On July 19th, Daiwa will give Mark Ply four scratched-up and well-worn rod and reel combos. These combos have been used and abused by their previous owner, but that is what makes them so special. The previous owners are Dion Hibdon, Denny Brauer, Davy Hite, and George Cochran - the last four BASS Masters Classic champions, and these combos are the ones they used to claim the most prestigious title in fishing.
Ply, a public accountant from Dermott, Arkansas, is the winner of the "Team Daiwa Classic Tackle Sweepstakes." He entered the contest by filling out a form on a Daiwa magazine advertisement. As the grand prizewinner, he and his wife Shawn will attend the 2000 BASS Masters Classic, held from July 17th-22 in Chicago, IL, as Daiwa's special guests. Then on July 19th, Ply will have a chance to meet Hite, Hibdon, Cochran, and Jay Yelas (standing-in for Denny Brauer, who could not attend) as they present him with their tools of victory.
Ply says he was in a state of "total disbelief" when he received the call from Daiwa that told him he had won. "Entering the sweepstakes was easy, and I figured, what the heck, maybe I'll win a cap or something. When my wife said there was someone on the phone from Daiwa saying I'd just won their sweepstakes, I just couldn't believe it."
Ply has been fishing for over 25 years, and fishes an average of two local and state club tournaments a month. "Being a public accountant has its advantages," he says. I'm busy 10 hours a day during tax season, but from May 1 to October, it slows down, and I have plenty of time to fish."
The pros who are giving up their prized equipment were excited to hear that the recipient is so enthusiastic about their sport. Denny Brauer said "He'll definitely understand the value of what he's won. Actually, that's my favorite rod and reel, and anytime you win a BASS Masters Classic, you want to keep your rod as a souvenir, but I'm happy to give it up to someone who will understand its value."
Each Classic-winning combo is truly unique, particularly George Cochran's left handed baitcaster and Dion Hibdon's hand-built skipping rod that he used to skip his lure under docks to win the 1997 Classic. The retail value of all the equipment is more than $1000, but the history behind the pieces makes each one priceless. In Ply's words, "To a bass fisherman, winning this set of tackle that was used to win the last four BASS Masters Classics is like winning the Super Bowl football, or one of Mark McGwire's home run baseballs. I know the tackle was just a tool used by the pros, but the significance of what they accomplished with it is the true value behind it."
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, July 19th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Daiwa booth at this year's B.A.S.S. outdoor show in Chicago's McCormick place. Ply will receive one rod and reel from each presenter and a framed certificate of authenticity. He and his wife will then be Daiwa's guests for the next three days as the world's best anglers compete in the 2000 BASS Masters Classic on Lake Michigan.