BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - When Chad Morgenthaler
won the Bassmaster Classic Wild Card presented by Star Tron
earlier this month, his victory finalized the field for the 2014 GEICO
Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, Ala., Feb. 21-23. The 44th annual
Super Bowl of bass fishing will feature 56 highly accomplished anglers from 23
states in what promises to be one of the most hotly contested championships in
history.
At stake is a $1 million purse, including $300,000 for the winner.
Gunning for the prize are eight former Classic winners in the 2014 field (Mark
Davis, Michael Iaconelli, Alton Jones, Chris Lane, Takahiro Omori, Cliff Pace,
Skeet Reese and Kevin VanDam). Between them, they hold 11 Classic titles.
There are also eight anglers who have won the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the
Year title (Brent Chapman, Davis, Iaconelli, Gary Klein, Aaron Martens, Reese,
Gerald Swindle and VanDam). They've won a total of 18 AOY titles.
The average angler in the 2014 Classic has already competed in 5.8 Classics,
making it the second most experienced field in Classic history. Even the venue
is a veteran. Guntersville was the site of the last "mystery lake"
Classic in 1976 when the legendary Rick Clunn won the first of his four world
championships.
Klein achieved a remarkable landmark when he qualified for the 2014 Classic. It
will be his 30th overall and first in three years. He made his championship
debut in 1979 at the age of 21. Since then he's enjoyed a stellar career that
includes two Angler of the Year titles, but a Classic win has eluded him. Only
Clunn has qualified for more Classics with 32.
Another angler closing in on one of Clunn's records is VanDam. The four-time
Classic champ and seven-time Angler of the Year will be competing in his 24th
consecutive Classic, just four behind Clunn's record of 28 straight. Klein and
VanDam are the most experienced competitors at the 2014 Classic, but there are
13 others with at least 10 championships already under their belts.
Brothers Bobby Lane and Chris Lane will be fishing their fourth Classic
together. They also made it to the championship simultaneously in 2008, 2012
(when Chris won) and 2013. Only two other brother combinations have ever fished
the Classic together - Don Mann and Tom Mann (1975) and David Johnson and Kevin
Johnson (1980).
Speaking of brothers, if the qualifier from the Carhartt College Series looks
familiar, it's because he's the brother of last year's collegiate
representative. Jordan Lee follows his brother Matt Lee into the world
championship of bass fishing after what may be the greatest college fishing
career in history. Jordan was the Bassmaster Classic bracket runner-up to his
brother in 2012 and then won it in 2013, thus sending an Auburn University
student to the championship two years in a row. Jordan is also the youngest
angler in the field for this Classic at just 22.
The oldest angler Classic contender is Mark Dove, 58, who's making his second
consecutive Classic appearance and his third overall - all through the B.A.S.S.
Nation. If Dove wins, he'll be the oldest champion in history, surpassing Woo Daves, who was 54 when he won in 2000. Two other anglers in
the 2013 field could also break Daves' record with a
win - Klein and Tommy Biffle.
There are 14 Classic rookies in this year's field. Most earned their berths
through the B.A.S.S. Nation (5) and Bassmaster Opens (4). Two others qualified
through the College Series and Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series presented by
American Bass Anglers. Only three rookies qualified through the prestigious
Bassmaster Elite Series.
Finally, nine Alabama residents will be chasing a title in their home state - Coby Carden, Randy Howell,
Martens, Steve Kennedy, David Kilgore, Chris Lane, Jordan Lee, Swindle and Greg
Vinson. While several will certainly be selected by the pundits as
pre-tournament favorites, only one angler has been able to win the Classic in
his home state. That was Alabama's Boyd Duckett, who
won the 2007 Classic on Lay Lake.
Weigh-ins will take place each competition day at the Birmingham-Jefferson
Convention Complex (BJCC) Arena Feb. 21, Feb. 22 and Feb. 23, and the annual
Classic Expo will be open those days in the adjacent BJCC exhibition halls.
Fans can learn more about the event at Bassmaster.com.
2014 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: GEICO
2014 Bassmaster Classic Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley,
Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter
Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2014 Bassmaster Classic EXPO Presenting Sponsor: Dick's Sporting Goods
2014 Bassmaster Classic Official Apparel Sponsor: Carhartt
About B.A.S.S.
For more than 45 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 - comprehensive website Bassmaster.com 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, B.A.S.S.
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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