Close doesn’t count in bass fishing, so Logan Latuso was beaming after finally having a tight race go his way. His 2022 performance on the Bassmaster Opens proved just good enough to qualify for the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series.
“It took long enough,” the 29-year-old from Gonzales, La., said. “I think it was all a timing deal. I don’t think I was ready back then.”
Latuso, who has fished the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens since 2014, had twice been one spot away from realizing his Elite dream, including in 2016 when his father, Robbie, qualified.
“The year I did it, I bumped him out. I made it when I was 50,” said Robbie Latuso, who is happy to leave the Elites to his son after competing for five seasons. “At the end of the year, everything hurt … I guess it was finally meant to be for him.”
In 2019, Latuso noted he was beaten out by a stout class that included Wes Logan, Caleb Kuphall, Taku Ito and Bob Downey in the Central Opens.
“I’ve always said the hardest thing to do in the world is to compete in the Opens,” Latuso said. “You have from 180 to 225 guys on the water — you got guys up in there for two weeks (practicing). The years I missed it by one spot, I can tell which fish on what day cost me. You just lose one fish, it will cost you.”
“But it feels good finally getting in, I’ll tell you that. It’s starting to hit home. It’s definitely been a lifelong dream, and it feels good to finally have it happen.”
Latuso, who finished third in the Central Opens standings for 2022, joins a class of 12 new Opens qualifiers who are eligible to compete on the Elite Series in 2023. Latuso’s path was rather up and down, at least the last several days. After finishing 21st at Ross Barnett, Latuso took 37th at the Red River to stand 11th in the point standings.
Coming into the third and final Central Open on Sam Rayburn, Latuso knew he needed a top finish while others had to fall if he was to be among the top three who qualified. A disastrous Day 1 with three bass weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces had him reeling at 107th.
“I had my bags packed. I was going home Friday,” Latuso said.
Then magic hit early Friday. Latuso started his morning with the two biggest fish in the event, a 9-13 that earned Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the event, and a 9-11.
“I only had three for 5 pounds then you start the day off with two 9-pounders!?” Latuso said. “It was definitely a life-changing day Friday. It was meant to be the way everything happened.”
His other three keeper bites, one a touch over 5, one over 4 and a 2 1/2-pounder, gave Latuso 31-4 and zoomed him into the Day 2 lead. Latuso’s bag was the third largest caught in Open competition, behind Whitney Stephens’ 32-12 on the Harris Chain in 2019 and Will Evans’ 31-15 at Toho in 2011. He was 3 ounces ahead of AJ Slegona’s 2015 Toho bag of 31-2.
“It was a magical day Friday for sure,” he said. “I only had five bites that day, but they were the right ones. That’s why going out Saturday, I didn’t know if I’d get a bite.”
Latuso struggled again on Day 3, weighing only four fish for 7-7 to total 44-8 and finish second to Keith Combs’ 46-5.
“It was a definitely a high and a low,” Latuso said. “You’re not in that position to win an Open very often. It’s so hard against 200 great guys out there. To be so close and come up short, and only need 9 pounds to win, I didn’t realize it’d be that close. But then again it was a high to achieve a lifelong dream I always wanted.”
The first Elite event of 2023 is on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee, Feb. 16-19, and Latuso said it can’t come soon enough. While he’s simply happy to fish the top circuit of B.A.S.S., he said he’d love to cut a few checks and make a Top 10 in his first season.
“That’d be a dream come true, to prove I can compete and hang with them boys, because they truly are the best in the world,” he said.
Latuso’s sponsors in 2022 included Delta Lures, Missile Baits, Mercury, Power-Pole and Bass Cat Boats.