He's a Bassmaster Classic champion and among the Elite Series' top competitors, but sometimes even Jeff Gustafson struggles to put fish into the boat.
Gustafson, of Kenora, Ont., will be among 56 competitors participating in the US$1-million Classic, which begins Friday on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas. But three mediocre practice sessions (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) haven't really provided Gustafson with a solid gameplan for a second Classic title.
"Every day is just kind of different, I haven't really learned enough to have a great idea," Gustafson said. "The first two fish I caught were a seven- and six-pounder and that's awesome but it's hard to duplicate.
"It's not a great lake for numbers and we all know that. But in general it sounds like the bite is pretty tough and I'm not the only one who's struggling."
Gustafson and Co. will have a final practice Wednesday to try and figure things out.
"I felt good coming into practice because I spent a week fishing dawn to dark here in Texas on different bodies of water," Gustafson said. "Over the last few days I wasn't able to make that happen or put that to good use but I'm still optimistic.
"I won't give up."
Gustafson made history in 2023, becoming the first Canadian to win the Classic on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn. The wire-to-wire victory came two years after Gustafson went wire-to-wire for his first Elite Series title on the same body of water.
Winning the Classic is the pinnacle of any pro bass fisherman's career. But claiming the title once only serves to strengthen one's resolve to do it again.
"It was life-changing for me as far as just opening doors and creating a lot of opportunities," Gustafson said. "For what I do, that's the dream come true to win the Bassmaster Classic.
"It's always a special week . . . you've just got to try to put yourself in the best possible position to have the opportunity."
Lake Ray Roberts is home to plenty of big largemouths. The lake record is 15.18 pounds registered March 7, 2015.
"It's spring here and they're not too far off wanting to sort of get after the spawn," Gustafson said. "So that keeps you optimistic where if you hit the right little pocket or cove you can hit it pretty good.
"I'll have more rods than options rigged up in the boat than I want, for sure. But it's just another tournament and you've got to figure out how to make it happen on the days it counts."
Gustafson will be among four Canadians competing in Texas. The others included Cory Johnston, of Cavan, Ont., his younger brother, Chris, of Peterborough, Ont., and Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville, Ont.
Gustafson and the Johnstons are appearing in their sixth Classic while Gallant is in it for the third time.
A solid showing for Gustafson in Texas would remove some of the sting of his slow start to 2025. Gustafson finished 82nd in the season opener on the St Johns River in Palatka, Fla., on Feb. 23, then 81st at Lake Okeechobee on March 2.
"It's a hard sport like that because sometimes you figure it out and it can be so easy and then if you don't it's like the harder you try the worse it goes," Gustafson said. "I'm certainly working hard and want good results but at the end of the day you're chasing a fish that has the ability to move and not bite.
"You'd think with all the experience I have it would be easy everywhere you go and every day but it's not. But I still know how to fish, I don't get too up or down either way, I just fish the conditions when they come and hopefully make some good decisions."
With seven events still remaining on the Elite Series calendar, there's certainly time for Gustafson to make up ground. And with the '26 Classic slated to return to Knoxville, there's certainly added incentive.
"Obviously, I really want to be in that tournament and I've got a big hole to dig out of now," Gustafson said. "It's extra pressure, for sure, that you don't want but, again, those tournaments are over.
"I've got to have a good rest of the season and have no more bad tournaments and I can still make it."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2025.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
