Bassmaster Classic 2023 Winner Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson

Gustafson’s “Office” Is A Bass-Fishing Machine

While Gussy admits he appreciates the multi-species capability of his Lund when not competing in the Bassmaster Elite Series and back on his home waters of Lake of the Woods, there’s no questioning this champion’s confidence in his Pro-V Bass XS and its primary purpose. 

“It’s not a walleye boat; it’s a bass boat,” he said. “I love bass fishing and tournament fishing; that’s my number one passion and priority…. Big water to shallow water, it doesn’t draft anything because the back half of the boat’s flat… It’s a bass boat with the biggest front deck of  anybody that was fishing in the Bassmaster Classic.”

The spaciousness and design of the Pro-V Bass XS’ massive bow deck afforded Gussy ample room to fish among an arsenal of rod combos secured on-deck with port and starboard rod straps while staying comfortable standing all day thanks to under carpet padding. Forward-facing sonar was critical to Gustafson’s locating and catching 42 pounds and 7 ounces worth of bass. The customizability of the Pro-V Bass’ clean bow command center allowed him to mount dual 12 and 13-inch screens, and take full advantage of this cutting-edge technology.

“The electronics were an important piece for me, and that’s all laid out perfectly for me to be able to do my job,” he said. 

The incredible spaciousness and ingenious design of the Pro-V Bass as a hard-core bass fishing platform was also seen throughout the Classic competition as Gustafson nimbly moved from the bow deck to the cockpit to land and unhook smallmouth. Important to appreciate here, is that when Gustafson quickly adjusted his position, so did his cameraman. Both of them had ample space to safely maneuver given the boat’s roomy, fishing-first layout and clutter-free state, as any non-essential items were easily swallowed by Pro-V Bass XS’ numerous, large storage compartments. 

“The live wells are top notch. I never have issues with dead fish. The live wells are big and roomy,” Gussy said, continuing to tout his Lund boat’s fishability features. “There’s a good spot for the bump board, the rod and battery storage are well thought out. There’s a recessed foot pedal for the trolling motor. There’s also foam under all the lids, so if a lid accidentally slams shut, it’s not going to be really loud and spook every fish within a mile of the boat. It’s my dream fishing office.”

Gustafson’s Long History With Lund Boats

“I started my relationship with Lund in 2007, so we’re going on 15 years that they’ve been my number one supporter and sponsor. Prior to that, I grew up around Lake of the Woods and worked at resorts all over the lake, and there’s more Lund boats at these resorts that I’ve guided at and worked at over the years than any other brand, so, I’ve spent thousands of days fishing out of a Lund boat,” Gussy said. “All these years fishing out of these Lund boats, I’ve gotten to see the folks that are designing and building them, they’re anglers, too, and I’ve seen over the years how little things have been tweaked, fixed and made better for anglers.”

All of us at Lund Boats wish to congratulate Jeff on his historical Bassmaster Classic win. Gussy’s reputation within the fishing industry is stellar, and we weren’t surprised to hear him talk about the importance of taking kids fishing within minutes of his Classic acceptance speech. We are honored to have Gussy representing Lund Boats and his tireless efforts to promote fishing and are eager to watch him continue to excel as a professional angler.