2015 Bassmaster Elite Field Announced

The 2015 Bassmaster Elite Series field is now set with a mixture of well-known veteran pros and young up-and-comers ready to zig-zag the country, vying for thousands of dollars and the coveted Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. Topping the 113-angler field is Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who won the 2014 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite Series event on New York's Cayuga Lake en route to capturing the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. The remainder of last year's Top 5 points earners is also returning with four-time B.A.S.S. tournament winner Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas; three-time winner Jacob Powroznik of Port Haywood, Va.; six-time winner Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala.; and five-time winner Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark. There will be 13 newcomers to the Elite Series field, including Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., who qualified by finishing seventh in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Opens standings. Though he has yet to win a B.A.S.S. event, Ehrler has enjoyed success on the FLW Tour with eight victories, 33 career Top 10 finishes and more than $2.2 million in earnings during a decade-long career. The field will feature a dozen former Classic winners, including Davis, Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss.; Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.; Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J.; Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas; Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala.; Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas; Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.; Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss.; and 2014 winner Randy Howell of Springville, Ala. The Elite Series will begin March 19-22 with a trip to the Sabine River in Orange, Texas. The trail will then set a demanding pace for the anglers with trips to Alabama's Lake Guntersville on April 9-12, California's Sacramento River on April 30-May 3, Arizona's Lake Havasu on May 7-10, Tennessee's Kentucky Lake for BASSfest on June 3-7, New York's St. Lawrence River on July 30-Aug. 2, Maryland's Chesapeake Bay on Aug. 13-16, Michigan's Lake St. Clair on Aug. 27-30 and Wisconsin's Sturgeon Bay for the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Sept. 17-20. Standard Elite Series events will feature a total purse of $638,000, with $100,000 going to the winner and at least $10,000 going to anyone who finishes 50th or better. BASSfest will offer a total purse of $850,000 with a $100,000 winner's payout, $60,000 for second place and at least $10,000 for any angler who places 60th or better. The Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Championship will have a whopping total purse of $1 million, with the winner pocketing $100,000, the second-place angler earning $55,000 and third place paying $45,000. The remainder of the Top 50 pros in the AOY points standings will share in the rest of the championship payout. Last year's Elite Series, which featured the first-ever BASSfest in Dayton, Tenn., and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship in Escanaba, Mich., set a new attendance record by drawing 128,600 fishing fans. The list of 2015 Bassmaster Elite Series qualifiers is below (click any name to connect to their Facebook page). Randy Allen Casey Ashley Scott Ashmore Josh Bertrand Tommy Biffle Stephen Browning Brandon Card Brent Chapman Hank Cherry Jason Christie Rick Clunn Keith Combs Brandon Coulter John Crews Cliff Crochet Mark Davis Ott DeFoe Kurt Dove Boyd Duckett Brent Ehrler James Elam Paul Elias Edwin Evers Todd Faircloth Seth Feider Micah Frazier Shaw Grigsby Greg Hackney Charlie Hartley Kevin Hawk Matt Herren Kenyon Hill Brett Hite Davy Hite Timmy Horton Randy Howell Michael Iaconelli Ken Iyobe Kelley Jaye Carl Jocumsen Alton Jones Kelly Jordon Steve Kennedy Mike Kernan Kotaro Kiriyama Gary Klein Koby Kreiger Jeff Kriet Bobby Lane Chris Lane Russ Lane Kevin Ledoux Jordan Lee Matt Lee Brandon Lester Jared Lintner Stephen Longobardi Bill Lowen Justin Lucas Aaron Martens Billy McCaghren Mike McClelland Mark Menendez Jared Miller Yusuke Miyazaki Ish Monroe Andy Montgomery Chad Morgenthaler Paul Mueller David Mullins John Murray Britt Myers James Niggemeyer Takahiro Omori Cliff Pace Brandon Palaniuk Chad Pipkens Clifford Pirch Keith Poche Jacob Powroznik Cliff Prince Matt Reed Skeet Reese Derek Remitz Marty Robinson Dean Rojas Scott Rook Fred Roumbanis Zell Rowland Bradley Roy Joseph Sancho Casey Scanlon Bernie Schultz Terry Scroggins Morizo Shimizu Kevin Short Fletcher Shryock Dave Smith Brian Snowden Gerald Swindle Randall Tharp Dennis Tietje J Todd Tucker Jonathon VanDam Kevin VanDam Byron Velvick Greg Vinson David Walker Nate Wellman David Williams Jason Williamson Boo Woods Chris Zaldain