2009 Classic & Elite Fields

With the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series season in the books, the brunt of the qualifying spots for both the 2009 Bassmaster Classic and Bassmaster Elite Series have been determined. Heading into the final Elite event of the season on New York’s Oneida Lake, many anglers were in precarious position in the qualifying races.

After today, 36 anglers were able to punch their tickets to the 2009 Bassmaster Classic and 84 received qualifying berths into the Elite Series. Anglers qualify based on their ranking in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.

After finishing in last place at the first Bassmaster Elite Series event on Florida’s Lake Toho, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., made a furious comeback and is the lone angler thus far to represent Louisiana in the Classic field.

“I felt like I won a tournament,” said Hackney, who finished 36th in the AOY standings. “It was nice to rally and finish well and make the Classic in my homestate. It was a lot of pressure after that first tournament.”

Joining the 36 Elite qualifiers in the Classic will be six Federation Nation anglers who will qualify via the Federation Nation National Championship (Nov. 8-10); three each from the Bassmaster Southern and Northern Opens; the winner of the Bassmaster Weekend Series Operated by American Bass Anglers Championship and Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, who automatically qualifies on the strength of his 2008 Classic victory.

Also, this year, for the first time in BASS history, the Toyota Women’s Bassmaster Angler of the Year will qualify for the Classic. That berth will be determined after the completion of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

In the case of anglers who qualify through two avenues, BASS will work down the Angler of the Year list.

The 84 Elite Series qualifiers will set the majority of next year’s field. Joining them will be the top 10 points leaders from the Bassmaster Southern and Central Opens. The winner of the Federation Nation Championship also is invited to the Elite Series along with the previous three years of Bassmaster Classic champions and Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year winners.

Elite anglers who are in good standing can also qualify by using one of three exemptions. Anglers who have participated in 10 or more Bassmaster Classics, won a Bassmaster Classic or won a Bassmaster Angler of the Year title can choose to use one exemption to gain entry into the Elites.

The full list of qualifiers can be found below.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.bassmaster.com. Visit http://www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

About BASS

For 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multi-media platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive web properties in Bassmaster.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic, the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS sanctions more than 20,000 events annually.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 525,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

