Angler Groups announced for inaugural Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour

Courtesy of Major League Fishing

By Mason Prince – January 24, 2019

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 Maty 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

  1. Mark Daniels
  2. Gary Klein, 2 AOY
  3. Casey Ashley, 1 BMC
  4. Brandon Coulter
  5. Andy Montgomery
  6. Dave Lefebre
  7. Randy Howell, 1 BMC
  8. Randall Tharp, 1 FWC
  9. Mark Davis, 1 BMC, 3 AOY
  10. Ish Monroe
  11. Kelly Jordon
  12. Jared Lintner
  13. Gerald Spohrer
  14. Fred Roumbanis
  15. Edwin Evers, 1 BMC
  16. Brett Hite
  17. Chris Lane, 1 BMC
  18. Michael Neal
  19. Justin Lucas, 1 AOY
  20. David Walker
  21. Zack Birge
  22. Jason Lambert
  23. Mike McClelland
  24. Tommy Biffle
  25. Russ Lane
  26. Matt Lee
  27. Stephen Browning
  28. Andy Morgan, 3 AOY
  29. Ott DeFoe
  30. Roy Hawk
  31. Jacob Wheeler, 1 FWC
  32. Greg Vinson
  33. Keith Poche
  34. Takahiro Omori, 1 BMC
  35. James Watson
  36. Jordan Lee, 2 BMC
  37. Tim Horton, 1 AOY
  38. James Elam
  39. Cody Meyer
  40. Shin Fukae, 1 AOY

Group B

  1. Aaron Martens, 3 AOY
  2. Adrian Avena
  3. Bradley Roy
  4. Jeff Kriet
  5. Jeff Sprague
  6. Skeet Reese, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
  7. Terry Scroggins
  8. Dustin Connell
  9. John Murray
  10. Shaw Grigsby
  11. Alton Jones, 1 BMC
  12. Brent Chapman, 1 AOY
  13. Britt Myers
  14. Jacob Powroznik
  15. Luke Clausen, 1 BMC, 1 FWC
  16. Boyd Duckett, 1 BMC
  17. Gerald Swindle, 2 AOY
  18. Jason Christie
  19. Josh Bertrand
  20. Todd Faircloth
  21. Greg Hackney, 1 AOY, 1 MLF WC
  22. Scott Suggs, 1 FWC
  23. Jesse Wiggins
  24. Wesley Strader
  25. Cliff Pace
  26. Paul Elias
  27. Cliff Crochet
  28. Johnathon VanDam
  29. Brent Ehrler, 1 FWC
  30. Anthony Gagliardi, 1 FWC
  31. Justin Atkins, 1 FWC
  32. Kevin VanDam, 4 BMC, 8 AOY
  33. Bobby Lane, 1 MLF WC
  34. Alton Jones Jr.
  35. Mike Iaconelli, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
  36. Fletcher Shryock
  37. Mark Rose, 1 AOY
  38. Brandon Palaniuk, 1 AOY
  39. Marty Robinson
  40. Dean Rojas

 

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