Cherry, who was a BASS Elite Series rookie last year, has burned up the BASS tournament schedule since coming on as a Southern Open competitor in 2011. Since then he has fished 18 tournaments, won two of them, placed in the money 11 times, in the Top 5 five times and qualified for the Bassmasters Classic in 2013 and 2014.

Oh, and in that 2013 Classic at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Oklahoma last February, he finished third and took home a check for $40,000.

His two tournament wins were the Southern Open on Smith Lake in October 2012 and the 2013 Elite Series Toyota All-Star Week and Evan Williams Bourbon Championship on Muskegon and White Lakes in Michigan last September.

In his first Elite Series win, Cherry won the final day, four-angler shootout by 2 pounds, 10 ounces, beating local favorite and veteran Elite Series pro Kevin VanDam in the process. Cherry was the second rookie to ever win a Bassmaster Elite Series post-season tournament.

But he is no typical tournament rookie. He competed in various pro circuits before moving up to the Southern Opens three years ago.

“I am fishing the Opens and the Elites this year and I am ready to go,” Cherry said. “First and foremost, just to make the Classic again. If you keep doing that every year you are doing something right.”

It does not hurt, either, that the 2015 Bassmaster Classic will be held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, just a two-hour drive down Interstate 85 from Maiden, N.C.

But, first there is the tournament on Toho this week, where Cherry has found the fish biting in practice.

“I think there will be some pretty good weights,” he said. The fish are a little bit of everywhere, so I don’t think there is one particular thing that will dominate. The guys flipping will catch them, the guys with a crankbait will catch them and the guys with a Chatterbait will catch them.”

The winter weather could have some affect on the outcome, however, he said.

A cold front moved through, then it warmed up the first part of the week. But another cold front is poised to come through in mid-week.

“The fish were spawning and trying to spawn, and then the cold front came through and shut them down. I think it will be a timing thing in this tournament. It will be who gets to the right spot at the right time.”

Whatever the case, Cherry said he is anxious to get the season underway.

“I’m ready to get out there and get this year on the road.”

 

Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #1

Jan 23-25, 2014

Lake Tohopekaliga

Big Toho Marina

www.bassmaster.com