2008 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Standings
—————————————————————
Place Name Hometown Points
—————————————————————
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 2691
2 Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 2603
3 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 2577
4 Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 2485
5 Alton Jones Waco, Texas 2430
6 Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 2428
7 Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, Ariz. 2411
8 Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 2372
9 Terry Scroggins San Mateo, Fla. 2323
10 Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J. 2291
11 Bill Lowen North Bend, Ohio 2285
12 Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 2261
13 Aaron Martens Leeds, Ala. 2255
13 Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, N.C. 2255
15 Bobby Lane Lakeland, Fla. 2247
16 Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala. 2209
17 Kenyon Hill Norman, Okla. 2206
18 Fred Roumbanis Bixby, Okla. 2196
19 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 2194
20 Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 2180
21 Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 2159
22 Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, Kan. 2149
23 Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 2132
24 Dave Wolak Wake Forest, N.C. 2127
25 Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, Ala. 2110
26 Casey Ashley Donalds, S.C. 2071
27 Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 2066
28 Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 2057
29 Bryan Hudgins Orange Park, Fla. 2053
30 Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, Fla. 2043
31 Ish Monroe Hughson, Calif. 2039
32 Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, Fla. 2032
33 Boyd Duckett Demopolis, Ala. 2026
34 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 2023
35 Byron Velvick Del Rio, Texas 2007
36 Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 1998
37 Davy Hite Ninety Six, S.C. 1989
38 Rick Clunn Ava, Mo. 1984
39 Rick Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 1983
40 Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 1975
41 Derek Remitz Grant, Ala. 1974
42 Chris Lane Lakeland, Fla. 1969
43 Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 1968
44 Morizo Shimizu Osaka, Japan 1966
45 Marty Stone Fayetteville, N.C. 1950
46 Jason Williamson Aiken, S.C. 1941
47 Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, Calif. 1932
48 Bradley Hallman Norman, Okla. 1922
49 Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 1920
50 John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 1915
51 Ray Sedgwick Cross, S.C. 1910
52 Jason Quinn York, S.C. 1907
53 Kevin F Short Mayflower, Ark. 1886
53 Gerald Swindle Warrior, Ala. 1886
55 Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 1856
56 Jon Bondy Windsor, Canada 1846
57 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 1843
58 Cliff Pace Petal, Miss. 1836
59 Terry Butcher Talala, Okla. 1828
60 Scott Campbell Springfield, Mo. 1817
61 Britt Myers Lake Wylie, S.C. 1815
62 Jami Fralick Martin, S.D. 1803
63 Matthew Sphar Pavilion, N.Y. 1793
64 Jeff Connella Bentley, La. 1780
64 Jeremy Starks Charleston, W.Va. 1780
66 Jeff Reynolds Idabel, Okla. 1779
67 Mark Tucker Saint Louis, Mo. 1776
68 Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 1757
69 Kevin Langill Terrell, N.C. 1742
70 Russ Lane Prattville, Ala. 1726
71 Mike Wurm Hot Springs, Ark. 1698
71 John Crews Salem, Va. 1698
73 Glenn Delong Bellville, Ohio 1685
74 Grant Goldbeck Gaithersburg, Md. 1666
75 James Niggemeyer Van, Texas 1661
76 Wade Grooms Bonneau, S.C. 1651
77 Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 1649
78 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 1640
79 Paul Elias Laurel, Miss. 1609
80 Preston Clark Palatka, Fla. 1587
81 Brian Clark Haltom City, Texas 1581
82 Billy Brewer Bruceville, Texas 1578
83 Ben Matsubu Hemphill, Texas 1550
84 Mark Tyler Vian, Okla. 1544
85 Todd Auten Lake Wylie, S.C. 1543
86 Ken D Cook Lawton, Okla. 1539
86 Marty Robinson Lyman, S.C. 1539
88 Clark Reehm Russellville, Ark. 1530
89 Jim Murray Arabi, Ga. 1505
90 Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas 1503
91 Pat Golden High Point, N.C. 1497
92 Kurt Dove Fairfax, Va. 1492
93 David Smith Del City, Okla. 1488
94 Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, Texas 1483
95 Elton Luce Brookeland, Texas 1477
96 Corey Waldrop Fort Worth, Texas 1417
97 Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 1407
98 Pete Ponds Madison, Miss. 1371
99 Jay Fuller Kingston, Okla. 1361
100 Steve Daniel Clewiston, Fla. 1355
101 Guy Eaker Cherryville, N.C. 1333
102 Rick Ash Pottstown, Pa. 1264
103 Randy Allen Shreveport, La. 1184
104 David Sherrer Shreveport, La. 1181
105 James Kennedy Lacombe, La. 1143
106 Paul Hirosky Guys Mills, Pa. 1021
107 Greg Gutierrez Red Bluff, Calif. 914
108 Matt Amedeo Clinton, Ohio 875
109 Bobby Myers Broken Arrow, Okla. 438

Rojas Earns Redemption

Putting to rest a seven-year drought, Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., scored victory at the Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide on New York’s Oneida Lake, the final Bassmaster Elite Series event of the season. With the victory, Rojas crossed the $1 million mark in career BASS earnings and upped his victory tally to three by posting a four-day total of 65 pounds, 2 ounces, which was enough to hold off hard-charging Kevin Langill of Terrell, N.C., and 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J.

Fishing fans can watch the on-the-water action from the Aug. 7-10 Champion’s Choice on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, Aug. 16, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

Rojas found success rotating in three primary areas throughout the tournament. Known for his proficiency with a frog, he employed that technique throughout the tournament while mixing it up with a Slurpee’s brush beaver flipped to shallow, grassy areas.

With changing weather conditions, Rojas said it was important to adapt and be flexible. Through the four-day event, anglers experienced rain and hail mixed with periods of sunshine.

Known for its smallmouth, Oneida yielded largemouth to most of the top competitors including Rojas. After narrowly missing out on a victory and ultimately finishing second at the Bassmaster Memorial staged on Oneida Lake and Lake Onondaga in 2007, Rojas was able to exact a measure of redemption on a New York fishery.

“This is so awesome,” said Rojas, 37. “I’ve had my fair share of crash and burns over the years but it just makes this so much sweeter. I had such a clean practice and when the season started I knew that I would do well on Oneida.”

