The Youngest Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Ever, 19-Year-Old Bradley Roy Steps Up for 2010 Season

Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Ky., who celebrated his 19^th birthday on Nov. 2, signed up Monday for the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series, becoming the youngest angler at the sport’s highest level of pro competition.

“I know I’m young, but this has been my lifelong dream,” he said. “This is what I want to do as a career, so this is a great opportunity, a jump start on my career.”

Before Roy, the youngest Elite rookie had been Texas’ Corey Waldrop, who turned 20 early in the 2008 Elite season. Others included Luke Gritter of Kalamazoo, Mich., who was 22 when he competed in the 2009 season, and Elite pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., who at 23 was the youngest on the 2007 Elite roster.

Roy was still 18 when he qualified Oct. 24 for the Elite Series by finishing fifth in points in the 2009 Bassmaster Southern Open trail. Only the top seven qualified. 

Of the hundreds of 2009 Bassmaster Open anglers, only 21 earned invitations for the 2010 Elite season (seven from each of three Open divisions). Some anglers try for years to be among those who move up, but Roy advanced after his first Open season.

But Roy has been something of a wunderkind in BASS competitions.  At age 13, he was the 2004 Bassmaster Junior World champion in the 11-14 age group. At age 17, he outperformed many other Kentuckians to earn the right to be the sole representative of his state in the 2008 BASS Federation Nation Championship.

In the Elite Series, Roy knows the game will become considerably tougher.

“Obviously, I’m going to make a lot of mistakes, but I try to learn from my mistakes,” he said “Hopefully I can learn, then adapt quickly.”

Another new challenge will be handling a grueling, eight-event regular-season schedule. The first tournament will be the March 11-14 Duel in the Delta out of Stockton, Calif.; the season closer will be the June 17-20 Sooner Run on the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. (To compete in the two-event Elite post-season for 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year honors, Roy would have to be one of 12 qualifiers.)

“The travel, I’m used to,” Roy said. “The thing I worry about the most is the lakes I’ve never fished before.”

While pro fishing is his chosen career, college is still in his future. He said he plans to continue with his online course work in business and marketing.

“That’s how I fished the Opens this past year. It might take longer to get a degree, but it’s how I can continue my education while I fish the Elites,” he said.

He’s now taking fall semester exams, all while working on building a stable of sponsors. He said he has verbal commitments from several companies and is close to a boat wrap.

“This is my dream coming true, so I’m working hard, staying positive, and putting all I can into making sponsorships happen,” he said.

DB AND K-PINK: “DB,” as in award-winning Bassmaster.com writer and self-described non-angler Don Barone, and “K-Pink” as in Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Bassmaster.com blogger Kevin Short, are working on a book together.

Word is the book will be based on several pieces on which the two collaborated.

MONROE ON MAKEITPRO TV. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ish Monroe will be appearing on MakeItPro TV on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET. The interview will be streamed live here.  Interviewing Ish will be award-winning journalist Gary Baumgarten, formerly of CNN.

DEAR SANTA: We have been good anglers all year (so far). All we want for Christmas is for you to consider a wardrobe makeover. Maybe, just this once, you would consider ditching the funky red suit, and perhaps wear BASS Stuff instead?

That red material is not, we are sure, a breathable, UV-protective, antimicrobial, 3xDRY fabric like so many of the BASS Stuff pieces now on sale available here. And on sale means a deeply-discounted sale, as in less-than-half-price.

And Santa, not to be too personal, but can we talk about your accessories? The rib-digger black belt? The skyscraper boots with black marking soles? (Not on my dock or boat, thank you.) And the hat? Truly, that floppy look does nothing for you — hides your twinkly eyes, your best feature. Could you just take a look at the great BASS Stuff hats?

And hey, you could be stylin’ underneath the red suit! Just in case you get to stop by a party or somewhere fun on your way home to the North Pole. And layering would keep you warmer. While we assume you are indeed magical (the chimney stunt? the flying reindeer? The ’round-the-world-in-one-night act?), you must get cold from time to time, so check out the BASS Stuff outerwear page, especially the fleece vests, turtlenecks, hoodies and windshirts (like the other items, all highly discounted).

Oops, almost forgot to mention: A lot of BASS Stuff comes in extra-extra large sizes. Hope you are not offended by this straight talk of wardrobe makeovers. If so, we have 24 days to make amends. Whatever happens, we still will leave cookies and milk for you under the tree.

— From your fans down here in BASS land

P.S.: Hey, Santa — you know those anglers who asked you for a Bassmaster or BASS Times subscription? No sweat. You can get subscriptions for them online, 24/7, at Bassmaster.com.

P.P.S: Need any sleigh-stuffers? How about BASS 40^th anniversary pins? There’re some left (a steal at $1.99 each) on the BASS Stuff accessories page. And there are really nice BASS logo tees and shirts. Mrs. Santa would love one.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

Courtesy of BASS Communications.

My thoughts exactly while filming this. Wolak and I timed it at under 3.5 seconds to be up and flyin. But most impressive was turning a screw in a shallow spot and hooking the wheel to get on plane. Half turn and we were up. It's a crazy good outboard. And a 4-stroke means you'll save hundreds every year on oil.

