Velvick Misses A Much Needed Top 12
If there is 1 angler on the BASS Elite Series Tour that I pull for every week, it’s Byron Velvick. Here is an angler that is constantly at the center of debates about who is or isn’t good enough to be on the Elite Series or Pro fishing. Aside from that, the former TV Bachelor star also has to deal with the attention he receives anytime his personal life (relationship) is in conflict. Let me just state that Byron deserves to be right where he is at. If there is an angler better qualified to be in his position, than that angler should have or would have already qualified for it. With that being said.
The day 1 leader at this past weekends Citrus Slam on Kissimmee Lake was Byron Velvick. The veteran pro weighed-in what would end up being the biggest single day sack of the tournament at 25.0 lbs. His lead was short lived due to a changing weather condition that brought in some very high winds making it tough for the sight fishing pattern to remain effective. Byron slowly fell out of the top 12 missing his opportunity at some sweet redemption against allot of his battled controversy finishing 15th.
Still, even though he failed to make the final day cut, I will consider his 15th place finish a success this early on in the season. If anything, I look at it like this. Byron now has some great motivation and momentum going into his home state waters of Texas. I don’t think his 15th place finish could have come at a better time. Lake Falcon and Lake Amistad better be ready, cause I have a feeling that Byron Velvick and his swimbaits are going to make some noise.
After Byron’s first 2 events of 2008 compared to the first 2 events of 2007:
2008
Sunshine Showdown, Harris Chain - 75th
Citrus Slam, Kissimmee - 15th
2007
Battle on the Border, Amistad - 73rd
Duel in the Delta, California Delta - 96th
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POSTED IN: BASS, BASS Elite Series, Miscellaneous
2 opinions for Velvick Misses A Much Needed Top 12
BP
Mar 17, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I didn’t know much about Byron until I watched him on The Bachelor. I thought he came off as a jerk and a creep, so I am not a fan.
I wonder how it is that he was so good out West, but struggles so bad on the BASS tour, when so many Western pro’s have adapted so well. Since Byron appears to be independantly wealthy and can afford to fish as an Elite pro, more power to him.
Don Zaegel
Mar 18, 2008 at 7:41 am
That is something I have always wondered as well BP. I can only assume it might have something to do with the fact that most of the other west coast guys (Martens, Roumbanis, Reeses, Litner etc.) have been so successful by bringing their finesse techniques out west. While swimbaits have shown a huge deal of success out east, they have a more specific time when they prevail.Byron’s real strength is BIG swimbaits. The kind big CA Bass eat. Byron is alot like another Texas pro you may have never heard of named Bradley Stringer. He fished in the Elites for a couple of years with really no success, but when he drops back down and fishes Open level events and Stren level events back in Texas, he smoke them. It’s like he playing in little league.
As a person, Byron might not be that great of a guy. I don’t know. But much like Ike, I respect them for getting the job done to be able to do what they do for a living. That’s take a level of effort, commitment, and skill that goes far beyond what many realize.
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