B.A.S.S. announced today the field for the 2018 Elite Series will be 111 anglers when the season opens in February at Lake Martin in Alabama.
The roster includes 99 anglers who competed in 2017 and 11 first-time Elite Series qualifiers. Rick Morris is returning after a three-year absence after qualifying through the Southern Opens.
The newcomers include nine rookies and two veterans of the FLW Tour – Shinichi Fukae and Wesley Strader. The rookie class will be comprised of Chris Groh, Ray Hanselman, Roy Hawk, Kyle Monti, Hunter Shryock (who joins brother Fletcher on the circuit), Randy Sullivan, Caleb Sumrall, Bill Weidler and Jake Whitaker. According to B.A.S.S., three qualifiers via the Opens declined their Elite Series bids.
The anglers who did not requalify or won’t return in 2018 are: James Niggemeyer, Chad Morgenthaler, Koby Kreiger, Britt Myers, David Williams, Clent Davis, Shane Lineberger, Chad Grigsby, Brett Preuett, John Hunter, Jr., and Jay Brainerd.
Three anglers – Rick Clunn, Paul Elias and David Fritts – used the “Legends” exemption to gain entry into the field. It is the first time Clunn has used it and the second time for Elias and Fritts. Legends exemptions are available to past Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year winners.
“The Elite field is getting stronger every year,” noted B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon in a press release announcing the field. “Some of the anglers who achieved Elite status in the last few years — including Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee — are already proving they belong in the top tier of this sport. I expect some of the pros qualifying from the Bassmaster Opens will become forces to be reckoned with right away, too.”
Here’s a look at the 2018 Elite Series field (listed alphabetically with hometown and qualification route; * denotes rookie; # denotes newcomer):
Casey Ashley – Donalds, S.C. – Elite Series
Adrian Avena – Vineland, N.J. – Elite Series
Drew Benton – Panama City, Fla. – Elite Series
Josh Bertrand – San Tan Valley, Ariz. – Elite Series
Tommy Biffle – Wagoner, Okla. – Elite Series
Stetson Blaylock – Benton, Ark. – Elite Series
Stephen Browning – Hot Springs, Ark. – Elite Series
Brandon Card – Knoxville, Tenn. – Elite Series
Tyler Carriere – Youngsville, La. – Elite Series
Brent Chapman – Lake Quivira, Kan. – Elite Series
Hank Cherry Jr. – Lincolnton, N.C. – Elite Series
Jason Christie – Park Hill, Okla. – Elite Series
Luke Clausen – Otis Orchards, Wash. – Elite Series
Rick Clunn – Ava, Mo. – Legend
Keith Combs – Huntington, Texas – Elite Series
Dustin Connell – Clanton, Ala. – Elite Series
Brandon Coulter – Knoxville, Tenn. – Elite Series
John Crews Jr. – Salem, Va. – Elite Series
Cliff Crochet – Pierre Part, La. – Elite Series
Mark Daniels Jr. – Tuskegee, Ala. – Elite Series
Mark Davis – Mount Ida, Ark. – Elite Series
Ott DeFoe – Knoxville, Tenn. – Elite Series
Boyd Duckett – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Brent Ehrler – Redlands, Calif. – Elite Series
James Elam – Tulsa, Okla. – Elite Series
Paul Elias – Laurel, Miss. – Legend
Edwin Evers – Talala, Okla. – Elite Series
Todd Faircloth – Jasper, Texas – Elite Series
Seth Feider – Bloomington, Minn. – Elite Series
Micah Frazier – Newnan, Ga. – Elite Series
David Fritts – Lexington, N.C. – Legend
Shin Fukae – Palestine, Texas – Southern Opens#
Shaw Grigsby Jr. – Gainesville, Fla. – Elite Series
Chris Groh – Spring Grove, Ill. – Northern Opens*
Greg Hackney – Gonzales, La. – Elite Series
Skylar Hamilton – Dandridge, Tenn. – Elite Series
Ray Hanselman Jr. – Del Rio, Texas – Central Opens*
