If Ryan Said and Travis Manson hold onto the top slots in the Bassmaster Northern Opens points race and claim the circuit's two 2011 Bassmaster Classic berths, they'll have earned them. There's a whole pack of tour-level pros chasing them with only the finale at the Chesapeake Bay next month remaining.
The anglers in positions 3 through 12 all fished at the tour level this year. Among those are six Elite Series pros (No. 4 Jeremy Starks, No. 5 Kevin Short, No. 7 Ish Monroe, No. 9 Jason Quinn, No. 11 Randy Howell and No. 12 Tim Horton) who failed to qualify for the Classic through the Elite points. They're joined in the Top 12 by FLW Tour regulars Chip Harrison (3rd), Tracy Adams (6th), David Walker (8th) and Nate Wellman (10th). Monroe also fished the FLW Tour this year.
Said, who was 2nd at Champlain and 3rd in the recently concluded event at the Detroit River, has a massive lead over the rest of the field. In fact, his 73-point bulge is nearly as big as the margin between 2nd-place Manson and 12th-place Horton (84).
The highest-ranking Elite pro on the list who already has a Classic slot nailed down is Gerald Swindle in 23rd, so a double-qualifier from the division is unlikely. Champlain winner Dave Wolak, a Classic qualifier via the Elites, bypassed the Detroit River event so as not to impede a fellow Elite angler from claiming one of the Classic berths.
Also keep in mind that 2011 Elite Series invitations could extend down to 12th place in each of the three Open divisions
Here's a look at the Top 12 in the Northern points with one event to go:
1. Ryan Said -- Mich. -- 585
2. Travis Manson -- Wisc. -- 512
3. Chip Harrison -- Ind. -- 511
4. Jeremy Starks -- W.Va. -- 508
5. Kevin Short -- Ark. -- 502
6. Tracy Adams -- N.C. -- 499
7. Ish Monroe -- Calif. -- 468
8. David Walker -- Tenn. -- 465
9. Jason Quinn -- S.C. -- 456
10. Nate Wellman -- Mich. -- 448
11. Randy Howell -- Ala. -- 438
12. Timmy Horton -- Ala. -- 428
