If you are an angler fishing one or more of these trails, please send an email to editorial@bassfan.com with what tour(s) you are fishing and your contact information, even if you are already listed below. Please include contact information, including phone numbers, so the information can be verified. All information will of course be kept confiential.
Note that recent additions will be highlighted in red. Quotes from anglers about where they are fishing will be at the bottom of each list.
Last updated Jan. 18, 2005.
2006 Bassmaster Elite Series
Elite Series anglers: please send us which trail(s) you are fishing plus your contact information (for verification), which will be kept confidential, by clicking here.
Elite Series Final Field: 110 anglers
Rick Ash (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Lee Bailey, Jr. (Stratos/Mercury) – Foxwoods Resort Casino/Fabco wrap
Tommy Biffle (Ranger/Mercury)
Jon Bondy (Champion/Mercury)
Chad Brauer (Ranger/Evinrude)
Denny Brauer (Ranger/Evinrude)
Ken Brodeur
Stephen Browning (Triton/Mercury) – Oberto smoked meat snack wrap
Terry Butcher (Ranger/Mercury)
Brent Chapman (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Preston Clark
Rick Clunn (Nitro/Mercury)
Jeff Connella
Ken Cook (Triton/Mercury)
John Crews (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Stephen Daniel
Bink Desaro
Kurt Dove (Triton/Mercury)
Guy Eaker (Triton/Mercury)
Paul Elias (Triton/Mercury)
Jarrett Edwards (Triton/Mercury)
Todd Faircloth
Edwin Evers (Nitro/Mercury)
Jami Fralick (ProCraft/Mercury) – The Bass Federation Inc. wrap
Dave Gliebe
Grant Goldbeck (contracts pending)
Shaw Grigsby (Triton/Mercury)
Greg Gutierrez (Nitro/Mercury)
Greg Hackney (Triton/Mercury)
Brad Hallman
Robert Hamilton, Jr. (Triton/Mercury)
Charlie Hartley (Ranger/Mercury)
Kenyon Hill (Triton/Mercury)
Paul Hirosky
Davy Hite (Triton/Evinrude)
Randy Howell (Triton/Mercury) – Purolator wrap
Tim Horton (ProCraft/Mercury)
Jimmy Houston (Ranger/Mecury)
Vine Hurtado
Mike Iaconelli (Ranger/Yamaha)
Michael Johnson
Kurt Johnson
Alton Jones (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Kelly Jordon (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Jay Kendrick (Triton/Mercury)
Steve Kennedy (Ranger/Yamaha)
Kotaro Kiriyama (BassCat/Yamaha)
Gary Klein (Triton/Mercury)
Jeff Kriet (Triton/Mercury) – GetWorkComp.com wrap
Chris Lane
Russ Lane (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Kevin Langill (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Jared Lintner (Ranger/Mercury)
Bill Lowen (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Elton Luce, Jr. (Ranger/Mercury)
Aaron Martens (Triton/Mercury)
Mike McClelland
Mark Menendez (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Robert "Doc" Merkin (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Yusuke Miyazaki
Jimmy Mize (Triton/Mercury)
Ish Monroe (Ranger/Yamaha) – Cocoons/Lowrance wrap
Rick Morris (Triton/Mercury)
John Murray (Ranger/Mercury) – Ranger/Mercury/Yamamoto wrap
Britt Myers
Eric Nethery
Takahiro Omori (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Mike O'Shea (Ranger/Mercury)
Keith Phillips
Conrad Picou (Ranger/Evinrude)
Pete Ponds
Jason Quinn (ProCraft/Mercury) – Evan Williams bourbon wrap
Matt Reed
Skeet Reese (Champion/Mercury)
Jeff Reynolds (Nitro/Mercury)
Mike Reynolds (Champion/Mercury)
Brooks Rogers (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Mark Rogers (Gambler/Mercury)
Dean Rojas (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Scott Rook (Ranger/Mercury)
Fred Roumbanis
Zell Rowland (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Ray Sedgwick
Frank Scalish (Stratos/Yamaha) – OSI Pro Series wrap
Bernie Schultz (Ranger/Mercury) – Normark/Rapala wrap
Darrin Schwenkbeck
Terry Scroggins (Triton/Mercury)
Ray Sedgwick (Triton/Mercury) – KeelShield wrap
Terry Segraves (Ranger/Evinrude)
Morizo Shimizu (Champion/Mercury)
Kevin Short
Dave Smith
William Smith
Brian Snowden (ProCraft/Mercury)
Jeremy Starks
Marty Stone (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Bradley Stringer (Ranger/Yamaha)
Gerald Swindle (Triton/Mercury)
Peter Thliveros (Ranger/Mercury)
Joe Thomas (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Mark Tucker (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Mark Tyler (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Kevin VanDam (Nitro/Mercury)
Byron Velvick (Triton/Mercury)
Charlie Weyer
Dustin Wilks (contracts pending)
Kevin Wirth (Triton/Mercury)
Dave Wolak (Ranger/Yamaha)
Mike Wurm (Ranger/Evinrude)
Randy Yarnall (Triton/Mercury)
Charlie Youngers (Triton/Mercury)
> Brooks Rogers – "I've been doing it 3 years. I feel BASS has a lot to prove to the anglers, but they're heading in the right direction for guys to make better careers for themselves. I think if you can compete and hold on, there's good things coming your way."
