According to a report posted on FLWOutdoors.com on Tuesday morning, Guido Hibdon and his grandson, Payden, have decided to opt out of the remainder of the FLW Tour season, citing financial concerns.
The report stated that Jeremy Starks and Bradley Hallman, both former Elite Series anglers, have been recalled from the reserve list to fill the two vacant positions for the final four events of the season.
Dion Hibdon, Payden’s father, will continue to compete on the Tour and travel to events with his younger son, Lawson, 18, who is fishing as a co-angler this year.
Guido Hibdon, 68, is a two-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year and winner of the 1988 Bassmaster Classic. He posted two money finishes in the past two-plus FLW Tour seasons and was 119th in points after two events this year. Payden Hibdon, 23, has cashed two checks in his four-plus years on Tour and was in 126th in points so far in 2015.
April 1 was the deadline for entry fee balances to be paid for the Beaver Lake event later this month.
In January, a Kansas City Star article touched on the struggles the Hibdons were facing in the wake of losing significant sponsor support last fall, most notably Chevy. A family friend had loaned the Hibdons money to pay deposits for the 2015 season, but fishing the entire schedule was no guarantee.
“Being very truthful, it’s up in the air,” Guido Hibdon told the Star. “All I know is, I want to go out on my terms, not because of something like this.”
