By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor
Lots of professional athletes proclaim that "it's not about the money" when they make decisions regarding where they're headed next to ply their trade. In Dakota Ebare's case, there's substantial evidence that it's entirely the case.
Ebare announced recently that he's giving up his spot on the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour and will compete in the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers division in an attempt to reach the Elite Series and eventually the Bassmaster Classic. The Brookeland, Texas resident has earned more than $1 million on MLF circuits in just a few short years, with the bulk of that total coming over the past two seasons as he's posted consecutive Top-5 finishes in the BPT Angler of the Year (AOY) race, won an MLF Invitational and risen to No. 4 in the BassFan World Rankings.
The 32-year-old Ebare is a late addition to the Opens EQ roster. He said his timing was fortuitous on a recent call to B.A.S.S. about such a possibility, as a slot had opened up due to an angler dropping out. His departure from the BPT created a hole that will be filled by Italy native Jacopo Gallelli, a veteran of several MLF competition levels.
"Ever since the Saginaw Bay event (the 2023 BPT finale in early August), it's been on my mind that maybe this isn't the right place for me," Ebare said. "Maybe it's time for a change. I've had a lot of success with MLF and I'm very thankful for that, and I've made a life-changing amount of money. I'm also thankful for the great sponsors I've gained.
"The original plan was to ride it out and fish next year and see how things went, but the last month or two, it's been wearing on me pretty hard. Maybe I'd decided to stay for the wrong reasons. I'd been praying and thinking about it every day since the end of the season and getting into the Opens this late, it just seems like it's meant to be.
"It's the best decision for me and my brand and I'm excited about the challenge of working my way up through the Bassmaster organization," he continued. "The field is very competitive and it's going to make me stay hungry and get better."
He cited few specifics in regard to his reasoning for leaving a tour-level circuit to fish a qualifying trail, but admitted he was disappointed when the BPT announced it was going back to the every-fish-counts format instead of the biggest-five-per-day system it employed in 2023.
"I feel like I was just as successful in both formats, but when everything counts it kind of forces you to fish a certain type of way. I know it has some advantages as far as engaging (online viewers) and I think there's a time and place for it. Or at least some kind of hybrid format, like maybe having a weigh-in for the Top 10 on the last day, but it seems like that ship has sailed. I like the five-fish format and I like interacting with fans and meeting people – I really enjoyed that last year at the Toyota Series Championship."
"There's been quite a few changes to the (MLF) organization and I don't necessarily agree with some of them, but they're running a business and they've got to do what they've got to do."
He'll make his Opens debut in two weeks when the new campaign gets under way at Lake Okeechobee in Florida. He confessed that this venture is a financial risk, as he's invested the vast majority of his tournament winnings and isn't flush with liquid assets, but he's all-in on it and not second-guessing the move.
"The real reason behind all of it is I want to be the best version of me both on and off the water and I want to make a positive impact in the sport," he said. "I feel like the best way for me to do that is to start fresh in the Opens, get back to the grind, challenge myself and make myself a better angler.
"Hopefully I can go from the Opens to the Elite Series and then cross the Bassmaster Classic stage one day."
