https://www.fishermanswarehouse.com/
TULSA, Okla. – Major League Fishing has announced the roster for the 2023 Bass Pro Tour, the fifth season of professional bass fishing’s most competitive tournament circuit. The field of 80 of the world’s top bass-fishing professionals will compete across seven fisheries during the Bass Pro Tour regular season for a total purse of more than $7.7 million.
The 2023 Bass Pro Tour roster includes two-time Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler as well as 2020 AOY Jordan Lee, 2019 AOY Edwin Evers, REDCREST II champion Dustin Connell, two-time AOY runner-up Ott DeFoe, and the most decorated angler in the history of professional bass fishing, Kevin VanDam.
The field represents 22 states plus Japan. Alabama has the most competitors with 16, followed by Tennessee with eight and Arkansas with seven. New to the Bass Pro Tour for 2023 are Matt Becker, Josh Butler, Mitch Crane, John Hunter, Nick LeBrun, Spencer Shuffield and Jacob Wall.
Invitations to compete in the MLF Bass Pro Tour are earned by performance in the previous year’s Bass Pro Tour, overall lifetime BPT average and performance in the previous year’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.
The 2023 Bass Pro Tour will kick off Feb. 13-18, with Stage One at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida. The regular season will conclude with the crowning of the Bally Bet Angler of the Year at Stage Seven at Saginaw Bay in Bay City, Michigan, Aug. 1-6.
In addition to millions of dollars in cash prizes, the 2023 Bass Pro Tour anglers are vying for big bass and valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2024 General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST V, the world championship of professional bass fishing. Each stage of the Bass Pro Tour includes six days of competition using the catch, weigh, immediate-release format, and is broadcast live on the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), and MajorLeagueFishing.com. Fans can also follow the on-the-water action as it unfolds on the live SCORETRACKER® leaderboard.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour will air on Discovery Channel beginning in July 2023 and Outdoor Channel in early 2024.
The 80 professional anglers that will compete on the 2023 Bass Pro Tour are:
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
*Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa.
Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
*Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala.
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.
*Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss.
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.
Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.
Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
*John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Fla.
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
*Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala.
*Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla.
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Jonathan VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
*Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
James Watson, Lampe, Mo.
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.
* Denotes 2023 Bass Pro Tour Rookie
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