and the Classic Champion interview.

2012 Top Bass Classic Pre-Tournament Report and Interviews with Jarrod Dean, Gerard Cocks and Steve Hashimoto

The 2012 Top Bass Classic anglers are commencing for battle this weekend. The top 75 teams will try to out duel each for the victory on Balsam Lake. 

Balsam is a deep, clear lake situated in the heart of the Trent-Severn waterway. With the highest attitude, water flows from Balsam east and west, feeding the entire system. 

Anglers can expect a wide range of techniques to work. With health largemouth and smallmouth populations, anglers have many options. Typically, the shoreline is sandy with several coves having lush, marshy grass.  Overall, shoreline cover is minimal. Luxurious homes encompass most of the shoreline decreasing the ability to find suitable cover. Another negative is homeowners have a reputation of being overly vocal towards anglers fishing docks.  Many find the mid-depths more productive than beating the bank.

This lake is best known for it’s expansive weed beds in the 6 to 15 foot range.  A popular technique is pitching soft plastics or jigs into weed patches. It can be a painstaking process but rewarding if a sizeable school is located.

Smallmouth are always critical here.  Traditional techniques of drop shotting, topwaters and jerkbaits work well.   A bonus slab smallmouth will go a long way in any tournament on Balsam and if a school can be located, victory is almost a sure thing. 

IBASSIN tracked down two dominate teams for their inside knowledge and expertise on Balsam.

Jarrod Dean and Gerard Cocks

One of the most feared fishing duos ever; Jarrod and Gerard have countless titles and accolades. This team is the 2011 and 2010 Top Bass Classic Champions. Both are eager to make it three Classics in a row.

Past Classic Champs Gerard and Jarrod
Photos: Lures and Tours

Lake Conditions

“The wind just started to kick up (Thursday afternoon) and that should make it worse! It’s been a challenge.”  Lamented Jarrod. “We’ve been on the water since Tuesday and fishing has been up and down.”  Balsam Lake is very suited to this pair’s love for jig fishing.  Jarrod is owner of Punisher Jigs and masterfully ties jigs for most Ontario tournament anglers.  Even though they haven’t had the success here as they have had on other Kawartha Lakes, they are experts at addressing and adjusting to current fishing conditions.  “We have been fishing from 6” to 16 feet of water.” Laughs Jarrod. “The lake looks fine but it has been tough fishing.”

Strategy

“We are going after smallmouth and largemouth. I think you have to be competitive.” Advises Gerard Cocks. “We have been catching largemouth here and there but we did find a pod of smallmouth… they were all over 4 pounds.”

Exclusive Interview: Jarrod Dean 2011 Top Bass Classic Winner and 2011 Team of the Year

Gerard Cocks and Jarrod Dean
2011 Top Bass Classic Champions
(Photo: Lures & Tours)

Ibassin got a chance to chat with the 2011 Top Bass Classic Champ Jarron Dean.

Jarrod Dean, Pickering, Ontario, and his fishing partner Gerard Cocks, Toronto, Ontario, blew away the crowd and competition on Sunday, September 18, with an astonishing two day limit of 36.86 lbs, backed by an amazing 20.87 lb, 5 bass limit on Sunday.  This is their second Classic win in a row and this win also secured the 2011 Team of the Year honours.

Jarrod and Gerard have been winning tournaments in Ontario at a staggering pace. This was their third win of 2011.  In conjunction with tournament fishing, Jarrod is owner of Punisher jigs. His jigs are an Ontario phenomena, particularly the mini jigs.  Jarrod and team mate Gerard know the intricacies of jig fishing like few others.

What follows is an in-depth look at how they won.

 “We had an amazing practice. Friday we could have weighted 24 lbs. That was just the fish we hooked, most were shaken off. Gerard also had one about 6 ¾ lbs along with so many smallmouth in the 4 pound range.” declares Jarrod.