With the weather the way it is there right now, bitter cold, windy, rain, sleet. I look for it to be a tough bite with an expected warming/calming trend by the time it kicks off. With that said I look for the most experienced and best finesse anglers to come out on top.

Kevin Van Dam: Would have to be an early favorite, he excells at most every type of fishing and his esperience in cold-warm changes being from Michigan makes him my favorite.

Mike Iaconelli: Would be my second, with the moment of coming off his Angler or the Year title and the complete turn around he made after his meltdown in the Classic last year. He is probably the best finesse angler in the field and also being from New Jersey he grew up fishing weather changes like this consistently.

Aaron Martens: Has a hometown advantage being from Alabama, and is one of the best at adapting to different conditions and different presentations. He is also a good finesse fisher and a great jig fisher.

Other to watch for that should have a good showing:

Rick Clunn: 4 classic wins wnough said
Gerald Swindle: Lives an hour away from Lay Lake
Ishama Monroe: 3 top 10's and 2 wins in the Elite Series last year.

Timmy Horton
Steve Kenedy
Russ Lane: All 3 form Alabama.