The names of the 36 anglers who'll compete in the 10th annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic were announced today. The tournament will be held May 20-22 at Lake Ray Roberts.
The field is made up of the top 15 anglers from the 2015 Angler of the Year (AOY) points from both the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series, as well as six exemptions.
“Over the past 9 years the priority of the TTBC has been to promote fishing, outdoor recreation and the conservation efforts of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” said tournament director Lenny Francoeur. “Each year we host the world’s best anglers on Texas’ premier fisheries, and we are excited to see these anglers take on Lake Ray Roberts, one of Texas’ top fisheries.”
Exemptions this year went to defending champion Brent Ehrler, along with Randy Howell, Mike Iaconelli, Kelly Jordon, Terry Scroggins and Gerald Swindle.
“Winning the Toyota Texas Bass Classic last year was one of the biggest achievements in my career,” said Ehrler. “The TTBC is the most difficult event to qualify for in professional bass fishing, and to raise the trophy on the final day, you had to have beaten the most elite group of anglers on the planet. I'm excited to get back to Texas and defend my title on Lake Ray Roberts in May.”
Along with the title of TTBC champion, the anglers will be competing for two additional awards. The angler who catches the single heaviest fish from any of the 3 days of competition will win the Toyota Tundra Big Bass Award and a new 2016 Toyota Tundra. The LEER Heavy Weight Award, a new LEER truck cap, will be given to the angler with the heaviest single-day weight from any one of the 3 days of the tournament.
Here's a look at the field and how each angler qualified:
Tracy Adams -- Wilkesboro, North Carolina -- FLW Tour
Adrian Avena -- Vineland, New Jersey -- FLW Tour
Jason Christie -- Park Hill, Oklahoma -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Luke Clausen -- Spokane, Washington -- FLW Tour
Keith Combs -- Huntington, Texas -- Bassmaster Elite Series
John Cox -- Debary, Florida -- FLW Tour
Brent Ehrler -- Newport Beach, California -- 2015 TTBC champion
Edwin Evers -- Talala, Oklahoma -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Shinichi Fukae -- Palestine, Texas -- FLW Tour
Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity, South Carolina -- FLW Tour
Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, Louisiana -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Matthew Herren -- Ashville, Alabama -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Randy Howell -- Guntersville, Alabama -- Exemption
Mike Iaconelli -- Pittsgrove, New Jersey -- Exemption
Alton Jones -- Lorena, Texas -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Kelly Jordon -- Flint, Texas -- Exemption
Jordan Lee -- Vinemont, Alabama -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Dave Lefebre -- Erie, Pennsylvania -- FLW Tour
Bill Lowen -- Brookville, Indiana -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Justin Lucas -- Guntersville, Alabama -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Aaron Martens -- Leeds, Alabama -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Scott Martin -- Clewiston, Florida -- FLW Tour
Cody Meyer -- Auburn, California -- FLW Tour
Ish Monroe -- Hughson, California -- FLW Tour
Andy Morgan -- Dayton, Tennessee -- FLW Tour
Larry Nixon -- Bee Branch, Arkansas -- FLW Tour
Brandon Palaniuk -- Hayden, Idaho -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Jacob Powroznik -- Port Haywood, Virginia -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, Arizona -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, Florida -- Exemption
Wesley Strader -- Spring City, Tennessee -- FLW Tour
Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, Alabama -- Exemption
Peter Thliveros -- St. Augustine, Florida -- FLW Tour
Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, North Carolina -- FLW Tour
Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, Alabama -- Bassmaster Elite Series
Chris Zaldain -- San Jose, California -- Bassmaster Elite Series
