Jay Yelas had a chance to fish in the latest ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

But in a move that has quickly come to define this young pro's career, Yelas opted to sit out.

	Yelas definitely will be at the 2003 Games.

His reason, Yelas had given his word to appear at a non-paying speaking engagement in an Alabama church.

"I really wanted to go to the Great Outdoor Games," Yelas said. "But I realize my success in fishing gives me the opportunity to share my faith. I couldn't go back on my word."

Instead, Yelas watched the Great Outdoor Games on television, becoming intrigued and enamored with all the competitions, from log rolling to flyfishing.

His win in the recent CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic, however, gives him an automatic berth into the 2003 Great Outdoor Games. And, this time, there won't be any scheduling conflicts.

"It's a real honor to just get to go," Yelas said. "It's become such a huge event. Everybody I know watched the Great Outdoor Games and everyone like it.

"I'm already thinking about it. I can't wait to have the opportunity to shoot for the gold."

The Bass Fishing event of the Great Outdoor Games is already assured of having most of the top professionals in the world compete.

	“	I'm already thinking about it. I can't wait to have the opportunity to shoot for the gold. ”
		— Jay Yelas

Provisional spots are given to the previous year's medalists, the CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic champion, the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year and the FLW Tour Angler of the Year, with the rest of the field filled out from the current money winner's list on B.A.S.S.

With Yelas in the mix, though, things could get even more interesting. At present, Yelas is arguably the hottest angler in the world. His last-minute invitation to the 2002 Great Outdoor Games was a result of him winning the FLW Tour Angler of the Year title.

He won that title on Lake Champlain, fishing for smallmouth bass. He quickly followed that up with the Classic win, targeting spotted and largemouth bass in the Coosa River on Lay Lake.

His penchant for putting winning stringers in the boat in a variety of conditions should provide Shaw Grigsby with a thankful moment that Yelas set out of the 2002 Great Outdoor Games.

If things continue to go as well for Yelas, it will be a well-placed "Thank you."

To win the Classic, Yelas put all of his faith, and his fate, upriver in Alabama's Lay Lake in a small stretch of cover located in the strong currents of the tailrace waters only about 200 yards from their source — the Logan Martin dam.

It was a daring gamble as the water-release schedules, controlled by the Alabama Power Company, are always tentative and subject to change without notice. Yelas could only hope and pray the trend of the previous days of the gates being opened around mid-morning would continue for each of the three tournament days.

And despite the predictions of many that the water release wouldn't come, they did allowing Yelas to virtually run away with the tournament.

"It's the biggest thrill of my career," Yelas said. "I have to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He put me in a position to win."

By winning, Yelas shattered a jinx and established a record. The jinx was the "Day 1 leader jinx," meaning if you're leading the Classic after Day 1, you don't win. After the Day 1 weigh-in, Yelas predicted he would bury that jinx, and he did.

The record is that he is the only guy ever to have caught the biggest bass in all three days of the Classic. "God just said yes to me this week," Yelas said. "All three days I caught the biggest fish of the tournament — nobody's ever even heard of that."

He also topped the standings all three days. According to B.A.S.S., this has been done twice before. The last time was at the 1984 Classic on the Arkansas River, won by Rick Clunn. Before that it was Stanley Mitchell on the Alabama River in 1981.