ANATOMY OF A SEASON
How Bryan Thrift rose to the top and stayed there in
2017, with his reflections about each tournament.
Lake Travis, Feb. 16-19, 2nd
Given the degree of talent at the Tour level, Rose did the
seemingly impossible at Travis by winning his second
straight title. Thrift was runner-up in another close one, as
Rose had 59-2 and Thrift finished with 58-6. Thrift had 24-
12 the first day – the tournament’s heaviest catch – but
could muster only 9-6 in the second round. He reverted to
his standard run-and-gun approach on day three and start-
ed milking docks and shoreline cover with shaky heads and
jigs to stay in the hunt.
Though no one could foresee it at the time, the Travis
tournament also scuttled any chances Andy Morgan might
have had to win his second consecutive AOY and fourth in
five seasons. Morgan, who was battling the flu at Travis, fin-
ished 90th there and wound up second to Thrift in the
standings by 44 points.
It was the second time I’d fished Travis. My first tournament as
a pro was there (February 2007), and I finished second then, too.
Lake Guntersville
Lake Guntersville, Feb. 2-5, 2nd
It took something extraordinary to keep Thrift from winning
his sixth Tour event. In this case, the extraordinary was named
Mark Rose. The Arkansas pro edged out Thrift in the first of
what would be two consecutive victories – a rare feat in itself.
The opener was on Lake Guntersville in early February, and
Rose won with 79 pounds, 11 ounces. Thrift had 78-12. He
was almost 5 pounds behind Rose going into the champi-
onship round, but came in with his biggest stringer, 22
pounds, to make it a squeaker.
Uncharacteristically, Thrift didn’t skip from spot to spot in
this event. Instead, he alternated between a bare piece of
bottom surrounded by eelgrass and some nearby docks.
When the fish quit biting in the open water, he would fish the
docks – and vice versa.
Obviously, it was a good event for me. I always feel comfort-
able at Guntersville, even if I don’t get on anything in practice.
You know that every cast could be an 8- or 10-pounder. I feel like
I’ve always got a chance to do well there.
Lake Travis
PHOTO BY CHAD LOVE
58
Harris Chain
Harris Chain, March 9-12, 6th
The Tar Heel pro moved into first
place in the AOY race on the Florida
chain of lakes, with Brandon Cobb set-
tling into second. Thrift located fish in
offshore grass beds and used a Z-Man
ChatterBait, various Damiki soft plastics
and a popping frog to sack 64 pounds,
9 ounces. Alabama’s Bradley Dortch,
who would go on to win acclaim as the
Tour’s Rookie of the Year, won the tour-
nament with 73-9.
That was a fun event. It was the first time
I’d ever fished there, and I love to go to
somewhere I’ve never fished before and
learn some things about it.
FLWFISHING.COM I AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2017