|
Grove City, OH
– Many hardcore bass anglers can remember dreaming at least one time about winning the Bassmaster Classic. But, for that dream to become a reality, an angler needs to first qualify to fish the most prestigious tournament in the world. Until October 20, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Charlie Hartley, a veteran of 108 BASS events had not qualified to compete for the Classic Crown.
Hartley, the 43-year-old pro from Grove City, Ohio, finished the Elite Series season in 79th place in the points. He succeeded in re-qualifying for the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series season, but, he missed qualifying for the Classic.
However, Hartley, who calls himself a bass tournament addict, also entered the Bassmaster Southern Opens found himself sitting in 2nd place in the points behind fellow Elite Series pro Terry Scroggins, who won the first two events, and grabbed the lead.
Hartley entered the final tournament hoping to keep his position in the top three places to enter the side door into the Classic. At the end of the final day, Hartley had finished in 13th place, and Scroggins finished in 78th place. The end result was that Hartley finished the season as the Southern Open Points Champion; and he secured his first berth into the Classic. |
|
|
“I didn’t expect Terry to stub his toe like that, Hartley told The BASS ZONE. “But, on the other hand, I had a 2nd and 3rd place finish, so if it wasn’t for him winning the first two, I would have been leading the points. But, Hartley’s focus was not to win a points championship; it was to make the Classic.
“I’m really proud to be a Classic qualifier,” Hartley said. “I fished my first bass tournament when I was eight-years-old, and I am going to compete at the top level of the sport for the biggest prize; I can’t wait to go to Lake Hartwell.”
Even with Hartley accomplishing a long time goal, he is a combination of experienced tournament angler, and a little boy living his dream. “I absolutely love fishing,” Hartley said. “I can’t think of too many other things that give me the adrenaline rush like fishing does; I can’t wait to catch the next one.”
|
|
|
Hartley is more than just a fisherman though. The Venom Lures pro is a business man who operates a commercial sign business in Ohio, and it is Hartley’s company, Signcom, that allows him to fish as much as he does. “Tracey (Hartley’s wife) and I have 30 employees, and they allow me the freedom to do something I love; they are a great team.”
Hartley is also known to skateboard from his truck to his boat every morning of a tournament, he said it is another passion he has had since he was young. “My wife got me the board as a present a couple of years ago,” said Hartley. “I enjoy riding it, and I will even go to a skate park occasionally. But, I always wait until the kids have gone home, because I don’t want them laughing at the old guy.” |
“I can’t help but be happy with where I am,” Hartley said. “I live in a country where I can make a living doing just about anything I want to, and now I’m going to go to the Bassmaster Classic; that’s pretty cool.”
|