With his solid showing at Oneida, Rojas moved up to 7th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, earning a $28,000 bonus for his placement. Sunday, he landed the Purolator Big Bass of the Day, a 4-pound bass, earning a $1,000 premium.

Rojas, who was born in New York, was presented with a Kermit stuffed animal on stage due to his steady use of the frog in Elite Series tournaments. Throughout the tournament, he used two Spro frogs to entice the biggest bass.

A new bait that was introduced at ICAST, called the popping frog, was Rojas’ savior on Sunday. He threw the bait after his flipping pattern came undone and was able to catch 14 pounds, 8 ounces. The other bait was the Spro Bronzeye frog.

“Everything went my way this week,” said Rojas. “I have been putting in the hard work all these years and it’s nice to see it pay off in a big way. It was a wonderful week.”

Moving up from third to second was Langill, who posted a four-day total of 60 pounds, 7 ounces. The North Carolina pro scored his highest finish ever in a Bassmaster Elite Series event and closes the season in promising fashion.

The 35-year-old pro keyed in on schooling bass all week. One of the indicators that he used to find his fish were the circling birds. When he saw a group of birds, he would cast to the areas they were near.

His pattern also relied heavily on his electronics and most of his weight was caught during the early portion of the day on Sunday. He mixed up a few baits but primarily used a Rat-L-Trap.

“It was just an awesome morning,” said Langill. “The weather changed me though and that made things tough. I’m tickled to end the season this way.”

Slipping from second to third was Iaconelli with 59 pounds, 4 ounces. In fourth was Dustin Wilks of Rocky Mount, N.C., with 59 pounds, 0 ounces. Taking fifth was Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C., with 57 pounds, 9 ounces.

Posting solid finishes were 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones (6th) and Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark. (11th).

With the season ending today, 84 Bassmaster Elite Series qualifying spots for 2009 were determined as well as 36 2009 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers, set for Shreveport-Bossier City, La., on Feb. 20-22. The spots were awarded based on the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, which can be found below.

The 2009 Elite Series schedule can be found on Bassmaster.com.

Known as the “thumb” of New York’s Finger Lakes, Oneida is 21 miles long and 5 miles wide, with shelves and shoals formed by glaciers. The natural body of water features plenty of shoreline vegetation and an abundance of rocky offshore structure.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

Location and Field
Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide
Oneida Lake
Syracuse, N.Y.
August 7-10, 2008

Field
106 pros, 106 co-anglers
Cut to top 50 pros and co-anglers after Day 2
Cut to top 12 pro anglers after Day 3

Launch/Weigh-in
Oneida Shores County Park
9400 Bartell Road
Brewerton, N.Y,
Thurs-Sat (8 a.m./5 p.m.)
Sunday- 10 a.m./7 p.m.

Rojas Takes Day 2 Lead

Searching for his first win in seven years, Dean Rojas took one step closer at the Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide on Oneida Lake, the final Bassmaster Elite Series event of the 2008 season. The Lake Havasu City, Ariz., pro climbed to the top with 18 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to build his three-day total to 50 pounds, 10 ounces, taking the lead from 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J., who had 47 pounds, 0 ounces.

Fishing fans can watch the on-the-water action from the Aug. 7-10 Champion’s Choice on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, Aug. 16, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. Additionally, fans can check into Bassmaster.com for live, streaming video of the weigh-ins, real-time leaderboards, analysis, photo galleries and more throughout the four-day event.

Rojas has found success rotating in three primary areas throughout each day. He has been largely unaffected by boat pressure and the changing weather conditions and has been consistent on spacious Oneida in his quest for the $100,000 top prize.

“I’m so ready to win this thing,” Rojas said, referring to his BASS win drought. “I just have to keep my head up and focus Sunday. I really want it bad.”

Rojas is focusing on largemouth in shallow water, using his customary frog. He is prepared for whatever weather condition that might play out Sunday and is confident that he can catch fish throughout the day. He boated a 4-pounder, the biggest bass of his Saturday limit, at 2 p.m.

Rojas has found success on New York fisheries in the past. He finished second last year at a 2007 Bassmaster Memorial and was first in that event after the two-day preliminary competition on Oneida, showing his New York chops. He said he feels the largemouth bite is only way to win the tournament.

