Bennett Still In Charge

There is an interesting fishing battle setting up in South Carolina at the Forrest Wood Cup and the winner of that battle is going to get a million dollars on Sunday afternoon.

After Saturday’s weigh-in, the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup has boiled down primarily to a two-horse race between Duracell pro Michael Bennett of Lincoln, Calif., and Kellogg’s pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa.

After day three Bennett leads with 16 pounds, 1 ounce. Lefebre is trailing Bennett by 2 pounds, 13 ounces with 13 pounds, 4 ounces. Behind those two is Terry Bolton of Jonesboro, Ark., with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.

Simply put, Bennett has put on a clinic the last three days, junk fishing by the seat of his pants. He is demonstrating the art of tournament bass fishing in its purest form, relying solely on his instincts and intuition to fish almost all new water each day and making critical decisions on the fly.

So far his approach has worked beautifully, but he is the first to point out that the bottom could fall out at any time.

The last two days he has gotten just five or six bites per day and has made them count.

On the other hand, Lefebre has committed to one area and he knows it well. Each day he has gotten more bites than Bennett. Today Lefebre said he had 11 or 12 bites.

The question now becomes whether Bennett can live on the edge another day for the quality bites. A stumble from Bennett and Lefebre’s consistency could put the Kellogg’s pro in the winner’s circle.

Beyond that, a face plant by either pro could leave the door open for Bolton or Chris Baumgardner.

Bennett turning trash into treasure

As for Bennett’s day, he is learning how to mine the treasures out of his junk-fishing. Duracell pro Michael Bennett has put on a junk-fishing clinic the last three days to lead the Forrest Wood Cup.Each day he has dialed in a little more on where he needs to be and what he needs to be throwing.

“I started the tournament with 8 to 12 rods on the deck and I’m now down to just three,” Bennett said. “I know what to look for but I have run completely out of water.”

A critical move by Bennett happened on day two. After finishing off his limit at about noon yesterday, he invested the rest of his tournament day riding around the lake looking for a particular mix of shallow cover. He found several places that fit the bill and fished those places today for his catch. But the problem is he can not find anymore water like it.

“I’ve been very comfortable fishing new water as long as it has the right ingredients,” Bennett said. “But today I fished everything on this lake that looked like that and I’ve basically got no new water to fish. I’m going to have to start repeating on water that I’ve fished over the last few days and I’m a little nervous about that because I feel like the fish don’t replenish very fast in these areas.”

Bennett hit 30 plus spots today and noted that the critical time is the first three hours of the day.

“Getting at least three fish in the boat in the first three hours is crucial,” Bennett pointed out. “That puts me on the right pace to finish my limit by check in.”

As for the nerves in fishing for a million bucks, Bennett candidly said, “I get nervous on stage, but once that’s over I’m fine.”

Lefebre lurking

Kellogg’s pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa., is lurking behind Bennett for the $1 million top prize of the Forrest Wood Cup.In the Lefebre camp, there’s not much talk of junk-fishing, running and gunning or fishing by the seat of his pants.

Instead, Lefebre has spent the whole tournament in one area and knows it “like the back of his hand.”

He had nearly a dozen bites today and the best five checked in at 13 pounds, 4 ounces.

Unlike other leaders, who have had to run all over creation to assemble their limits, Lefebre has been steadily hammering out 11 to 13 pounds per day from this single area located up one of the rivers.

“I have a lot of confidence in the area,” Lefebre said. “I’m very familiar with what’s going on in there. Each day the pattern changes just a bit: some days the fish are more tucked in the cover and I have to probe in there to get them out; other days the fish are more outside the cover and I have to swim the bait more on the outsides of the cover to get the bites.”

Lefebre noted that Dion Hibdon and Jay Yelas are also up in his area, but he made it clear that he felt like they were not sharing the same water.

“We might be overlapping a tad, but for the most part we are all fishing different types of stuff up there,” he explained.

As for his chances at the million on Sunday, Lefebre said he would rather be in second going into the final day than leading.

“I wish that lead was just a few ounces instead of a few pounds,” he added. “But the pressure is on (Bennett) to hold the lead now.”

