B.A.S.S. announces high-powered 2025 Elite Series field
Dec. 19, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On the heels of a record-setting 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series, where attendance and viewership numbers were equaled only by record weights and nail-biting finishes, the competitive field for the 2025 season has been set. Although last year’s rookie class took the Elites by storm, the young guns stepping up to the big stage this year are just as fierce. However, the veterans will have something to say about who will be holding the blue trophies when the scales settle.
All 104 anglers invited to join the 2025 Elite class accepted the challenge, including seven former Bassmaster Classic champions and eight former Angler of the Year champions. The rookie class is led by Easton Fothergill, who won two Bassmaster Opens events in 2024 and the points race in the 2024 Elite Qualifiers division to punch his ticket to the big show. Cody Meyer, Tucker Smith, Paul Marks, Emil Wagner, Andrew Loberg, Dakota Ebare, Beau Browning and Evan Kung are also part of the stacked freshman class.
Two legends will be joining the 2025 Elites, both dragging a Classic trophy alongside them. Randy Howell won the world championship in 2014 and has almost $2 million in B.A.S.S. winnings. Cliff Pace hoisted the Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic trophy in 2013 and has almost $1.7 million in career earnings.
Each event will kick off with the full field of 104 anglers on Days 1 and 2 before the field is cut to 50 for the semifinal round. The field will then be cut to the Top 10 on the final day, with the winner taking home the title and the $100,000 first-place prize.
The 2025 Elite Series will kick off with the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River February 20-23. From there, the competitors will rattle rods through six other states while battling for the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and a berth into the 2026 Bassmaster Classic.
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Field
Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C.
Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala.
Drew Benton, Panama City, Fla.
Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark.
Beau Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
Scott Canterbury, Odenville, Ala.
Blake Capps, Muskogee, Okla.
Brandon Card, Salisbury, N.C.
Hank Cherry, Lincolnton, N.C.
Jason Christie, Welling, Okla.
Joey Cifuentes III, Clinton, Ark.
Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C.
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
Drew Cook, Cairo, Ga.
John Cox, DeBary, Fla.
John Crews, Salem, Va.
Will Davis Jr., Sylacauga, Ala.
Greg DiPalma, Millville, N.J.
Bob Downey, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Tim Dube, Nashua, N.H.
Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas
Seth Feider, New Market, Minn.
Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Easton Fothergill, Grand Rapids, Minn.
Jacob Foutz, Charleston, Tenn.
Marc Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
Kyoya Fujita, Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan
Cooper Gallant, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
John Garrett, Union City, Tenn.
David Gaston, Sylacauga, Ala.
Robert Gee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Wesley Gore, Clanton, Ala.
Buddy Gross, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.
Justin Hamner, Northport, Ala.
Ray Hanselman, Del Rio, Texas
Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y.
Matt Herren, Ashville, Ala.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
Cody Huff, Ava, Mo.
Mike Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
Taku Ito, Chiba, Japan
Carl Jocumsen, Toowoomba, Australia
Chris Johnston, Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
Cory Johnston, Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
Jonathan Kelley, Old Forge, Pa.
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
Kenta Kimura, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
Evan Kung, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis.
Logan Latuso, Gonzales, La.
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Shane LeHew, Catawba, N.C.
Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.
Lee Livesay, Longview, Texas
Andrew Loberg, Guntersville, Ala.
Wes Logan, Springville, Ala.
Ed Loughran III, Richmond, Va.
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga.
Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla.
Trey McKinney, Carbondale, Ill.
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
Cody Meyer, Eagle, Idaho
Ben Milliken, New Caney, Texas
Brock Mosley, Collinsville, Miss.
Paul Mueller, Naugatuck, Conn.
David Mullins, Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
Bryan New, Leesville, S.C.
Kyle Norsetter, Cottage Grove, Wisc
Cliff Pace, Ovett, Miss.
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Luke Palmer, Coalgate, Okla.
Logan Parks, Auburn, Ala.
Kyle Patrick, Cooperstown, N.Y.
Chad Pipkens, DeWitt, Mich.
Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
Jacob Powroznik, North Prince George, Va.
Jay Przekurat, Plover, Wis.
KJ Queen, Catawba, N.C.
Alex Redwine, Blue Ash, Ohio
Tyler Rivet, Raceland, La.
Matt Robertson, Kuttawa, Ky.
Cole Sands, Calhoun, Tenn.
Pat Schlapper, Eleva, Wis.
Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md.
Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.
Hunter Shryock, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Bryant Smith, Roseville, Calif.
Tucker Smith, Birmingham, Ala.
Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia, La.
Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala.
JT Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga.
Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C.
Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala.
Alex Wetherell, Middletown, Conn.
Brad Whatley, Bivins, Texas
Jake Whitaker, Hendersonville, N.C.
Tyler Williams, Belgrade, Maine
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
Matty Wong, Honolulu, Hawaii
Chris Zaldain, Fort Worth, Texas
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