“I’m ready to win one, it’s been so long,” said the 37-year-old. “I’m just going to go out there and fish hard tomorrow.”

Heading into the tournament, Rojas had more than $970,000 in BASS career earnings. A solid showing at Oneida along with his Angler of the Year bonus, in which he should finish in the top 10, will push him to more than $1 million in career earnings.

Iaconelli relinquished the lead to Rojas after catching 14 pounds, 4 ounces, a solid limit but a departure from the 20-pound, 1-ounce limit he boated Friday. The 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year felt his fish were biting finicky Saturday but was encouraged by Sunday’s forecast for rain and cloud cover.

Iaconelli is using heavy baits in search of reaction strikes, a somewhat different philosophy compared to what most of the field is using. He has mainly focused on a primary spot, milking it for all it is worth. Like Rojas, he has focused on largemouth. He felt the key to his success was the weight selection he was using with his baits.

“I’m excited to get back out there tomorrow,” the 36-year-old said. “If things shake out right, I think I can catch a giant bag.”

Rounding out the top five were Kevin Langill of Terrell, N.C., in third with 45 pounds, 14 ounces; Dustin Wilks of Rocky Mount, N.C., in fourth with 43 pounds, 9 ounces; and 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, in fifth with 43 pounds, 3 ounces.

The field was cut to the top 12 anglers for the final day. Also in the cut were Arkansas pros Mike McClelland (sixth) and 1995 Bassmaster Classic champ Mark Davis (10th).

In the co-angler division, two New York amateurs, Ron Plocek of Liverpool and Jesse Herbert of Pennellville, tied for the top spot with 23 pounds, 7 ounces, and split the prize money associated with the top two prizes, earning $17,500 each. Trailing the two homestate anglers was David Paul of New London, Conn., in third place with 23 pounds, 5 ounces.

Known as the “thumb” of New York’s Finger Lakes, Oneida is 21 miles long and 5 miles wide, with shelves and shoals formed by glaciers. The natural body of water features plenty of shoreline vegetation and an abundance of rocky offshore structure.

As part of the celebration of crowning the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, BASS’ outdoors expo Saturday and Sunday at the season finale will include performances by national recording artist Heartland and local musical group The Custom Taylor Band. At the conclusion of the final weigh-in Sunday night, BASS will host a fireworks display at Oneida Shores, set for approximately 8:40 p.m.

Sunday’s final-day launch begins at 10 a.m. and the final weigh-in begins at 7:30 p.m.

Weekend activities at the Champion’s Choice include a Berkley Beginner fishing class at 3:30 p.m. and a “Boat Performance with Skeeter” class daily at 4 p.m. On Saturday, fans can talk to the Elite pros during “Ask the Experts” at Bassmaster University, set for 4:30 p.m. on the weigh-in stage.

Sunday’s activities include the live taping at 6:35 p.m. of Hooked Up, hosted by BASS emcee Keith Alan and ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. The show will preview the final weigh-in. Live, streaming video of the Champion’s Choice daily weigh-ins begins at 4:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 7 p.m. Sunday on Bassmaster.com <http://www.bassmaster.com/> .

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

Location and Field
Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide
Oneida Lake
Syracuse, N.Y.
August 7-10, 2008

Field
106 pros, 106 co-anglers
Cut to top 50 pros and co-anglers after Day 2
Cut to top 12 pro anglers after Day 3

Kota Clinches First Win

With more than an 8-pound advantage on the final day, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kotaro Kiriyama of Moody, Ala., capitalized on a successful week of fishing deep and finding bait fish, winning the Empire Chase presented by Farmer’s Insurance on Sunday with 93 pounds, 6 ounces overall for the four-day tournament on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

Kiriyama’s first career victory as a pro earned him a $100,000 first-place prize and included two days’ worth of bonuses for Berkley Big Bag honors (25-0 Saturday; 25-9 Sunday) and Purolator Big Bass honors – for a 5-15 smallmouth Saturday and a 5-8 smallmouth Sunday that tied Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas, for Big Bass. Kiriyama earned a total of $114,500.

