ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605280107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-11 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: OUTDOORS
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
Woo Daves has a melon-shaped face that remains boyish, almost mischievous, at age 50, and it is cut by a huge grin these days.
Daves is going to the 1996 BASS Masters Classic in August. It is the world's most prestigious angling event, the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Indy 500 of fishing.
It's not his first trip, but it will be different. From Spring Grove, a village along the lower James River, Daves has qualified for the Classic 13 times, finishing in the top five on six occasions. It is the kind of performance that has made him Virginia's most successful pro bass fishermen.
But this time, when the 40 qualifying anglers come off of Lay Lake to the weigh-in at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Alabama, Woo Daves will be in the stands. The Daves stepping up to the scales will be Chris, his 24-year-old son. It will be Chris' first trip to the Classic as a competitor, and Woo will be the proud pop watching from the shadows.
For a time, it appeared Virginia wouldn't have a Classic entry this year. Woo had a rotten season.
``I've been off a little bit,'' he said. ``I worked a lot of [tackle] shows and did a lot of promotions and I didn't get to practice a lot. Then, I had a kidney stone attack at Lake Seminole, and that's always been one of my better tournament sites. I figure after doing it for 24 years, I can have a bad year.''
Make that two bad years. Woo didn't qualify for the Classic last year, either. But you've got to believe if only one Daves can go, he is elated it is Chris, who will be Virginia's only entry.
David Dudley came close to making it, and so did his dad, James, both from Lynchburg.
David, a 20-year-old who fished in his first Classic last year, was disqualified while fishing the Texas Mega Bucks tournament in March. He was in the top 10 when BASS officials accused him of getting fishing information from a tackle shop during the tournament, a rules infraction. When it happened, he was a shoo-in for 90 Classic qualifying points from the tournament, and could have piled up more - not to mention anywhere from $10,000 to $70,000 in prize money.
``David didn't do anything wrong,'' said James Dudley, who has been his son's spokesman in the matter. ``We have proven that. Why would he have asked for information? He was in the top 10?``
A Texas lawyer has told the Dudleys they have a good chance to win a suit against BASS, but James said, ``If we win, we lose. BASS is the only game in town.''
The Dudleys have a different plan.
``We are just going out and beat them with our rods and reels,'' James said.
Even with the disastrous setback in Texas, David came within a handful of points of making the Classic, and James was one position shy of qualifying through B.A.S.S. Federation competition.
All the while, Chris Daves was building up points in obscurity.
``He was in the money in every tournament,'' Woo Daves said.
Chris finished fifth in the Eastern Division, which sends its top five finishers to the Classic.
``There was some real tough competition this year,'' said Chris, in a major understatement.
Only 19 points separated the first and fifth spots in the Eastern rankings. Chris finished on the heels of some big names in BASS: Jay Yelas, Bernie Schultz, Kevin VanDam and Mickey Bruce.
In the final qualifying tournament, at Alabama's Lake Eufaula, he placed seventh with 51 pounds, 1 ounce. Woo was 86th.
Near the end, when it was evident Woo wouldn't make the Classic, he gave his best fishing spots to Chris.
``He has helped me out a whole lot,'' Chris said of his dad. ``If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be in the Classic. The favor will get returned.''
LENGTH: Medium: 74 linesby CNB