The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) race is officially underway. Remember that the new B.A.S.S. ownership scrapped the unpopular post-season format, and the AOY title will now be decided across the eight regular-season events.
Harris Chain winner Shaw Grigsby of course leads the AOY race after one event, but the Harris standings aren't an exact mirror of the AOY race, because Pat Golden picked up 5 bonus points for leading day 1. Golden finished 6th at Harris, but is 5th in the AOY race by virtue of those bonus points. As well, Grigsby picked up 15 bonus points for leading 3 of the days.
Grigsby will need every one of those points if he makes a run at AOY, but if he falls out of contention, points for him might not really matter since the Harris win delivered a berth in the Bassmaster Classic.
Then again they might. B.A.S.S. plans to shrink the Elite field next year, and there's been hints it might further shrink the field in subsequent years. So re-qualification is important. But even if the bottom drops out of Grigsby's season, the veteran would probably have enough exemptions to requalify for several consecutive Elite seasons outside of the points.
> For the full points standings, click here.
