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Norman,
OK. – The Bassmaster Tour and Elite Series has a rich tradition of rookies making their mark in competition. Greg Hackney first became the “Hack Attack” as a rookie; while Steve Kennedy grabbed his own attention in winning the Rookie of the Year crown. However, none of them captivated the fishing world more than Derek Remitz and Casey Ashley, who both won Elite Series events in their rookie years.
There are 10 rookies poised to begin their Elite Series careers in March. Some got in through the Opens, some via the Wildcard; but, they are now Elite. The BASS ZONE caught up with some of members of the Class of 2008 to find out more about them, and to introduce them to the viewers.
All of them have different stories, and while they come from different backgrounds they are all embarking on a major undertaking. They will all prepare differently, they will all approach sponsors and make their plans for travel and competition, and their pursuits will have different effects on the home front.
Here are the profiles of four of them.
Wade Grooms
Hometown: Bonneau, S.C.
Age: 40
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Civil Engineer (civilian) Department of the Navy
Qualified: 6th place in Wildcard (18th in Southern Open points)
Sponsors: Marshall’s Marine (Lake City, S.C.), Ranger Boats, Kistler Rods
Boat Wrap: Undecided, in discussion with two non endemic companies at present
Grooms has been fishing for bass as long as he can remember, but he only began fishing competitively in 2003. “I started fishing as a Co-angler and they led me to fishing the Opens last year,” Grooms said. “After qualifying for the Stren Series Championship twice, I qualified for the Bassmaster Open Championship as a Co-angler and won it in 2004.” |
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Winning the Open Championship earned him the chance to have his entry fees paid as a pro into the Opens. After completing his first season as a pro in the Opens, the pieces of the puzzle were in place for him to become an Elite Series Pro.
His decision to take a chance as an Elite Series pro was not taken lightly. “I’m not married, and have no kids, so that made it an easier decision,” he said. “But, I still wanted to make the right decision, so after some careful prayer and consideration; I decided to make the leap.”
Grooms said that he will still keep his job and work between events throughout the season. “I will run through all of my vacation, and be taking some unpaid leave to fish the year,” he told The BASS ZONE. “But, the office is going through some changes too, and that may make it easier to compete.”
Everyone has a fishing strength, and the South Carolina rookie said that his strength is to focus on what he does well. “I am pretty much an old fashioned worm fisherman,” he said. “I also like to throw topwater, and I’m okay at sight fishing; so I think I’ll be able to put some things together with the schedule.”
As far as goals, Grooms said that his primary goal will be to cash paychecks in at least half of the events. “I am going to work to try and make that happen,” he said. “As far as the competition goes, I can’t worry about that too much, these are great fishermen, and a season can be a roller coaster ride, so I am going to keep looking ahead, and let it all play out.”
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Randy
Allen
Hometown: Shreveport, La.
Age: 49
Marital Status: Married to wife Fred
Linda, four children
Occupation: Business Owner / Partner
– Synergy Technologies (Chemical
Company.
Qualified: 8th place in Wildcard
(22nd in Central Open points)
Sponsors: Bass Cat Boats, Mercury,
Synergy Technologies, Outdoor West
Boat Wrap: More than likely his
company’s products; Syntrx and its
retail cousin SAF-T Net, unless
somebody steps up to be title
sponsor. |
Like
Grooms, the 49-year-old pro earned his trip
to the Elite Series by finishing the
Wildcard tournament in 8th place after
finishing the Central Opens in 22nd
place.
Allen, a partner in a company that
manufactures an FDA approved chemical for
treating Salmonella and E. coli in beef and
poultry products spent eight years trying to
reach this level. “I know that the Elite
Series is no doubt a different level of
competition,” he said. “But, I’ve been
competing against most of these guys for
years in the Open circuits, and am looking
forward to going at it with them again.”
He said that he has the support of his business partners in going after his dream of tacking the Elite Series. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this season will be a real drain on my business partners.” Allen said. “They’ve always stood behind me, and been very supportive of my fishing, I couldn’t be doing this without them, and I appreciate their support.”
Being from Louisiana, Allen is a dyed in the wool power fisherman, and he said that if he could spend the season with a spinnerbait or a jig in his hands, he would be happy. But, he feels that his versatility as an angler will be his biggest plus as an Elite competitor. “Okeechobee showed me how important it was to be open minded,” he said. “I ended up downsizing line on my reels on the first day, and it made the difference for me there, so I will look to be versatile throughout the season.”