Fishing fans can catch all of the action from the Empire Chase on The Bassmasters on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

Kiriyama came to America when he was 18 because, he said, his father encouraged him to find a profession that would keep him out of trouble, which he seemed to find in his native Japan as a wily teenager. He dedicated the win to his ailing dad, who was watching Sunday’s final weigh-in via the live Webcast on Bassmaster.com.

Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., the 2005 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, finished second with 20-12 on Sunday and 85-1 overall. The 2007 Empire Chase winner Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., finished third with 20-4 on Sunday and 84-8 overall. John Murray of Phoenix finished fourth with 79-14 overall, and Day 2 leader Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J., finished fifth with 79-7 overall.

Kiriyama’s victory wasn’t the only drama playing out Sunday, as the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race got a shakeup at the top of the ranks. With his sixth-place finish in the Empire Chase, Faircloth took over the lead in the AOY title chase by 21 points over former leader Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich. Faircloth’s four-day total in the Empire Chase was 77-11.

VanDam, who led the AOY race coming into the Empire Chase, finished the tournament in 18th with 53-0 overall. Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., remains in third (47th at Empire Chase, 46-0) and reigning Bassmaster Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., remains fourth (59th, 28-9). Evers rounds out the top five in the AOY after his third-place finish at the Empire Chase.

The winner of the AOY race, which will be determined at the Aug. 7-10 Champion’s Choice, will receive $250,000 and the points will also determine the brunt of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers. The top 36 Elite pros will qualify for the Classic, set for Feb. 20-22 out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La. Also derived from the AOY points will be the first 84 qualifiers for the 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series roster.

Just as he did in 2007, Kiriyama used a Jackal drop-shot Crazy Ninja Worm in some of the deepest water of the tournament – from 30 feet to as much as 80 feet – to target suspended fish. A crucial component for the Japan native’s success was finding bait fish on which the smallmouth were feeding.

“I had to catch everything available at the time each day, because I never knew if I was going to get there the next day,” he said, referring to the windy, choppy conditions that could have kept him from his favorite spots. “I’ve been waiting for this since I became a professional – eight years.”

He culled about 40 fish in two to three hours of fishing Sunday, and was surprised more anglers weren’t using the same drop-shot worm this year. The only difference in his strategy this year was the addition of Berkley Gulp! liquid, in which he marinated his bait. He left the rest up to the fish.

“I don’t have to do anything,” Kiriyama said. “I see the fish on the graph, drop the line and just watch fish come and eat.”

Martens fished worms in 30 to 40 feet of water, and most of his fish came on long casts. He said he could see plenty of big fish in his spots.

“I couldn’t believe how many fish there were,” Martens said. “There are so many 5- and 6-pounders, it’d make you sick, but those 4-pounders are more aggressive and they get to the bait before the big ones do.”

Also of note, with his 12th-place finish Sunday, Elite Series pro Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., joined the BASS Millionaires’ Club after a $12,300 payday for the Empire Chase, bringing the exclusive club’s membership to 27.

VanDam, 40, likely will make history again to wrap up the 2008 season, this time as the first BASS angler to eclipse the $3 million mark. With one tournament remaining, the Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide out of Syracuse, N.Y. on Oneida Lake, VanDam’s earnings are at $2,972,458.

Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., all but secured the Advance Auto Parts Rookie of the Year title, increasing the gap between himself and Wade Grooms of Bonneau, S.C. to 468 points with one event to go.

Mike McClelland continues to lead the race for the season’s Berkley Heavyweight title with 340 pounds, 8 ounces, staying ahead of VanDam by more than 12 pounds.

Up next is the Aug. 7-10 season finale, the Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide on Oneida Lake out of Syracuse, N.Y.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

The Buffalo Convention & Visitors Bureau was the local sponsor of the Empire Chase presented by Farmer’s Insurance.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

Location and Field
Empire Chase presented by Farmer’s Insurance
Lake Erie/Niagara River
Buffalo
July 31-Aug. 3, 2008

Field
106 pros, 106 co-anglers
Cut to top 50 pros and co-anglers after Day 2
Cut to top 12 pro anglers after Day 3

Launch/Weigh-in
NFTA Small Boat Harbor
111 Furhmann Blvd.
Buffalo, NY
8 a.m./5 p.m. ET

Next Page »