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The night before the big day: I had mixed emotions, and I was really nervous about the draw at the angler's meeting at Hamburg High School. I have seen firsthand what can happen if you draw the wrong person. Then again those are the rules and that is what keeps everything fair.
Again walking into a room full of the most elite 108 anglers was an amazing feeling. I tried to control myself a little more this time. I thought it was great to be sitting in a room full of bass fishermen all watching reruns of ESPN2 tournament coverage.
Dinner was great, and then it was time for the draw. My friend Jeff was like the ninth person called and drew Scott Rook. As for myself, I had to wait all the way to the 96th pairing, when I was placed with John Murray out of Phoenix.
I was excited, because I knew the only lakes out on the west cost were very deep lakes and keying in on structure would be part of Murray's plan. I also knew that out of 125 entries in BASS tournaments, Mr. Murray placed in the money 64 times. That is quite the ratio. We exchanged numbers and discussed our meeting time and away we went.
Sleeping that night did not come easy. Ever since I entered the tournament I have been hearing how crazy I was to drop that much money — $750 — into a fishing event. I want nothing more then to prove everyone wrong, and I have very high expectations of the position I can achieve.
Charles Waldorf
