Three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and former Bassmaster Classic winner Mark Davis will miss the remainder of the Elite Series season after opting to have hip replacement surgery this spring, according to a report on Bassmaster.com.
Davis, 54, said the grueling nature of tournament fishing with long days on his feet contributed to the injury.
“It started hurting me last summer,” Davis told Bassmaster.com. “Champlain was the first tournament it started bothering my fishing. Over the winter it went downhill fast. The x-rays showed it was bone on bone.
“I had hoped to limp through the year. But it’s very evident I can’t do that. At the Classic I nearly fell out of the boat getting my fish out of the livewell.”
Davis will use a medical exemption to return for the 2019 season provided his rehabilitation goes as planned.
“I might be able to make it a while longer, but fishing these multi-day events, standing on your feet the whole time, I just can’t do it,” Davis added. “If I didn’t fish for a living I could probably put it off for a while.”
The Elite Series field will be 109 anglers at the Sabine River next week and the day-2 cut will remain at 51.
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