Reigning REDCREST champion Dustin Connell confirmed to BassFan today that he's absent from this week's Bass Pro Tour event at Lake Champlain due to a battle with COVID-19. He began feeling symptoms after returning to his home in Alabama following the annual ICAST show, which concluded July 23, and eventually spent four days in a hospital.
He's now recuperating at home with supplemental oxygen.
"It's been a wild ride," he said. "It's really scary. I'm starting to feel a little better, but it's a strength and breathing deal for me. It's going to be a long recovery."
Of the seven BPT anglers who aren't competing at Champlain, Connell is the fifth to reveal that his absence is due to COVID. BassFan continues its attempts to reach Mark Daniels Jr.
The seventh angler, Chris Lane, is attending a family member's wedding in California.
