A full field consisting of 50 of the worlds best bass anglers competed for three days in 2007 on Lay Lake in the 37th Annual Bassmasters Classic. Boats launched daily at 7:00 a.m. from Paradise Point Marina, located mid-lake on Paradise Point Road off Fort Williams Ferry Road (State Hwy 28.)
The winner of the event was Boyd Duckett, a 46-year old Demopolis, Alabama angler who became the eighth Bassmaster Classic rookie to take the title, putting together a monster third and final day (17 pounds, 13 ounces).
The photo below is of the 2007 Classic Champ making his victory lap around the BJCC arena.
Duckett also broke the home state jinx for Classic contention. Though he's far from a local — Demopolis is 138 miles from the Lay Lake launching point — he's a veteran on the lake through various team and individual tours. "It's every anglers dream," said Duckett, a chemical tank rental business owner. "I've been working towards fishing the tour for a few years. I'm really tickled about the home state angle. All of us, Timmy (Horton), Russ (Lane) and everyone else talk and we all said how great it'd be." Duckett, an accomplished river angler, emphasized how important his flipping bite — in decidedly calmer water — was in upping his weight after securing a limit early each morning.