Toyota Texas Classic announces anglers
Category: press release
Apr 8th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Apr 8th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
As part of the 2016 Toyota Texas Fest presented by JBL (TTF), the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) will feature 36 of the world’s best professional anglers from May 20 – 22, 2016 at Lake Ray Roberts in Denton, TX. The field for the tenth anniversary of TTBC is highlighted by defending champion Brent Ehrler and 2016 Bassmaster Classic champion Edwin Evers.
The field is made up of the top 15 anglers from the 2015 Angler of the Year (AOY) points from both the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series as well as six exemptions. Other notable anglers include 2015 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Aaron Martens, 2015 FLW Angler of the Year Scott Martin and Keith Combs, three-time TTBC champion.
“Over the past nine years the priority of the TTBC has been to promote fishing, outdoor recreation and the conservation efforts of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” said Lenny Francoeur, tournament director. “Each year we host the world’s best anglers on Texas’ premier fisheries, and we are excited to see these anglers take on Lake Ray Roberts, one of the Texas’ top fisheries.”
The overall field is highlighted by a combined 16 Angler of the Year titles, including eight Bassmaster AOYs and eight FLW Tour AOYs; 19 major championship titles, including eight TTBCs, six Bassmaster Classics, and five Forrest Wood Cups; 179 tour wins and over $60 million in career earnings. The field will also include exemptions Randy Howell, Mike Iaconelli, Kelly Jordon, Terry Scroggins, Gerald Swindle and 2015 TTBC champion Brent Ehrler.
“Winning the Toyota Texas Bass Classic last year was one of the biggest achievements in my career,” said Ehrler. “The TTBC is the most difficult event to qualify for in professional bass fishing, and to raise the trophy on the final day, you had to have beaten the most elite group of anglers on the planet. I am excited to get back to Texas and defend my title on Lake Ray Roberts in May.”
Along with the coveted title of TTBC champion, the anglers will be competing for two additional awards. The angler who catches the single heaviest fish from any of the three days of competition will win the Toyota Tundra Big Bass Award and a new 2016 Toyota Tundra. The LEER Heavy Weight Award, a new LEER truck cap, will be given to the angler with the heaviest single-day weight from any one of the three days of the tournament.
2016 Toyota Texas Bass Classic – Final Field
Name
Hometown
Qualified Through
Tracy Adams
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
FLW Tour
Adrian Avena
Vineland, New Jersey
FLW Tour
Jason Christie
Park Hill, Oklahoma
Bassmaster Elite Series
Luke Clausen
Spokane, Washington
FLW Tour
Keith Combs
Huntington, Texas
Bassmaster Elite Series
John Cox
Debary, Florida
FLW Tour
Brent Ehrler
Redlands, California
2015 TTBC champion
Edwin Evers
Talala, Oklahoma
Bassmaster Elite Series
Shinichi Fukae
Palestine, Texas
FLW Tour
Anthony Gagliardi
Prosperity, South Carolina
FLW Tour
Greg Hackney
Gonzales, Louisiana
Bassmaster Elite Series
Matthew Herren
Ashville, Alabama
Bassmaster Elite Series
Randy Howell
Guntersville, Alabama
Exemption
Mike Iaconelli
Pittsgrove, New Jersey
Exemption
Alton Jones
Lorena, Texas
Bassmaster Elite Series
Kelly Jordon
Flint, Texas
Exemption
Jordan Lee
Vinemont, Alabama
Bassmaster Elite Series
Dave Lefebre
Erie, Pennsylvania
FLW Tour
Bill Lowen
Brookville, Indiana
Bassmaster Elite Series
Justin Lucas
Guntersville, Alabama
Bassmaster Elite Series
Aaron Martens
Leeds, Alabama
Bassmaster Elite Series
Scott Martin
Clewiston, Florida
FLW Tour
Cody Meyer
Auburn, California
FLW Tour
Ish Monroe
Hughson, California
FLW Tour
Andy Morgan
Dayton, Tennessee
FLW Tour
Larry Nixon
Bee Branch, Arkansas
FLW Tour
Brandon Palaniuk
Hayden, Idaho
Elite Series
Jacob Powroznik
Port Haywood, Virginia
Bassmaster Elite Series
Dean Rojas
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Bassmaster Elite Series
Terry Scroggins
San Mateo, Florida
Exemption
Wesley Strader
Spring City, Tennessee
FLW Tour
Gerald Swindle
Warrior, Alabama
Exemption
Peter Thliveros
St. Augustine, Florida
FLW Tour
Bryan Thrift
Shelby, North Carolina
FLW Tour
Greg Vinson
Wetumpka, Alabama
Bassmaster Elite Series
Chris Zaldain
San Jose, California
Bassmaster Elite Series