BASS recently released its list of qualifiers for the Bassmaster Memorial – the first of three stand-alone

2006 Majors. The event will take place May 18–21 at Texas' Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth. There's no entry fee, and payout for 1st place is $250,000.

Qualification is similar to the process previously used to fill the 2005 Bassmaster Elite 50 fields, with a few exceptions. In short, anglers can qualify through career winnings, Angler of the Year (AOY) totals or exemptions from awards or championships. Here's a look at how the 2006 Memorial field was built:

  • 2005 Bassmaster Classic champion (1)
  • 2005 BASS Angler of the Year (1)
  • 2005 BASS Rookie of the Year (1)
  • 2006 BASS Rookie of the Year leader (1)
  • Top 10 from BASS all-time money list (10)
  • Top 40 from 3-year AOY points total (40)
  • Other qualifiers based on previous announcements

The above criteria set the field at 54, with additional slots allotted to anglers who qualify based on previous announcements.

For those who qualify through a Classic or AOY win, or through a BASS Rookie of the Year (ROY) win or lead, that berth is honored and his name is removed from the all-time money and AOY lists.

Likewise, if an angler qualifies through the all-time money list, his name is removed from the AOY list, which lets someone else move up into a qualifying spot.

Here's a look at the full field for the upcoming Memorial:

2006 Bassmaster Memorial Qualifiers

2005 Classic Champion: Kevin VanDam
2005 AOY: Aaron Martens
2005 ROY: David Wolak
2006 ROY leader: Steve Kennedy

10 Qualifiers From All-Time Money List

1. Denny Brauer -- $1,965,251.71
2. Rick Clunn -- $1,720,044.53
3. Gary Klein -- $1,376,474.97
4. Shaw Grigsby -- $1,317,105.23
5. Davy Hite -- $1,215,650.00
6. Zell Rowland -- $1,035,915.90
7. Mike Iaconelli -- $974,329.00
8. Takahiro Omori -- $968,593.00
9. Peter Thliveros -- $905,439.00
10. Alton Jones -- $893,479.17

Top 40 Angler of the Year Combined Totals (2004, 2005, 2006)

1. Greg Hackney -- 9
2. Skeet Reese -- 28
3. Tim Horton -- 54
4. Terry Scroggins -- 55
5. Kevin Wirth -- 56
6. Gerald Swindle -- 60
7. Edwin Evers -- 68
8. Mark Tucker -- 69
9. Kelly Jordon -- 77
10. Bernie Schultz -- 85
11. Jason Quinn -- 90
12. Dean Rojas -- 93
13. Marty Stone -- 94
14. Ish Monroe -- 104
15. Jeff Reynolds -- 114
15. Lee Bailey -- 114
17. Scott Rook -- 117
18. Brent Chapman -- 127
19. Jimmy Mize -- 128
20. John Crews -- 129
21. Tommy Biffle -- 130
22. Mike McClelland -- 147
23. Mike Wurm -- 150
24. Brian Snowden -- 157
25. Kenyon Hill -- 160
26. Mark Tyler -- 161
27. Jeff Kriet -- 163
28. Matt Reed -- 172
29. Randy Howell -- 173
30. Chad Brauer -- 175
31. Paul Elias -- 179
32. Mike Reynolds -- 181
33. Guy Eaker -- 187
34. John Murray -- 193
35. Todd Faircloth -- 197
36. Charlie Hartley -- 205
37. Brooks Rogers -- 230
38. Yusuke Miyazaki -- 231
38. Morizo Shimizu -- 231
40. Stephen Browning -- 237
*Mark Menendez qualifies under BASS's hardship exemption, granted because of an incapacitating illness.
*Dustin Wilks qualifies based on a previous announcement.

First out of qualification based on all-time money is Ken Cook, followed by Stephen Browning. First out based on AOY total is Ray Sedgwick, followed by Kevin Short. BASS has not made the full standings list publicly available.

Note that the AOY list is built with AOY totals, not averages. For example, Hackney finished 2nd in the 2004 AOY race, 5th in the 2005 race, and is currently 2nd in the 2006 race (total = 9 and low numbers are good).