As far as standing toe to toe with some of the sport’s biggest names, Allen said that it will be different to pull into a cove and see Kevin VanDam, Denny Brauer and Rick Clunn, but he said he doesn’t want to become starry eyed. “I’m too old to let myself get intimidated anymore,” Allen said with a chuckle. “Either that or I’m just too stupid to feel it; so I’m just going to go fishing.”
As far as his focus goes, Allen said that he will keep his eyes set on making the Classic, and let the rest of the pieces fall into place as they may. “I would like to cash at least four paychecks, and have two top 20 finishes,” he said. But making the Classic will be the real goal.”
Bobby Myers
Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
Age: 30
Marital Status: single
Occupation: Full Time Angler
Qualified: 10th place in Wildcard (6th in Central Open points)
Sponsors: Bass Cat Boats, Falcon Rods, Tru-Tungsten, Gamma Technologies, Big Fish tools .com
Boat Wrap: Undecided, still working with several companies |
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Along with his 6th place finish at The Wildcard Qualifier event at Lake Okeechobee, Myers made it to the Weekend Series Championship tournament in 2006, and finished the event in 3rd place. That finish, and his feeling like he has faced the toughest training ground in the competition laden Midwest makes him ready to tackle the Elite Series. “There are a ton of good anglers here in Oklahoma,” he said. “I decided that when I felt like I could beat them on a consistent basis, I was ready to try my hand in the Opens, and eventually the Elite Series.”
Like Allen, Myers said that he has spent a lot of time focusing on becoming a well rounded angler, and that his ability to catch fish with many different techniques will be his strongest attribute. “If I had to pick one thing as my strength, I would say that shallow finesse cranking would be it,” Myers said. “But, I feel that I am a capable fisherman who can pick up just about anything and be competitive.”
Like many others, Myers said that he looks at the year ahead of him and knows that the most difficult challenge will be the financial one. “I’m not really worried about the fishing; the schedule is great, they are all good fisheries,” he told The BASS ZONE. “I know that the financial pressures will be the most difficult part of the whole equation.”
He said that his goals for the 2008 season would be stay focused on the Rookie of the Year title. “I’m gonna win the Rookie of the Year, you can write in down right now,” he chuckled. “Other than that, I will focus on bringing a limit to the scales everyday, and the rest should take care of itself.”
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Brian Clark
Hometown: Haltom City, Tex.
Age: 32
Marital Status: Married wife Heather, one son
Occupation: Full Time Angler
Qualified: 4th in Central Open points
Sponsors: Moritz Chevrolet – Fort Worth, Tex. Fun & Sun Sports Centers, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards
Boat Wrap: Not finalized, but a few things in the works.
Clark is similar to 2007 Elite Series Rookie Glenn Delong, in that he retired from competition in another venue due to injury, before turning to bass fishing. But, unlike Delong, who raced motocross; Clark rode bulls on the PBR and PRCA rodeo circuits. “I shattered my elbow, had it repaired, and broke it a gain,” Clark said. “When the doctor told me he couldn’t fix it again if he had to, I decided to retire.” |
Clark then turned to bass fishing in 2004, and having won the Media Bass Angler of the Year several times, and qualifying for the Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship, decided the central Opens were the next step. When he won his first tournament at Texoma, and finished 4th on the Red River, he was on his way.
“The only thing that kept me out of the Classic this year too was an 89th place at Amistad,” he told The BASS ZONE. “Fortunately, I stayed in the qualifying positions, and made it to the Elite Series.”
Clark said that he has studied the careers of two of the best anglers in the world, and he has worked to emulate them. “Kevin VanDam and Denny Brauer are the guys I have followed the most,” he said letting on that he feels most comfortable with power fishing applications.”
Knowing that he will be fishing against the guys he has watched fish for so long is exciting to him. “I watched these guys compete at the Bassmaster Memorial in 2006 when Peter T. won at Eagle Mountain Lake,” he said he could feel the excitement. “I told a buddy of mine how much I wanted to make it to that level; but, if he have told me that little more than a year later I’d be doing an interview with BASS ZONE, talking about my upcoming Elite Series season; I’d have told him he was crazy.”
Like the other first timers, Clark is focused on the Rookie of the Year title as well. “To be honest, I try to fish to win as much as the next guy,” he said. “But I have too much respect for the competitors on this level to say I’m going to win, I will certainly try, but my main goal will be to win Rookie of the Year, and I am excited to get started.”
These are but four of the members of the Elite Series rookies for 2008, and while names like Reese, VanDam, Iaconelli, Monroe and Duckett will dominate the press; one will be named Rookie of the Year, and will forever weave himself into the fabric of BASS history.
Who will that be? Stay Tuned
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