Sunday, February 20, 2011

Bassmaster Classic Blog


Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.

Having been unable to attend the Bassmaster Classic this year, I've enjoyed the exceptional event coverage on bassmaster.com. The live cameras put you on the docks during fog delays, allowing you to see just how soupy it has been, and watch the anglers pacing in their boats or on the docks -- all eager to get out and fish. There are also live cameras at the expo, at the weigh-in and even on some anglers' boats.

BASSTrack, which provides a live estimated leaderboard based on reports from in-boat observers, is really cool to watch. It's far from exact and spotty cell service within the huge Delta keeps some anglers off the screen for a while or even hidden until the fish are weighed. Still, it give you an idea about how things are unfolding.

Best of all, though, is the live blog, which includes the voices of several excellent reporters who are scattered all over the event, on shore and on the water, making continual updates about what they are seeing. Blogs range from nuts-and-bolts catch reports to great stories about fan interaction, competitors' perspectives, observations about conditions. You really couldn't get much closer to being there - without being there. Yesterday I was away from home most of the day, and I was able to follow the blog even with my only-semi-smart phone. I commend and thank the bloggers, the technical folks and the decision makers who have made such a thing possible.

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