Dustin Wilks
Photo: Dustin Wilks

Dustin Wilks qualified based on previous announcements, but will likely miss the Memorial due to injury.

Note the two additional anglers (Menendez and Wilks) who expand the field to 56 anglers. Those cases are discussed below.

Also note that several anglers do not appear on the all-time money list due to the fact they retired or moved to FLW Outdoors competition (and hence are not Elite Series pros "in good standing" and are not eligible to fish the Majors).

Anglers who would be ahead of Jones in all-time money include: Larry Nixon, Jay Yelas, Mark Davis, Ron Shuffield, George Cochran, Roland Martin and David Fritts. Of those, Martin is the only one who is retired from tour/series-level competition.

The Wilks Ruling

When BASS first announced a new Tour format in March 2005, it announced the new Majors and stated that part of the field would be the "Top 37 anglers from the Citgo Bassmaster Tour based on a 3-year average in AOY standings."

When BASS reworked its format and announced the Elite Series later that summer, it changed its 2006 Majors qualification to read: "Top 40 anglers from the combined...2004 AOY ranking, plus 2005 AOY ranking, plus 2006 AOY ranking immediately prior to each 2006 Major."

Under the old format, the 2006 Majors field would have been an exact mirror of the 2005 E50 field. Instead, BASS incorporated up-to-date AOY standings into Majors qualification to, in essence, provide the current AOY race more weight and excitement. The year-end emphasis was especially important since the Classic now occurs immediately prior to the season, rather than immediatley after.

Remember that when BASS announced its Elite Series, it honored previous announcements and gave tour (or Series) cards to those who would have qualified for the previously announced Bassmaster Tour. That's how anglers like Jami Fralick, Jon Bondy and Conrad Picou were able to fish this year's Elite Series.

BASS also honored its previous announcement that said a 3-year AOY points average (2003/2004/2005) would be used for Majors qualification. After a recalculation of the numbers, only one angler qualified via the old average, but not the new. That was Dustin Wilks, who fished the first Elite Series event this year but missed the next four due to injury.

BASS ruled that he would receive a berth in each 2006 Major. But BassFan spoke with Wilks, who said he doesn't think he'll be able to fish the Memorial. In fact, his whole season is in jeopardy.

Elbow Trouble

Wilks fished the Elite Series opener at Amistad, but missed the next event at Rayburn, then the next three (Santee Cooper, Guntersville and Clarks Hill). He injured his right elbow at Amistad and the prognosis was severe tendonitis.

He underwent surgery a few weeks ago to repair the elbow, but the damage was worse than originally thought.

"I'm most likely not going to be able to fish the Memorial," he said. "They knew what my elbow was doing, but they didn't know why. When I injured it at Amistad, cartilage had just flown everywhere. It was some kind of big disruption.

"Basically my bone now is rubbing against my tendon every time I bend my arm. When I injured it I couldn't move it at all. Now I can move it, but I can't fish the way I need to fish."

So couldn't he just go and fish one-handed for the Memorial? It's a no-entry-fee event and 25th place pays $10,500. He could, but as a competitor, that's not in his blood. He said it would be "charity." Also, it would cost him a ton of money to do it.

According to BASS rules, Majors participants must be Elite Series pros in good standing – meaning, up-to-date on entry fees. And since Elite Series entry fees are paid for the season – not an event-by-event basis – were Wilks to fish the Memorial, he'd need to commit to the full $55,000 yearly entry fee for the Elite Series without the guarantee that he could physically compete the rest of the year.

Technically, he's already on the hook for the $55,000, but if he must withdraw from the season, he's optimistic BASS would work with him on that figure.

"The first surgery didn't do anything but remove the cartilage – it didn't address the root of the problem," he noted. "Right now I'm pretty much out of the season unless I can get something fixed. It comes to where it's financial suicide to continue because you have to pay for a full season no matter how many tournaments you fish."

ESPNOutdoors.com
Photo: ESPNOutdoors.com

BASS threw out Mark Menendez's 2005 season because he did not fish a majority of events.