Jamie Hartman – Newport, N.Y. – Elite Series
Roy Hawk – Lake Havasu, Ariz. – Central Opens*
Matt Herren – Ashville, Ala. – Elite Series
Brett Hite – Phoenix, Ariz. – Elite Series
Timmy Horton – Muscle Shoals, Ala. – Elite Series
Randy Howell – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Michael Iaconelli – Pittsgrove, N.J. – Elite Series
Kelley Jaye – Dadeville, Ala. – Elite Series
Alton Jones Jr. – Lorena, Texas – Elite Series
Alton Jones – Lorena, Texas – Elite Series
Kelly Jordon – Flint, Texas – Elite Series
Steve Kennedy – Auburn, Ala. – Elite Series
Gary Klein – Mingus, Texas – Elite Series
Jeff Kriet – Ardmore, Okla. – Elite Series
Chris Lane – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Bobby Lane – Lakeland, Fla. – Elite Series
Russ Lane – Prattville, Ala. – Elite Series
Robbie Latuso – Gonzales, La. – Elite Series
Jordan Lee – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Matt Lee – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Dave Lefebre – Erie, Pa. – Elite Series
Brandon Lester – Fayetteville, Tenn. – Elite Series
Jared Lintner – Arroyo Grande, Calif. – Elite Series
Bill Lowen – Brookeville, Ind. – Elite Series
Justin Lucas – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Aaron Martens – Leeds, Ala. – Elite Series
Mike McClelland – Bella Vista, Ark. – Elite Series
Mark Menendez – Paducah, Ky. – Elite Series
Ish Monroe – Hughson, Calif. – Elite Series
Andy Montgomery – Blacksburg, S.C. – Elite Series
Kyle Monti – Okeechobee, Fla. – Southern Opens*
Rick Morris – Lake Gaston, Va. – Southern Opens
Brock Mosley – Collinsville, Miss. – Elite Series
Paul Mueller – Naugatuck, Conn. – Elite Series
David Mullins – Mt. Carmel, Tenn. – Elite Series
John Murray – Spring City, Tenn. – Elite Series
Darrell Ocamica – New Plymouth, Idaho – Elite Series
Takahiro Omori – Emory, Texas – Elite Series
Cliff Pace – Petal, Miss. – Elite Series
Brandon Palaniuk – Hayden, Idaho – Elite Series
Chad Pipkens – Lansing, Mich. – Northern Opens
Clifford Pirch – Payson, Ariz. – Elite Series
Keith Poche – Pike Road, Ala. – Elite Series
Jacob Powroznik – N. Prince George, Va. – Elite Series
Cliff Prince – Palatka, Fla. – Elite Series
Skeet Reese – Auburn, Calif. – Elite Series
Marty Robinson – Lyman, S.C. – Elite Series
Dean Rojas – Lake Havasu City, Ariz. – Elite Series
Scott Rook – Little Rock, Ark. – Elite Series
Fred Roumbanis – Russellville, Ark. – Elite Series
Bradley Roy – Lancaster, Ky. – Elite Series
Bernie Schultz – Gainesville, Fla. – Elite Series
Terry Scroggins – San Mateo, Fla. – Elite Series
Morizo Shimizu – Osaka, Japan – Elite Series
Fletcher Shryock – Dennison, Ohio – Elite Series
Hunter Shryock – Newcomerstown, Ohio – Southern Opens*
Brian Snowden – Reeds Spring, Mo. – Elite Series
Gerald Spohrer – Gonzales, La. – Elite Series
Wesley Strader – Spring City, Tenn. – Northern Opens#
Randy Sullivan – Breckenridge, Texas – Central Opens*
Caleb Sumrall – New Iberia, La. – B.A.S.S. Nation*
Gerald Swindle – Guntersville, Ala. – Elite Series
Jesse Tacoronte – Orlando, Fla. – Elite Series
Randall Tharp – Port St. Joe, Fla. – Elite Series
Jonathon VanDam – Kalamazoo, Mich. – Elite Series
Kevin VanDam – Kalamazoo, Mich. – Elite Series
Greg Vinson – Wetumpka, Ala. – Elite Series
David Walker – Sevierville, Tenn. – Elite Series
Bill Weidler – Helena, Ala. – Southern Opens*
Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – Elite Series
Jake Whitaker – Fairview, N.C. – Northern Opens*
Jesse Wiggins – Cullman, Ala. – Elite Series
Jason Williamson – Wagener, S.C. – Elite Series
Chris Zaldain – Laughlin, Nev. – Elite Series
