nelson was dam close to stealing redcrest
I f ever there was a statement that perfectly summed up Bass Pro Tour pro Ron Nelson , it was the quirky Michigander ’ s response to a question asked of him at takeout after the Knockout Round at REDCREST .
“ If you win $ 300,000 tomorrow , what ’ s the first thing you ’ re going to buy ?” Nelson was asked – a fair question , since he had finished third in the round with 51 pounds , 12 ounces . The retort was classic Ron Nelson : “ I don ’ t fish for money . I fish because it ’ s fun .”
Anyone who watched the livestream of the final day of REDCREST and who heard his postgame rundown of how he spent his final two days of the tournament – fishing the heavy current of the tailrace below Logan Martin Dam – could see that he was indeed having a ball . Nelson spent the bulk of his tournament casting a JackHammer and various swimbaits tight to the face of the dam and into its eddies , working his way through just about every species of fish that swims in Lay Lake .
Nelson walked away with a $ 40,000 payday in his first REDCREST , but his animated descriptions of his days fishing below the dam – and his repeated use of the word “ fun ” to sum up his tournament – seem to prove that he ’ s true to his word . He does indeed fish for fun ( but will happily cash that $ 40,000 check ).
PHOTO BY GARRICK DIXON
APRIL-MAY 2024 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 63