The odds don鈥檛 favour Canadian Jeff Gustafson successfully defending his US$1-million Bassmaster Classic title.

The Kenora, Ont., fisher is listed as the fifth pick (7-1) to win the 鈥�24 Classic, which begins Thursday on Oklahoma鈥檚 Grand Lake O鈥� the Cherokees. Predictably, Oklahoma native Jason Christie 鈥� the 2022 champion 鈥� is the 3-2 favourite.

Nine anglers are ranked ahead of Gustafson, who went wire-to-wire last year on the Tennessee River to become the first Canadian to capture pro bass fishing鈥檚 top prize. He was a 4-1 second choice, having won his first Elite Series title there two years earlier.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have much experience (at Grand Lake) 鈥� but I have an idea of what I want to do and hopefully can find something special,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淟ast year was a life-changing experience, it鈥檚 the tournament you want to win and when you do it just makes you want to win it again even more.

鈥淚f I don鈥檛, I鈥檒l be the first to congratulate the new winner.鈥�

For a second straight year, four Canadians qualified for the Classic. Also in the 56-angler field are Cory Johnston, of Cavan, Ont., his younger brother, Chris, of Peterborough, Ont., and Cooper Gallant, of Bowmanville, Ont.

The Johnstons are in a group at 10-1. Chris Johnson has two top-10 Classic finishes while Cory Johnston has been 11th twice.

Gallant, 52nd last year, is listed at 25-1. But he has consecutive top-10 finishes to start 2024.

Gustafson鈥檚 season has been a mixed bag. He was 24th at Toledo Bend in Many, La., then 59th at Texas鈥檚 Lake Fork.

鈥淣ot horrible but not awesome either,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a great practice at Toledo Bend so it鈥檚 always good to do better in the actual tournament than practice.

鈥淎t Fork, I missed the boat a little bit. I learned I probably have to get better at this forward-facing sonar stuff. It鈥檚 unbelievable how guys are using it and kicking butt.鈥�

Forward-facing sonar (FFS) has been a huge story this season. Many competitors have significantly beefed-up the electronics on their boats, running between three and six units to better find bass as there are currently no rules against it.

Anglers can mount multiple transducers at one or both ends of their boats, with FFS providing complete coverage of what鈥檚 around them in real time. By watching a screen, competitors can pinpoint fish location, the depths baits run at, a fish鈥檚 reaction to them and when it strikes.

Gustafson won the Classic with just one unit. He intended to stand pat this season but added a second setup before Toledo Bend to remain competitive.

And with good reason. The first two 鈥�24 winners claimed the US$100,000 top prize with over 100 pounds each.

In fact, the top-10 finishers at Lake Ford on March 3 all cracked the 100-pound mark led by winner Trey McKinney, 19, (130 pounds 15 ounces). Gallant was 10th with 100 pounds seven ounces, his first century mark.

FFS isn鈥檛 new to tournament fishing. But the technology鈥檚 recent explosion has prompted debate about whether anglers require experience or good electronics to compete.

Finding fish, though, is only part of the equation. Anglers must still determine baits and presentation to entice bites.

鈥淚鈥檝e got to figure out how to use it to put more fish into my boat,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not going anywhere and we saw the first two tournaments that it鈥檚 going to be a factor in every event this year.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to catch five good ones every day if you want to be part of the party.鈥�

Following Lake Fork, Gustafson remained in the U.S., spending time on the water refining his FFS game.

鈥淎 lot of it is just fully committing to it,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 hard for me, and I think many guys who鈥檝e fished for a long time, to give up on all the things you know and have learned to where many of these guys are putting their head down, going with it, hunting fish down and plucking them.

鈥淚鈥檓 not crying about it, but it鈥檚 definitely easier said than done, especially on lakes here because there鈥檚 so many other species. Where I struggle a bit is just knowing what is and isn鈥檛 a bass.鈥�

Gustafson said his FFS acclimation remains a work in progress.

鈥淭he plan is just to spend as much time in the boat and try to utilize all of the technology as much as possible,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淚 think at some point this season I鈥檒l get my opportunities to have some strong events and hopefully I can take advantage.鈥�

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