Bolton third

Terry Bolton of Jonesboro, Ark., holds down the third place position with five bass Terry Bolton of Jonesboro, Ark., holds down the third place position with five bass for 10 pounds, 15 ounces.for 10 pounds, 15 ounces.

Bolton continued “practicing” today and said he fished all new water for about 40 percent of the day. He had seven keeper bites and boated six of them.

Yesterday he relied on a topwater toad for most of his bites but said that pattern went away today.

“I only caught one on top today and I ended up culling that one,” he said. “I spent too much time fishing that toad today and when I finally put it down I caught some flipping and on a shaky head. I’m telling you, every day is like a completely different day out here.”

Baumgardner fourth

Snickers pro Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, N.C., reeled in four keeper bass today for 10 pounds, 9 ounces putting him in fourth place.Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, N.C., reeled in four keeper bass today for 10 pounds, 9 ounces putting him in fourth place.

The Snickers pro is fishing a Zoom Horny Toad and a buzzbait around shallow cover to catch his fish.

“Some of them are on grass, but some of them are coming off nothing looking areas, too,” Baumgardner said. “Some of the best banks are just little flat banks with nothing on them.”

“I struggled for a while and then made a move down to some clearer water and that seemed to help my bite,” he added.

Ehrler fifth

National Guard pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., caught a five-bass limit weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces to round out the top 5 after day three.Pro Brent Ehrler is well on his way to winning Ranger Cup for the second year in a row.

Ehrler is on the run and gun program, using a buzzing-type toad to cover heaps of water. He hit an estimated 30 different spots today.

“I fished about 90 percent new water today,” Ehrler said. “I’m focusing on the back ends of creeks, especially where I find mix of docks and grass. But I can’t get bites in areas I’ve already fished over so covering new water is a key component to how I’m fishing.”

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top-10 pros in the Forrest Wood Cup event on Lake Murray after day three:

6th: Brian Travis of Conover, N.C., three bass, 8-2
7th: Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo., four bass, 7-2
8th: Kevin Vida of Clare, Mich., four bass, 6-3
9th: Jay Yelas of Corvallis, Ore., four bass, 5-9
10th: Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., two bass, 1-13

Day four of the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray will begin Sunday at 7 a.m. at the Lake Murray Marina and Yacht Club in Irmo, S.C.

Rose Hits The Mother Lode

Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., crossed the stage with a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces to lead day one of the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol on Lake Murray. Rose now holds a 2-pound, 13-ounce lead in the tournament featuring 77 pros and 77 co-anglers from across the United States, Japan and Korea.

“I found the area I fished during the last hour of practice,” said Rose, who has won more than $703,000 in FLW Outdoors competition. “I said, ‘Man, this looks good.’ I saw fish blowing up and I just wanted to go in there and catch a 4-pounder. And that’s where I got my three good ones.”

Rose said he caught five keepers during the day, including the “good ones” he estimated as 5-, 6- and 7-pounders.

“I had a terrible practice,” Rose said. “In a big tournament like this you have to use your instincts and skills and make decisions on the fly sometimes.”

Heavy rains Wednesday changed many anglers’ tactics for the first day of competition, and Rose chose to fish shallow, where he thought fish might migrate to the muddier water. Rose said he’s focusing on a large area instead of choosing to run all over the lake.

“Three hours into the day, I had my three biggest fish,” Rose said. “So that kept me at that spot. But that’s the only big bites I had all day.

“Tomorrow I’ll probably stop when I get seven or eight pounds,” Rose added. “But you don’t realize how hard it is to catch seven or eight pounds out there right now. I’ve got to go out there and really put my head to the grindstone to do that.”

Team Berkley pro Kevin Vida of Clare, Mich., trails Rose in the No. 2 spot with five bass weighing 17-05.

“My day went better than expected,” said Vida, who has compiled seven wins and 26 top-10 finishes while accumulating more than $521,000 in FLW Outdoors competition. “It was a good day, but then again, I knew I had the potential for this.”

Vida said he caught seven keepers, all of which he caught before 1:30 p.m. He said he caught fish both shallow and deep, and they came about 20 minutes apart. Vida said the fish are cruising, and if the fish see him, they will not bite.

“The area that I’m fishing has a lot of fish, and I’m catching them,” Vida said. “It’s my prime area, and I’m probably not even going to go there tomorrow. I also have it all to myself.

