Waynesville father and son win Fontana Fall Bass Classic again

Nov. 30—Father and son fishing team of Robert and Josh Banks of Waynesville took home $5,000 cash and the honor of being named champions of the 2022 Fall Bass Classic Nov. 13 at the Fontana Marina in Fontana.

The tournament comprised a 34-boat field with two men on each team. The win is the second year in a row for the Bankses, who have fished it for four years running.

"The fishing was pretty good," said Josh Banks. "The first day it was really good. It was overcast."

The overcast weather, with a smattering of rain, played right into the fishing.

"Usually the worst days — cloudy, rainy days — that's the best times to go fishing," Banks said.

The second day was a bit rougher.

"It snowed, it rained, and the cold weather came in and shut it down," Banks said. "But we still scratched it out."

The teams were hunting bass — large mouth, small mouth and spotted bass — in as big of weights as they could. Each team weighed their five best on days one and two and then combined the weights to crown champions.

The Bankses brought in the biggest with a whopping 31.11 pound total, nearly two pounds more than the second-place total of 29 pounds, 4 ounces.

Josh and Robert Banks, who's been fishing all their lives, were overjoyed to win the tournament again.

"We were pretty jacked up," Banks said.

Although they're both Waynesville natives, Robert Banks lives in Bryson City, and Josh Banks lives in Whittier. They fish every chance they can.

"We fish every tournament we can get in," Banks said. "And we win quite a bit."

1st Place ($5,000) — Josh Banks & Robert Banks with 31lbs 11ozs

2nd Place ($2,000) — Clint Conner & Steve Birchfield with 29lbs 4ozs

3rd Place ($1,000) — Randy Parton & Chris Blankenship with 25lbs 14ozs