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| A dream come true for the whole Lucas clan. (Photo: BASS) |
Lucas came into the event with an eight-point lead in the AOY season standings — and after solid catches on Thursday and Friday, he had stretched that lead to an almost-insurmountable 47 points. Plus, his closest competition in the race, Arizona angler Josh Bertrand, decided not to fish Sunday because his wife is expected to deliver their second child any time now back home.
It eliminated all the suspense, but that suited Lucas just fine.
The California native turned Alabama resident caught five bass that weighed only 11 pounds, 14 ounces Sunday. But his three-day weight of 39-0 was more than enough to give him the AOY title and the biggest accomplishment of his young, flourishing career.
“I wanted this so badly,” Lucas said. “The build-up to this tournament affected every part of my life. I haven’t been sleeping because I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about my game plan for this week. I’ve told my family and friends just to bear with me for a few more days, and everything would be okay — and now it’s all good.”
The gravity of the award hit Lucas and moved him to tears on stage.
“You think about the guys who’ve won this title — Gerald Swindle, Kevin VanDam — it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I’m the 23rd guy who’s ever won this in the 50-year history of B.A.S.S., and that’s humbling.”
