By Cara
Clark /B.A.S.S.
The 2013
Bassmaster Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, Feb. 22-24, will
feature 53 of the best bass anglers in the world. Fifty-two of them have been
identified. One is yet to be determined.
That final
qualifier will come from the 2012 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series
National Championship on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas, Nov. 7-10. The top 50
"weekend warriors," winnowed down from 25 states, will be vying for
$250,000 in prize money and a coveted berth in the Classic.
Of the 52 anglers
already qualified for the Super Bowl of bass fishing, six earned their spots
through the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, eight qualified through the Bass Pro
Shops Bassmaster Opens, seven took their slots by winning Bassmaster Elite
Series tournaments, and the rest got in through their positions in the
Bassmaster Elite Series Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points
standings
Chris Lane, the 2012 Classic champion, triple qualified for the
upcoming Classic; he was already qualified to compete as the defending
champion, but also won an Open and finished 14th in the AOY race. Likewise,
2012 Angler of the Year Brent Chapman earned his way to the Classic three times
over as AOY and through wins in the Opens and the Elite Series.
As for the 52 anglers who are "in," here are a few
interesting facts:
- Alabama leads
the way with eight qualifiers. Florida, Tennessee and Texas each have four.
It’s the sixth year in a row that Alabama has sent the most anglers to the
Classic. Since the championship’s inaugural event in 1971, Texas has
qualified the most anglers with 289.
- Arkansas is the
only state to qualify at least one angler for the Classic every year. This
time, 1995 Classic champ Mark Davis and six-time B.A.S.S. winner Mike
McClelland will be representing the Natural State.
- Maine sends its
first angler to the Classic in 2013 - Jonathan Carter of South Portland,
who just qualified through the Federation Nation Championship. Twenty-one
states and the Republic of Zimbabwe are already represented in the 2013
Classic. The only states that have never produced a Classic qualifier are
Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota and Wyoming.
- Fifteen of the
52 anglers already qualified will be Classic rookies. The odds are good
that the Weekend Series champion will also be a rookie.
- Four-time
Classic champ Kevin VanDam has the most experience of anyone in the field.
He’ll be competing in his 23rd championship ... in a row. It’s the second
longest streak in Classic history. Between 1974 and 2001, Rick Clunn fished 28
consecutive Classics.
- The average
qualifier for the 2013 Classic has already fished 5 1/2 championships,
making this one of the most experienced and accomplished fields in Classic
history.
- There are eight
former Classic champions in the 2013 field, including Mark Davis (1995),
Boyd Duckett (2007), Alton Jones (2008), Michael
Iaconelli (2003), Chris Lane (2012), Takahiro Omori (2004), Skeet Reese
(2009) and Kevin VanDam (2001, 2005, 2010 and 2011). Between them, they’ve
won 11 world championships.
- There are seven
former Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Anglers of the Year in the 2013 Classic
field, including Brent Chapman (2012), Mark Davis (1995, 1998 and 2001),
Michael Iaconelli (2006), Aaron Martens (2005), Skeet Reese (2007), Gerald
Swindle (2004) and Kevin VanDam (1992, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011). Between them, they’ve won 15 AOY titles.
- B.A.S.S.
Federation Nation qualifier Gerry Jooste of
Zimbabwe will be fishing his fifth Classic through the BFN. Jooste already held the record at four, and his fifth
qualification further solidifies his status as one of the greatest amateur
anglers in the world.
- Another BFN
qualifier, Indiana’s Mark Dove, will be fishing his second Classic. Dove
finished 26th in the 1997 championship, and the 16-year gap between
appearances ties a Classic record previously held by two other
anglers.
- With 53 anglers,
the 2013 Classic will feature the second largest field in championship
history. In 2003, there were 61 anglers in the Classic. The 2004
championship also featured 53 anglers
Classic
qualifiers will be vying for a first-place payday of $500,000, the most coveted
trophy in sportfishing and a piece of bass fishing immortality. The names of
the anglers who have won the Classic read like a who’s who of fishing - Kevin
VanDam, Rick
Clunn, Hank Parker, Denny Brauer, Michael Iaconelli, Skeet Reese and
more.
Fifty-two
anglers have earned the right to fish the 2013 championship, and there’s room
for one more - the winner of the Weekend Series National Championship, Nov.
7-10.
2013
Classic qualifiers and their qualification routes are:
Defending
Bassmaster Classic Champion
Chris Lane of Guntersville, Ala.
Bassmaster
Elite Series Champions
Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kan.
Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala.
Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas
Alton Jones of Waco, Texas
Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho
Jeremy Starks of Scott Depot, W.Va.
Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Bassmaster
Opens Series Champions
Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, N.C.
Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C.
Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla.
Pete Gluszek of Mt. Laurel, N.J.
Josh Wagy of Dewitt, Va.
Casey Scanlon of Lenexa, Kan.
Bassmaster
Federation Nation Champions
Andy Bravence of Globe, Ariz. (Western Division)
Jonathan Carter of South Portland, Maine (Eastern Division)
Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind. (Northern Division)
Gerry Jooste of Harare, Zimbabwe (Mid-Atlantic
Division)
Jared Knuth of Wahoo, Neb. (Central Division)
Mark Pierce of Clarksville, Tenn. (Southern Division)
Bassmaster
College Champion
Matt Lee of Auburn, Ala.
Bassmaster
Angler of the Year Points Rank
Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla.
Brandon Card of Caryville, Tenn.
John Crews of Salem, Va.
Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark.
Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn.
Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.
Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla.
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La.
Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala.
Randy Howell of Springville, Ala.
Michael Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla.
Russ Lane of Prattville, Ala.
Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind.
Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala.
Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark.
Yusuke Miyazaki of Forney, Texas
Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas
Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss.
Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla.
Jason Quinn of Lake Wylie, S.C.
Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.
Marty Robinson of Lyman, S.C.
Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla.
Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala.
Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.
David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn.
Nate Wellman of Newaygo, Mich
About
B.A.S.S.
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing.
The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive
tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of
bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The
Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve
all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications - Bassmaster
Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times - website Bassmaster comprehensive and ESPN2 and
Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge
content true to the lifestyle.
The
Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro
Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series,Cabela’s
B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive
fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S.
offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains
focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is
headquartered in Birmingham, Ala
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