Obviously, that realization hits hard. "It's disappointing," he said. "You get built up for the season – and I've spent a lot of effort getting ready for this season – so it's just really a bummer. But I'll tell you, my sponsors are still supporting me. Especially Skeeter, but KeelShield, Daiwa, Culprit – they've been real supportive in staying with me."

The Menendez/Edwards Ruling

On March 22 of this year, BASS issued to its anglers information about a new hardship policy. Here's the specific language of that policy:

"This policy is designed for anglers who miss part of a BASS Tour or Elite season due to an incapacitating illness or injury. Appeals for hardship must be in writing and go through the appeals process spelled out in BASS rules.

"BASS Hardship Policy refers only to qualifying for BASS Majors, and following seasons Elite and Tour (sic). Policy does not apply to Bassmaster Classic qualification.

"Policy as follows:

  • "A season is considered complete for anglers in good standing who enter and compete in more than half of the season's events. AOY standing at the time of the first missed event will remain the same.

  • "If an angler competes in less than half of the season, his standings revert back to the first full completed season.

  • "To be eligible, anglers must be a member in good standing and entered in all eligible Elite or Tour seasons.

  • "In cases where an angler qualifies through this policy, the field will be plus one. No current anglers will be affected."

Menendez missed four of the six-event 2005 Bassmaster Tour after he contracted meningitis. Since he didn't compete in at least half the events, BASS did not consider it a full season and it did not contribute to his AOY total. Instead, BASS used 2003, 2004 and 2006 to compute his average.

After BASS recalculated his average, his AOY total was 173 – well within the Top 40 – so he received a berth in the Memorial. And in keeping with the hardship policy, he did not displace an angler who was otherwise qualified. In other words, BASS expanded the Memorial field to accommodate him.

The case of Jarrett Edwards is similar, but different. Edwards was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease last year, and missed the final event of the 2005 Tour season. Since he fished a majority of the 2005 events, he retained his 2005 AOY standing and 2004/2005/2006 was used to compute his average.

Rebecca Edwards
Photo: Rebecca Edwards

Jarrett Edwards retained his 2005 AOY standing and did not qualify for the Memorial.

After his 101st-place finish at last week's Clarks Hill Elite Series, his 3-year AOY total was 291 – well out of the Top 40. So he failed to qualify for the Memorial.

The Short Ruling

Another angler could potentially benefit from the hardship policy: Kevin Short. BassFans likely remember that he lost his 19-year-old daughter in a tragic car accident the Monday prior to the 2004 Santee Cooper Bassmaster.

Short did not fish that event and thus received no AOY points that week.

He did ask BASS if he was eligible for consideration under the hardship policy, and BassFan asked BASS the same question. A BASS official told BassFan: "We realize Kevin went through a tremendous personal loss. However, the BASS hardship policy does not apply."

The hardship policy states, at its beginning, that "This policy is designed for anglers who miss part of a BASS Tour or Elite season due to an incapacitating illness or injury."

Under a conservative reading, yes, it would not apply to Short since he was not the one with an incapacitating illness or injury. But the wording is ambiguous because he did miss part of a season due to an incapacitating illness or injury, which was not his own. So under a more liberal interpretation, Short could feasibly be considered under the hardship policy.

Short told BassFan, "I just asked (BASS), 'Does this apply to me?' BASS told me. 'No, it doesn't apply to me.'

"I'm not trying to take advantage of a situation," he said. "It was just a question. The bottom line, in my opinion, is if I caught just a few more fish and had had my game on, it wouldn't have even been a thought."

Even with the missed event, he was only two spots below the cutoff for AOY qualification. "That's a fish here, a fish there," he said. "If I was two places up the food chain this wouldn't even be an issue for me. I know what I have to do – I have to go out and catch some fish."

Notable

> Many current Elite Series pros are not eligible to fish the Majors since they did not complete two full seasons prior to the current one.

> Unlike the Elite Series events, which ban angler boats on day 4 of competition, anglers in Majors are allowed to fish from their own boats all 4 days.

> The full Memorial field fishes Eagle Mountain the first 2 days, then the Top 12 move to Lake Worth to fish a six-hole course on day 3. The final Top 6 fish the Worth course on day 4.

> ESPN2 will provide same-day coverage of the day-4 weigh-in.