> Grant Goldbeck: "I believe this is the best career opportunity out there for me and my family. BASS has really stepped it up this year, and I fell it's opening up a lot of doors for the anglers. I believe it will give an angler the opportunity to promote companies and obtain sponsors that have not looked at fishing as a marketing tool. This will only help the sport grow, and I'm very excited to be a part of this with BASS."
> Kenyon Hill: "I'm aligned with sponsors that FLW just wouldn't afford me the opportunity to promote as well. I still had opportunities at FLW, but they could not beat the opportunities at BASS. For that reason, I opted to go with BASS."
> Jimmy Houston: "The things BASS is doing right now are revolutionary. I have to hand it to them. Five years ago, I would have never been approached by some of the companies I've spoken with."
> Tim Horton: "This is the most excited I've been about changes BASS has done. The 100-angler field will be the most enjoyable fishing we've had in a long time. It won't be as crowded, and fishing from our own boats on the majority of those days is the best step BASS has taken to be angler-friendly."
> Randy Yarnall: "My family and I have thought hard about joining the Elite Series and we feel this is the best move we can make to enhance our future. We're working hard to attain a major sponsor and we hope to have what we need in place by the start of the Elite Series. I started fishing in a local bass club 25 years ago and worked my way up through the ranks of the Federation, the Invitationals/Opens, and then the (Bassmaster) Tour 3 years ago. I've not yet reached my full potential in this industry and will be working hard to achieve my goal to be the best."
> Peter Thliveros: "The deadline came up and it was time to commit. BASS is where I've made my living and built my reputation. If I fished, I needed to fish BASS and finish out my career with them."
> Ken Cook: "BASS is the only place I feel you can make a career in this sport. With ESPN, you have greater visibility than anyone else. The only way for me to advance my career professionally is to fish BASS."
> Mark Menendez: "I'm excited to fish with a small field again, and the tremendous opportunity it presents for the fishing public to get to know us as individuals. I'm excited to head that way. It'll be like the good old days when I started. I think we're headed for something good."
> Takahiro Omori: "I'm excited to see where BASS and ESPN are headed. I can't wait to see the future and I definitely want to be a part of it when it happens."
> Morizo Shimizu: "I feel honored to be a part of the Bassmaster Elite Series. I always wanted to fish in the best tournament circuit in the world, and this is why I am flying overseas to join. I am starting to feel that BASS is taking us to where bass fishing should be as a major professional sport."
> Jon Bondy: "My entire life has been geared towards becoming a professional angler on the BASS circuit. My ultimate goal is to make a (Bassmaster) Classic. This is where I can secure my career and garner the sponsorships that everyone wants."
> Robert "Doc" Merkin: "The Series gives anglers a tremendous opportunity to fish at the highest level under a media spotlight. I've done it all on my own with no other help except from Jack Mudgett at Action Marine (Burlington, Wisc.). He's been behind me the whole time. I will be BASS Rookie of the Year."
