BREAKING NEWS: First MLF Bass Pro Tour Competition Groups Announced
When you look at the lineup for the first-ever event of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour (Jan. 29-Feb. 3 in Kissimmee, Florida), one word comes to mind: loaded.
The two official competition groups for next week’s MLF Bass Pro Tour B & W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented By Power-Pole are packed with champions, contenders and young stars-in-the-making, which sets the scene for a compelling week of fishing in Kissimmee, Florida.
“Every one of these guys are accomplished anglers in some form or fashion,” says MLF NOW! live stream analyst Marty Stone. “If any one of these anglers in either of these groups does well, it won’t be the first time they’ve ever done so.”
Group A
The resumes of the 40 anglers in Group A are highlighted with a combined 11
FLW and B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year awards, eight Bassmaster Classic titles and
two Forest Wood Cup championships. The 40 anglers in each group compete in the
Shotgun and Elimination rounds to battle their way into the Top 20 in their
respective groups to advance to the Knockout Round.
While 50/50 might sound like good odds, Stone says there is nothing easy about making the cut in this group.
“I try to find a weak spot in Group A and from top to bottom, making that Top 20 is not going to be a given,” Stone says. “If I was one of these anglers trying to make the Top 20, I would be worried because it’s going to take my best to get there in this group.”
Group B
While the challenge in Group A looks daunting, Group B isn’t any easier:
this lineup features a combined 19 Angler of the Year awards, nine Bassmaster
Classic titles and five Forest Wood Cup trophies.
“You look at all the anglers and accolades in Group A and then say, ‘Okay, now let’s go look at our old sorry Group B,’ and you say, ‘Holy cow!’” Stone laughs. “I look at this group and see all of the young guys and former champs and get fired up. There’s nothing that makes me think that this group of anglers won’t come out of the gates swinging.”
Group A gets the first MLF Bass Pro Tour event started on Tuesday, Jan. 29 and Group B begins competition on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The MLF NOW! live stream will begin at 10 a.m. daily, while SCORETRACKER will be viewable starting at lines in every day.
Group A
- Mark Daniels
- Gary Klein, 2 AOY
- Casey Ashley, 1 BMC
- Brandon Coulter
- Andy Montgomery
- Dave Lefebre
- Randy Howell, 1 BMC
- Randall Tharp, 1 FWC
- Mark Davis, 1 BMC, 3 AOY
- Ish Monroe
- Kelly Jordon
- Jared Lintner
- Gerald Spohrer
- Fred Roumbanis
- Edwin Evers, 1 BMC
- Brett Hite
- Chris Lane, 1 BMC
- Michael Neal
- Justin Lucas, 1 AOY
- David Walker, 1 AOY
- Zack Birge
- Jason Lambert
- Mike McClelland
- Tommy Biffle
- Russ Lane
- Matt Lee
- Stephen Browning
- Andy Morgan, 3 AOY
- Ott
DeFoe - Roy Hawk
- Jacob Wheeler,1 FWC
- Greg Vinson
- Keith Poche
- Takahiro Omori, 1 BMC
- James Watson
- Jordan Lee, 2 BMC
- Tim Horton, 1 AOY
- James Elam
- Cody Meyer
- Shin Fukae, 1 AOY
Group B
- Aaron Martens, 3 AOY
- Adrian Avena
- Bradley Roy
- Jeff Kriet
- Jeff Sprague
- Skeet Reese, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
- Terry Scroggins
- Dustin Connell
- John Murray
- Shaw Grigsby
- Alton Jones, 1 BMC
- Brent Chapman, 1 AOY
- Britt Myers
- Jacob Powroznik
- Luke Clausen, 1 BMC, 1 FWC
- Boyd Duckett, 1 BMC
- Gerald Swindle, 2 AOY
- Jason Christie
- Josh Bertrand
- Todd Faircloth
- Greg Hackney, 1 AOY, 1 MLF WC
- Scott Suggs, 1 FWC
- Jesse Wiggins
- Wesley Strader
- Cliff Pace, 1 BMC
- Paul Elias
- Cliff Crochet
- Johnathon VanDam
- Brent Ehrler, 1 FWC
- Anthony Gagliardi, 1 FWC, 1 AOY
- Justin Atkins, 1 FWC
- Kevin VanDam, 4 BMC, 8 AOY
- Bobby Lane, 1 MLF WC
- Alton Jones Jr.
- Mike Iaconelli, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
- Fletcher Shryock
- Mark Rose, 1 AOY
- Brandon Palaniuk, 1 AOY
- Marty Robinson
- Dean Rojas