“It’s like spring fishing in August,” Vida added.

Rounding out the top five pros are Brian Travis of Conover, N.C. (five bass, 13-15); Bud Pruitt of Houston, Texas (five bass, 13-13) and Team PTSI pro Ron Shuffield of Bismarck, Ark. (five bass, 13-09).

Overall there were 300 bass weighing 574 pounds, 8 ounces caught by 75 pros Thursday. The catch included 43 five-bass limits.

The field of 77 professional anglers consists of qualifiers from the 2008 Walmart FLW Tour, the 2007 Walmart FLW Series, the 2008 Walmart BFL All-American, 2008 TBF National Championship and 2007 Stren Series Championship.

Pros in the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup are competing for a top cash prize of $1 million — the sport’s biggest award.

Pat Wilson of Penngrove, Calif., leads the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 8-14 followed by Chris Hults of Vancleave, Miss., in second place with five bass weighing 8-09.

“I was fishing with David Fritts, and he’s around fish,” said Wilson, who has five wins and 14 top-10 finishes as a co-angler in FLW Outdoors events. “I caught my first keeper at about 8:30. I caught them steady until about 4:30, when I put another three keepers in the boat and culled out the last two 12-inchers.”

Wilson said he caught eight keepers and another 10 short fish throughout the course of the day. Wilson said his fish came on soft plastics fished slowly behind Fritts’ crankbait.

“I prefished with Jimmy Reese and got on a solid bite and knew they were going to eat what I’m throwing,” Wilson said. “I think the fish are real bait-specific. I felt coming into this tournament that if I was around fish I was going to have a good shot. And that’s the key — getting a draw who is around fish.

“My goal is to catch three keepers a day,” Wilson said. “Anything after that is gravy. It’s a brutal bite out there.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas (five bass, 8-01); Masahiro Yanase of Nagoya, Japan (five bass, 7-14) and Team PTSI co-angler Bill Gift of Alix, Ark. (four bass, 7-2).

Overall there were 149 bass weighing 225 pounds, 3 ounces caught by 62 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included eight five-bass limits.

Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $50,000 this week.

The full field competes in the two-day opening round for 10 slots in Saturday’s competition based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for day three, and co-angler competition concludes following Saturday’s weigh-in. The top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.

In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Forrest Wood Cup contenders will launch at 7 a.m. each day from the Lake Murray Marina and Yacht Club located at 1600 Marina Road in Irmo, S.C. Daily weigh-ins will be held at The Colonial Center located at 801 Lincoln St. in Columbia each afternoon at 5 p.m. The Forrest Wood Cup Family Fun Zone and Outdoor Show – featuring outdoor product exhibits, fishing seminars by Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston and other bass-fishing legends, and free daily giveaways – runs 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center located at 1101 Lincoln St. in Columbia.

The first 500 children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone Friday will receive a free tackle kit. The first 750 children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone Saturday will receive free Solar Bat sunglasses. On Sunday, the first 1,500 children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone will receive a free rod and reel combo. One lucky person attending the final weigh-in Sunday will even win a new Ranger Z20 powered by Yamaha. Participants must be present to win.

Chris Rose, John Salley and Charissa Thompson will join the world’s top professional bass anglers to tape FSN’s hit “Best Damn Sports Show Period” Saturday at noon in The Colonial Center. Celebrity guests scheduled to make an appearance are Steve Spurrier, the head football coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, William “The Fridge” Perry of the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears and Mike Schmidt, the Hall of Fame third baseman who played his entire 18-year career for the Philadelphia Phillies. Taping for the nationwide cable show will precede the tournament’s day-three weigh-in and crowning of the co-angler champion. Spectators could possibly make an appearance on the show as well, so you won’t want to miss this opportunity. Admission to the Forrest Wood Cup and “Best Damn Sports Show Period” taping is free.

Also, multi-platinum recording artist Tracy Byrd will perform a free concert hosted by WCOS-97.5 FM on the main stage at The Colonial Center on Sunday at 4 p.m., just before the start of the final weigh-in.

Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Sept. 28 and Oct. 5. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

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
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Place Name Hometown Points
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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

Lane Takes Rookie Honors

While he has suspected for a few weeks now that the victory was his, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., did not want to put the hex on his luck in the race to claim the 2008 Advance Auto Parts Rookie of the Year award, so he patiently waited out the final few Elite Series tournaments of the season.

At the season-ending Champion’s Choice presented by Ramada Worldwide, Lane, 34, officially accepted the Rookie of the Year trophy during Bassmaster Elite Series festivities Thursday at Oneida Shores County Park. Conveniently, a lot of his family was present to celebrate with him – his brother, Chris Lane of Winter Haven, Fla., is also a Bassmaster Elite Series pro. Bobby’s wife and children, as well as Chris’ wife and children, are attending the Champion’s Choice.

In winning the $25,000 top prize, Lane cinched the title after the first day of competition at the Champion’s Choice with 12 pounds, 4 ounces. Wade Grooms of Bonneau, S.C., finished in second place. Through 10 Elite Series tournaments, Lane placed in the top 50 and earned a check in seven, including two top-10s. (NOTE: Final Rookie of the Year points standings will be posted on Sunday, August 10 on http://www.bassmaster.com)

Lane sold his Florida landscaping company in 2003 and set out to become a professional angler.
Lane signed up for the three annual Bassmaster Southern Opens in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Elite Series season with finishes of 20th, (March; Kissimmee Chain) 10th (May; Santee Cooper Reservoir) and fourth (October; Wheeler Lake).

He also qualified for fishing’s most prestigious event, the Bassmaster Classic, held in 2008 on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell. Lane finished fourth and earned $30,000 in the biggest tournament of his life so far, which he said was “an amazing experience that words can’t even explain.”

“Fishing with the Elite anglers, they make me a better fisherman,” said Lane, whose first Bassmaster event was the 2005 Southern Open out of Kissimmee, Fla., in which he finished a very respectable seventh. “Every day this year I’ve been at the boat ramp as early as they open, as soon as the sun comes up. You know you’ve got to catch them. Whatever you caught the first day, you better double it just to remain in contention at all.”

As the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series season started, Lane’s odds for performing well weren’t hurt by tournament locations: two Florida chains on which he had spent a decent amount of time fishing while he was growing up, the Harris Chain out of Leesburg and the Kissimmee Chain out of Lake Wales.

He finished third in his first tournament as an Elite Series pro, on the Harris Chain, and seventh on the Kissimmee Chain. After the Florida swing, his season progressed less predictably with finishes of 73rd (Falcon Lake); 37th (Lake Amistad); 72nd (Wheeler Lake) and 58th (Kentucky Lake) as Lane visited some lakes across the country that he’d never seen, much less fished.

“Starting out the year, it was awesome in Florida,” Lane said. “But if I didn’t do well the first day, I never let it get me down, I’d always go back on the second days and do something different. You have to make yourself learn a lake that you’ve never been to.

While he bounced around in the midseason standings, other rookies had success – Billy Brewer of Bruceville, Texas, finished eighth and 45th on Texas’ lakes Falcon and Amistad; Wade Grooms of Bonneau, S.C., — and Lane’s ROY lead was threatened. But eventually, Lane realized the ROY trophy was his to lose.

While he took 20th at the Tennessee Triumph on Old Hickory Lake out of Nashville, Grooms, who was in second place in the ROY standings, stumbled, closing the door on any chance to catch Lane.

“I knew I did well at Old Hickory, made a big mark,” Lane said. “When it came down to it I knew I had to do well at Lake Erie and I’ve never been there and the waves kind of had me a little worried.

Lane joins past ROY winners Derek Remitz of Grant, Ala. (2007); Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala. (2006); Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C. (2005) and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La. (2004). All are BASS tournament winners.

“It means everything to earn that title. My success has come from dedication and a lot of hard work,” Lane said. “I know there were nine or 10 other rookies who were trying just as hard as I was. Just because I’ve fished professionally before doesn’t mean I’m any better than these guys.

“The next goal is to go out and get a Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, a Classic title and an Elite Series win.”

The Advance Auto Parts Rookie of the Year award is determined by anglers’ positions in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. All standings will be finalized after the final day of the Champion’s Choice and posted on http://www.bassmaster.com.

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