Anyone with a good remedy for insomnia might offer a call to Matt Massey.
“It’s still five months away and already I can’t sleep a wink,” the Lakewood resident said of the anxiety already building over what promises to be the event of a lifetime.
Fishing May 13-15 in the Bass Federation Nation Western Divisional tournament on the Columbia River system, Massey finished eighth overall and tops among all Colorado anglers. This earned him a place in the Bass Federation championship event Oct. 28-30 in the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida.
Now here’s where it gets to be nervous time. A strong Florida finish puts Massey, 31, in the 2010 Bassmasters Classic, which is the really big one, the World Series of all fishing events.
“I’m excited. I’ve already got all my maps ordered and talked with everyone I know who have fished these lakes,” Massey said, eagerness still in his voice.
Massey has reason to be restless. He has been on something of a roll of late, dominating local tournaments while building the sort of momentum that makes a believer, or at least a dreamer. His surge continued on the Columbia, an event that targeted smallmouth bass.
In second place after opening day, he lost his edge when high winds wiped out next day’s competition. Byron Chaves of Salem, Ore., seized the break to borrow a jet boat that took him on the third and final day to the fish-rich shallows of the upper Yakima River, where he made his winning catch.
Massey, who pulled his own boat up from Colorado, was stuck in deeper water of the Columbia. Chaves weighed 32 pounds, 15 ounces; Massey’s eighth-place total was 25-12.
Colorado anglers made a shining showing, with Cliff Bell of Thornton reporting a catch of 21-06 and the Centennial contingent of 15 fishermen claiming third among the conglomeration of states. In addition, Nick Jakobi of Denver won the 11-14 age division and qualified for the October event.