> John Crews: "Building on the momentum of 2 consecutive Classics and having smaller fields made me fish the Elites over FLW. FLW has been great to me since I started fishing tournaments. Maybe I can fish a couple of their events next year to see some of the great friends I've made in the FLW organization and on the trail. I will miss fishing their whole trail. For my career, the Elite Series gives me more sponsor options in the long run. It has been a tough decision."
2006 FLW Series
FLW Series anglers: please send us which trail(s) you are fishing plus your contact information (for verification), which will be kept confidential, by clicking here.
Randy Alexander
Todd Ary (Ranger/Yamaha) – Mossy Oak fishing line wrap
Michael Bennett (Ranger/Evinrude)
R.J. Bennett (Ranger/Evinrude)
Matt Bichanich (Ranger/Mercury) – Uncle Josh/Sizmic Lure/Bass Stalker wrap
Randy Blaukat (Ranger/Mercury)
Mark Burgess (G3/Yamaha)
Preston Clark (Triton/Mercury)
Luke Clausen (Ranger/Yamaha)
George Cochran (Ranger/Mercury)
David Cooke (Ranger/Evinrude)
Jody Cordell (Ranger/Mercury) – Shimano Tour wrap
Mike Cox (Ranger/Mercury)
Woo Daves (Nitro/Mercury)
Mark Davis (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Bill Day (Ranger/Yamaha)
R.J. deGrandcourt (Ranger/Evinrude)
Lewis Denney (Ranger/Mercury)
David Dudley (Ranger/Yamaha)
Chris Elliot (Ranger/Yamaha) – Eagle Claw wrap
O.T. Fears III (Ranger/Mercury)
David Fritts (Ranger/Mercury)
Anthony Gagliardi (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chad Grigsby (Ranger/Yamaha)
Greg Gutierrez (Nitro/Mercury)
Chip Harrison (Ranger/Yamaha)
Shawn Hagler (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Mike Hawkes (Skeeter/Yamaha)
John Hempel
Matt Herren (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Dion Hibdon (Ranger/Evinrude)
Sean Hoernke (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Frank Ippoliti (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Tim Johnson (Ranger/Evinrude)
Steve Kennedy (Ranger/Yamaha)
J.T. Kenney (Ranger/Yamaha)
Jason Kilpatrick (Ranger/Evinrude) – Lawry's wrap
Charlie King (Ranger/Yamaha)
Stacey King (Nitro/Mercury)
Frank Lannom – (Ranger/Yamaha) – Basstrack wrap
Dave Lefebre (Ranger/Yamaha) – Keebler wrap
Curt Lytle (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Lendell Martin (Ranger/Mercury)
Scott Martin (Ranger/Evinrude)
Jimmy Mason (Triton/Mercury)
Tommy McKnight (Bass Cat/Mercury)
Sandy Melvin (Ranger/Yamaha)
Andre Moore (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chad Morgenthaler (Ranger/Yamaha)
Simon Morrow (Triton/Evinrude)
Sam Newby (Ranger/Yamaha)
Larry Nixon (Stratos/Evinrude)
Takahiro Omori (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Tim Peek (Ranger/Yamaha)
Jason Quinn (ProCraft/Mercury)
Jason Reyes
Jeff Reynolds (Nitro/Mercury)
Mark Rose (Ranger/Yamaha)
Rusty Salewske (Ranger/Mercury)
Ray Scheide (Ranger/Yamaha)
Ron Shuffield (Triton/Mercury)
Brian Snowden (ProCraft/Mercury)
Wesley Strader (Ranger/Yamaha)
Scott Suggs (Ranger/Mercury)
Jeffrey Thomas (Ranger/Mercury)
Tomohiro Usui (Ranger/Yamaha)
Marcel Veenstra (Skeeter/Yamaha)
David Walker (Ranger/Evinrude)
Dave Wolak (Ranger/Yamaha)
Kevin Wolfram (Ranger/Mercury)
Gary Yamamoto (Legend/Yamaha)
Jay Yelas (Skeeter/Yamaha)
> Curt Lytle: "My professional career began with the FLW Tour in 1998 and I've competed in both FLW and BASS tours for the last 5 years. Despite my three Bassmaster Classic appearances I simply prefer the FLW schedule for 2006. And I feel that I have a brighter future representing my biggest sponsors – Yamaha, Ranger and Berkley – through the FLW Tour and Series events."
