AAA sets the bar high early in tourney career
BY MIKE STEVENS
MADERA – A lifetime angler like the bulk of the WON BASS field, Larry Llanes has only been tournament fishing since 2021, and he only fishes WON BASS. He did not plan to fish in every event on the 2024 WON BASS schedule, but he managed to compete in each one, and at the end of the season he was named Bridgford Angler of the Year (AOY) on the AAA side. Like each AOY before him, it started with having that consistent presence, as the anglers who fish in all five events immediately separate themselves from the pack as far as who the real contenders are. A common denominator for Llanes for each tourney in 2024 was working with each pro’s style, adapting to conditions and keeping a “never quit” attitude despite what he often described as a “grind” as he clawed his way to the top.
Llanes got off to a strong start at Lake Shasta, landing in 21st place when the smoke cleared on Day 1 when he managed to stick a 3.69-pound big bass on an A-rig during rough conditions and tough fishing. He fell to 37th on Day 2 but jumped back up for an 18th-place finish in the season’s first WON BASS event.
“It was brutal out there, wet, cold and miserable and the fishing was pretty tough, but we had a great time,” said Llanes.
He got off to a rough start at the next tournament at Clear Lake where he found himself in 94th on Day 1. On Day 2, he drew former WON BASS AOY Todd Kline (finished 8th this year) as his pro, and on his adopted home lake, the duo fished well enough to propel Llanes up to 41st on Day 2.
“It was just a bite change from Day 1 to 2,” said Llanes. “We didn’t really do anything differently, we just had to grind more and get inside the tules and pick them apart, and Kline is a hammer. He would go in there and grind through tules with his trolling motor and we were flipping and pitching. I appreciate him for helping me out this day. I like that about the shared weight program. As a co-angler you have to be doing what the pro is doing, but you also have to know what you’re doing and adjust to the conditions and being in the back of the boat. And Clear Lake is always great. It’s basically my new home, and the lake can’t get any better.”
Llanes almost didn’t fish the Lake Havasu Open, but he was both encouraged and sponsored by Carla Lemmon and Terry Lemons who have been huge supporters since he got serious about tournament fishing. Part of that encouragement was based in the fact he was very much in the AOY conversation.
Again, his event started slow (80th on Day 1) followed by a Day 2 surge (41st) and a respectable finish (44th). Llanes was paired with JD Blackamore when he made that Day 2 jump.
“I cannot say enough about JD Blackamore,” he said. “We really took it to the fish and stepped up on Day 2. Me and JD had a blast and did what we needed to do.”
The script flipped at Lake Mead when he found himself starting off the event matched up with a highly-decorated pro who turned out to be a perfect tactical match, and they both finished Day 1 in the 5 spot.
“I found out I was paired up with Josh Bertrand the night before, and I had been pre-fishing quite a bit,” said Llanes. “We were both dialed in on the same thing, and I didn’t have to change one bait or rod. He was doing the same thing as me, same rigs, colors, baits, everything. We were dialed in together and just out our head down and went to work.”
At the end of the 3 days of fishing, Llanes was in 21st place on the AAA side. Going into the U.S. Open, he was in third place in AOY standings with 918 points chasing Geoff Peterson in the top spot with 933.
“By the time I came down to Mohave, I was committed to gunning for AOY,” he said. “It was a tight race, and I knew it was going to be close.”
Things got real after finishing in 11th after an electronics clinic put on by his pro for the day, Spencer Shuffield.
“That guy is a live-scoping freak, let me tell you, he’s amazing,” said Llanes. “I learned a lot by watching him. And I was just trying to catch something behind him.”
After finding himself in 17th on Day 2, he paired up with Anthony Garcia and shot all the way up to a 4th place finish in the U.S. Open after piling up a limit with big Day 3 smallies by 8:30 a.m. He landed less than 2 pounds behind the AAA leader.
“After that, I knew AOY was possible, and the other guys were telling me they didn’t do so well, but I didn’t know I won until it was announced at the award ceremony.”
Llanes’ tournament career started when his mentor, Nate Lemons, encouraged him to fish the 2020 U.S. Open. Tragically, Lemons passed away at the event and Llanes dropped out to take care of his Lemons’ wife, but he came back in 2021 and competed in his memory.
“I was always a power fisherman, but Nate taught me how to slow down and fish,” said Llanes. “He got me going in the right direction, and I’ve never stopped since.”
When he connected with WON for this interview (from Clear Lake), he continually praised the Nate and Terry Lemons, Carla Lemmon, his dad for getting him started in fishing, his girlfriend and each pro he fished with this season.
“They are all Angler of the Year as much as I am,” he said.