The 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series season makes its final stop next week in Escanaba, Mich., on the shores of Lake Michigan and Big and Little Bays de Noc. Here the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) will be crowned and dozens of Elite pros will clinch their berths in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell, Feb. 20-22.
AOY is the sport’s most prestigious title, and six anglers still have a chance at the prize. Leading the way is Louisiana’s Greg Hackney, an 11-year veteran of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and runner-up in the 2004 AOY race as a rookie. Hackney holds a 15-point advantage over defending AOY Aaron Martens and a 17-point edge over Todd Faircloth, the runner-up in 2008.
Further back are Elite rookie Jacob Powroznik, former Elite winner Keith Combs and three-time AOY winner Mark Davis. Though the odds may be against them, these three certainly have the skills to span the points gap and the will to make it happen.
In the 45-year history of the AOY award, only 20 men have won the title, and just three were able to win in consecutive years — Roland Martin (1971-73, 1978-79 and 1984-85), Guido Hibdon (1990-91) and Kevin VanDam (2008-11). Aaron Martens could join this group with another title this year. If Davis wins the award, he will become the oldest AOY winner in history at nearly 51.
The other battle at Bays de Noc will be fought over Bassmaster Classic berths. Nine anglers in the field have already secured spots as either defending Classic champion (Randy Howell), 2014 Elite winners (Brett Hite, Chris Lane, Mike McClelland, Powroznik, Jason Christie, Michael Iaconelli and Hackney) or 2014 Opens winners (Ott DeFoe). The Top 22 anglers in the points race are already mathematically guaranteed a spot in next year’s Classic. The rest of the field will be fighting for another dozen or so berths, including former Classic champs Davy Hite, Alton Jones and Takahiro Omori.
Notably absent from this year’s race is Michigan’s own Kevin VanDam, whose streak of 24 consecutive Classic appearances ended with a disappointing regular season in which he ranked 53rd in the points race, just missing the championship.
Bays de Noc is a world-class smallmouth bass fishery, and anglers are expected to bring hefty catches to the scales each day. With five-bass limits as the norm and an average bass weight between 3 and 4 pounds, competition will be tight and mere ounces may determine not only the AOY race, but also the last few spots in next year’s Classic.
AOY has been decided by a variety of means over the decades, including yearly prize money, pounds and ounces, and a myriad of different points systems and postseason events. This year, the winner of the AOY Championship will earn 100 points, second place gets 99, third place gets 98, etc., down to the 50th and final angler who will earn 51 points. These points will be added to the current tally to determine the AOY final standings.
The full field of 50 anglers will compete on each of the first two days (Thursday and Friday, Sept. 18-19). On Saturday, much of the field will participate in Bassmaster University at Ludington Park where fans can attend seminars and question and answer sessions with many of their favorite pros, including former AOYs Davis, Tim Horton, Iaconelli and Skeet Reese. In the finals on Sunday, the full field will compete again, culminating in the crowning of the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year and dozens of berths in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
Also on Saturday as part of its Bassmaster Fan and Military Appreciation Day, B.A.S.S. will give a special commemorative Bassmaster cap to the first 250 military service members who come to the B.A.S.S. booth with a military identification card. All 50 Elite anglers will be on hand to sign autographs as well.
>From watching the first boats takeoff at 7:30 a.m. on Thurs., Sept. 18 and the final weigh-in at Ludington Park on Sunday at 4 p.m., to participating in the family-friendly Bassmaster Elite Series Expo with national vendors, the activities planned throughout the weekend are free and open to the public. Companies like Mercury, Nitro, Skeeter, Triton, and Yamaha will have booths at the expo and will offer demo rides. Toyota, Carhartt, Berkley, Booyah, Humminbird, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mustang, Plano, Power-Pole, Shimano, Rigid Industries and Costa Sunglasses, will also exhibit. Prior to the weigh-in on Saturday, Costa Sunglasses will debut the sixth episode in the GEOBASS series, Papau New Guinea.
For a complete Bassmaster University Schedule, visit www.bassmaster.com/attend-toyota-bassmaster-angler-year-championship.
The hosts of this event are Bays de Noc Convention and Visitors Bureau and Pure Michigan.
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series presented by Carhartt, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.
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Media Contact: Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com or Helen Northcutt, 205-313-0944, hnorthcutt@bassmaster.com.
2014 Toyota Angler of the Year Championship Field
Angler Hometown Points
1 Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 664
2 Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 649
3 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 647
4 Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA 623
5 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 623
6 Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 618
7 Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 612
8 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 603
9 Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 576
10 Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 569
11 Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 567
12 Matt Herren Ashville, AL 555
13 Chad Morgenthaler Coulterville, IL 553
14 John Crews Salem, VA 548
15 Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 548
16 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 548
17 Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 546
18 Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 544
19 Randall Tharp Port Saint Joe, FL 544
20 Paul Elias Laurel, MS 539
21 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 538
22 Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 537
23 Morizo Shimizu Osaka, JAPAN 533
24 Brandon Palaniuk Hayden, ID 528
25 David Walker Sevierville, TN 524
26 Randy Howell Springville, AL 522
27 Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 516
28 James Niggemeyer Van, TX 514
29 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 513
30 Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 509
31 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 506
32 Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 505
33 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 493
34 Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 487
35 Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 485
36 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 485
37 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 483
38 Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 482
39 Alton Jones Lorena, TX 475
40 Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 475
41 Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 471
42 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 470
43 Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 470
44 Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 470
45 Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 469
46 Chris Zaldain San Jose, CA 466
47 Casey Scanlon Lanexa, KS 465
48 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 464
49 Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 459
50 Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 458
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