> O.T. Fears III: "I'll fish the FLW Series. I started fishing redfish (tournaments) this past summer, and I'll probably do more of that next summer. I don't agree with the direction ESPN has taken BASS. With the cost and the requirements – especially the requirements that are in the participation agreement – that's a pretty closed deal as far as the fishermen are concerned, and it's an open-ended deal for ESPN and BASS."
2006 FLW Tour
FLW Tour anglers: please send us which trail(s) you are fishing plus your contact information (for verification), which will be kept confidential, by clicking here.
(Editor's note: The full FLW Tour field will be posted soon.)
Todd Ary (Ranger/Yamaha) – Mossy Oak fishing line wrap
Lee Bailey, Jr. (Stratos/Mercury)
Michael Bennett (Ranger/Evinrude)
R.J. Bennett (Ranger/Evinrude)
Tommy Biffle (Ranger/Mercury)
Randy Blaukat (Ranger/Yamaha)
Tim Carroll (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Brent Chapman (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Luke Clausen (Ranger/Yamaha)
George Cochran (Ranger/Mercury)
David Cooke (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chris Cox (Ranger/Evinrude)
Jody Cordell (Ranger/Mercury) – Shimano Tour wrap
John Crews (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
David Dudley (Ranger/Yamaha)
Brent Ehrler (Ranger/Mercury) – Lucky Craft wrap
Mike Ellenstein (Ranger/Evinrude) – 5th 3rd Bank wrap
Chris Elliot (Ranger/Yamaha) – Eagle Claw wrap
David Fritts (Ranger/Mercury)
Jack Gadlage (Ranger/Mercury)
Anthony Gagliardi (Ranger/Evinrude)
Mark Goines (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chad Grigsby (Ranger/Yamaha)
Chip Harrison (Ranger/Yamaha)
Mike Hawkes (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Matt Herren (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Dion Hibdon (Ranger/Evinrude)
Sean Hoernke (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Jimmy Houston (Ranger/Mecury)
Mike Iaconelli (Ranger/Yamaha)
Robert Karbas, Jr. (Ranger/Evinrude)
Steve Kennedy (Ranger/Yamaha)
J.T. Kenney (Ranger/Yamaha)
Jason Kilpatrick (Ranger/Evinrude) – Lawry's wrap
Dave Lefebre (Ranger/Yamaha) – Keebler wrap
Bill Lowen (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Curt Lytle (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Aaron Martens (Triton/Mercury)
Lendell Martin (Ranger/Mercury)
Scott Martin (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chris McCall (Ranger/Evinrude) – A&W Root Beer wrap
Sandy Melvin (Ranger/Yamaha)
Ish Monroe (Ranger/Yamaha)
Andre Moore (Ranger/Evinrude)
Chad Morgenthaler (Ranger/Yamaha)
Jim Moynagh (Ranger/Yamaha)
John Murray (Ranger/Mercury) – Ranger/Mercury/Yamamoto wrap
Sam Newby (Ranger/Yamaha)
Larry Nixon (Stratos/Evinrude)
Jim Nolan (Ranger/Evinrude)
Takahiro Omori (Ranger/Yamaha) – Yamaha wrap
Mark Pack (Ranger/Yamaha)
Dean Rojas (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Mark Rose (Ranger/Yamaha)
Zell Rowland (Skeeter/Yamaha)
Ray Scheide (Ranger/Yamaha)
Terry Segraves (Ranger/Evinrude)
Alvin Shaw (Ranger/Evinrude) – Kellogg's (Cheez-It) wrap
Tim Sitterding (Ranger/Mercury)
Wesley Strader (Ranger/Yamaha)
Scott Suggs (Ranger/Mercury)
Kevin Vida (Ranger/Yamaha)
David Walker (Ranger/Evinrude)
Clark Wendlandt (Ranger/Yamaha)
Mike Wurm (Ranger/Evinrude)
Gary Yamamoto (Legend/Yamaha)
> John Crews – ""I couldn't stand it so I had to re-enter the FLW Tour for 2006. I won't be able fish all six. I think that I can fish five. I have a lot of friends on that trail and I'll have fun seeing them and fishing against them again."
