Somebody’s going to earn the title of 2015 Bassmaster Classic Champion. EARN it. From Wednesday evening until Saturday noon, temperatures are expected to stay below freezing for about 66 continuous hours.

Air temp at time of initial blast off on Friday will be about 11 degrees.

As possibility of snow gives way to near certainty of freezing rain Saturday afternoon, anglers will endure a day-long down pour in frigid conditions on Sunday. All day.

But forecasters often miss the details. This storm, however, is no detail. It’s going to be cold. Maybe the coldest Classic ever. That’s saying something considering the snow and ice that greeted contestants at Grand Lake in Oklahoma a couple of years ago.

Cliff Pace won that Classic.

Pace also nearly won in 2008 – last time the Classic was held here on Hartwell. Pace missed last year’s chance to become a back-to-back champion due to a hunting accident. I imagine is healed up and licking his chops at the chance to get back at. Pace loves these cold weather, slow bite conditions. He will be a very dangerous man among this field of the best anglers in the world.

Jerkbaits, jigs and finesse offerings will get the majority of the work here this week.

The lake is down just a few feet.

It was lower last time the Classic was held on Hartwell. Also, the lake was then dominated by largemouth bass. Now there is a viable population of spotted bass in excess of 3 pounds. Spots could be the winning ticket now that the weather has gone off the rails.

Spotted bass bite especially well under the nasty type of conditions we expect on days 2 and 3. Look for this species to contribute heavily to the winner’s weight total.

Meanwhile, go to the morning launches at Green Pond Landing near Anderson, SC and then thaw out at the huge Expo at TD Convention Center in Greenville. Weigh ins will take place daily at the Bon Secours Wellness Center arena in downtown Greenville. Doors opens at 3 o’clock each day. Get there early. This is going to be a jam-packed, exciting Bassmaster Classic!