B.A.S.S. today announced the field for the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series will be comprised of 111 anglers, down from the record 113-man field of this year.
The field will feature 98 returning competitors and 13 newcomers, some of whom will bring a wealth of experience and tournament success as they transition from the FLW Tour.
Kelly Jordon and Yusuke Miyazaki will return after missing some of the 2015 season due to injury or illness. Jared Miller also sat out part of the year and could’ve used an exemption to return for 2016, but opted not to. Rick Morris also opted to not exercise his exemption after missing the entire 2015 season.
Eleven anglers who competed during the 2015 season will not return, either by choice or because they did not re-qualify under the criteria B.A.S.S. used to construct the field. They are Scott Ashmore, Kurt Dove, Charlie Hartley, Kevin Hawk, Kenyon Hill, Mike Kernan, Derek Remitz, Kevin Ledoux, Zell Rowland, Joe Sancho and Dave Smith. Kevin Short retired from Elite Series competition following the 2015 season.
The list of newcomers is led by 2004 Forrest Wood Cup and 2006 Bassmaster Classic winner Luke Clausen, who qualified via the Central Opens. Drew Benton, Chad Grigsby and Dave Lefebre, all of whom have at least one FLW Tour victory to their credit, will also make their Elite Series debuts. Others making their Elite Series debuts in 2016 will be: Adrian Avena, Shane Lineberger, Matt Vermilyea, John Hunter, Clent Davis, Jay Brainard, Brett Preuett, Brock Mosely and Fabian Rodriguez, who earned an invitation as a B.A.S.S. Nation divisional champion.
The 2016 Elite Series season will get under way at the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., March 18-21, 2016.
The following list is the 2016 Elite Series roster (with hometown) as provided by B.A.S.S. (anglers in bold are newcomers):
> Randy Allen, Shreveport, La.
> Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
> Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
> Drew Benton, Panama City, Fla.
> Josh Bertrand, Gilbert, Ariz.
> Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.
> Jay Brainard, Enid, Okla.
> Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
> Brandon Card, Caryville, Tenn.
> Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
> Hank Cherry, Maiden, N.C.
> Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla.
> Luke Clausen, Otis Orchards, Wash.
> Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.
> Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
> Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.
> John Crews, Salem, Va.
> Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
> Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
> Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala.
> Ott DeFoe, Knoxville, Tenn.
> Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
> Brent Ehrler, Newport Beach, Calif.
> James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
> Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss.
> Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
> Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
> Seth Feider, Bloomington, Minn.
> Micah Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
> Chad Grigsby, Maple Grove, Minn.
> Shaw Grigsby, Gainseville, Fla.
> Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.
> Matt Herren, Ashville, Ala.
> Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.
> Davy Hite, Ninety Six, S.C.
> Tim Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
> Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
> John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
> Michael Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
> Ken Iyobe, Tokoname Aichi, Japan
> Kelly Jaye, Dadeville, Ala.
> Carl Jocumsen, Frisco, Texas
> Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
> Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
> Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
> Kotaro Kiriyama, Moody, Ala.
> Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas
> Koby Kreiger, Bokeelia, Fla.
> Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.
> Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
> Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
> Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.
> Jordan Lee, Vinemont, Ala.
> Matt Lee, Guntersville, Ala.
> Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
> Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.
> Shane Lineberger, Lincolnton, N.C.
> Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
> Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
> Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
> Aaron Martens, Leeds, Ala.
> Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark.
> Mike McClelland, Bella Vista, Ark.
> Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
> Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney, Texas
> Ish Monroe, Hughson, Calif.
> Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
> Chad Morgenthaler, Reeds Spring, Mo.
> Brock Mosley, Collinsville, Miss.
> Paul Mueller, Naugatuck, Conn.
> David Mullins, Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
> John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz.
> Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
> James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas
> Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas
> Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.
> Brandon Palaniuk, Hayden, Idaho
> Chad Pipkens, Holt, Mich.
> Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
> Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
> Jacob Powroznik, Port Haywood, Va.
> Brett Preuett, Monroe, La.
> Cliff Prince, Palatka, Fla.
> Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas
> Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
> Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
> Fabian Rodriguez, Ocean City, Md.
> Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
> Scott Rook, Little Rock, Ark.
> Fred Roumbanis, Bixby, Okla.
> Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
> Casey Scanlon, Rocky Mount, Mo.
> Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.
> Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
> Morizo Shimizu, Suita, Osaka, Japan
> Fletcher Shryock, New Philadelphia, Ohio
> Brian Snowden, Reeds Spring, Mo.
> Gerald Swindle, Warrior, Ala.
> Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla.
> Dennis Tietje, Roanoke, La.
> J Todd Tucker, Moultrie Ga.
> Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
> Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
> Bryon Velvick, Boerne, Texas
> Matt Vermilyea, Perrysburg, Ohio
> Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
> David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
> Nate Wellman, Newaygo, Mich.
> David Williams, Newton, N.C.
> Jason Williamson, Wagener, S.C.
> Chris Zaldain, San Jose, Calif.