MONTGOMERY, Ala.. –  Living up to his storied reputation, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., closed strong on the Alabama River at the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason, scoring victory at the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, which earned him enough points in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings to overtake California’s Skeet Reese.

The AOY trophy is VanDam’s fifth and second consecutive. With each accomplishment, VanDam advances his reputation as the best angler on the planet. The $200,000 top prize brings his career BASS earnings to more than $3.5 million.

“I’m overwhelmed,” said VanDam.  “You can do a lot of things in this sport but to the anglers, the Angler of the Year is the real deal.  Every time I win one of these, it makes me want to win even more.  It’s just really special.”

ESPN2 will carry all of the on-the-water action from Toyota Trucks Championship Week on The Bassmasters, which will air for three hours on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. ET. 

At the start of Toyota Trucks Championship week, things didn’t look so promising for VanDam.  VanDam struggled out of the gate at the two-day Lake Jordan event, while Reese performed well.  As a result, Reese overtook VanDam in the AOY standings heading into the final leg on the Alabama River. 

But VanDam developed a solid pattern in practice and smoked the field with 30 pounds, 6 ounces.  Still, Reese had a shot, needing a finish of fourth or better, but the 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion feel short in sixth.

“I’m utterly shocked right now,” said VanDam, who has three Bassmaster Classic victories.  “After the first tournament, everything seemed to go wrong and I didn’t think I had much of a shot.  But I knew I had to battle through it.  This format is definitely intense and things seemed to work out for me.”

VanDam had a spectacular regular season, winning a Bassmaster Elite Series event on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake in April and stringing together solid finishes throughout the year to head into the postseason in the top spot in the AOY standings.

On Friday, a trio of Strike King baits yielded his 16-pound, 3-ounce limit.

Reese won the AOY in 2007 while VanDam took top honors in 2008.  Some would consider 2009 the ultimate match, but with both anglers at the top of their games, it’s easy to assume both will battle it out again in 2010.

While Reese said he was “disappointed,” he added that defeat this week was easier to swallow because he started the season by winning the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.  Reese also had a steady season after earning the Classic trophy, which is not an easy accomplishment considering all the demands that come with the title.

“I had a great season but I wanted to have a spectacular season,” said Reese, who will defend his 2009 Classic crown at the 2010 edition in Birmingham, Ala., and Lay Lake next February.  “I’m sure I will be riding the emotional roller coaster over the next few days, but right now I feel OK.”

Reese’s strategy on the river was different than that of anyone else in the field.  He ran north and put all his marbles into one spot.  Reese said the area had quality fish but he missed a few opportunities, which ultimately cost him.

“Yesterday, I missed a few bites and today I had an opportunity for 14 pounds,” said Reese.  “But I just couldn’t get the big ones in the boat.  I will definitely have flashbacks of a 4-pounder I missed early this morning.”

Reese was looking to become only the second angler in BASS history to score a Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and a Bassmaster Classic trophy in the same season.  That feat was accomplished in 1995 by Mark Davis, a Mount Ida, Ark., Bassmaster Elite Series angler.

Finishing in third place in the AOY race was Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla.  In fourth, moving up from 11^th to start the postseason, was Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J.  Randy Howell of Springville, Ala., took fifth.  The full standings can be found below.

The field qualified for the Postseason through their regular-season performances on the Bassmaster Elite Series.  The top 12 anglers in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings after the regular season had their points recalculated and took those scores into the Postseason. Each leg of the Postseason will be scored on a 50-point sliding scale. 

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

About BASS: For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com; and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

TOYOTA TUNDRA BASSMASTER ANGLER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

1. Kevin VanDam                                  Kalamazoo, Mich.                                  283

2. Skeet Reese                                      Auburn, Calif.                                        277

3. Tommy Biffle                                    Wagoner, Okla.                                     265

4. Michael Iaconelli                                Runnemede, NJ                                     261

5. Randy Howell                                    Springville, Ala.                                     248

6. Alton Jones                                       Waco, Texas                                         233

7. Kelly Jordon                                      Mineola, Texas                                      232

8. Cliff Pace                                          Petal, Miss.                                           224

9. Gerald Swindle                                  Warrior, Ala.                                          219

10. Gary Klein                                       Weatherford, Texas                               217

11. Mark Menendez                                Paducah, Ky.                                        215

12. Todd Faircloth                                 Jasper, Texas                                       212

FINAL STANDINGS- Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph

2009 Toyota Trucks Championship Week - Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph 09/17-09/18 Alabama River, Montgomery  Ala.

(PRO Division) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, Mich.       10  30-06    0  $200,000.00

  Day 1: 5   14-03    Day 2: 5   16-03  

2.  Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, Okla.         10  22-11    0   $40,000.00

  Day 1: 5    8-09    Day 2: 5   14-02  

3.  Kelly Jordon           Mineola, Texas         10  21-15    0   $20,000.00

  Day 1: 5   10-15    Day 2: 5   11-00  

4.  Michael Iaconelli      Runnemede, N.J.        10  21-12    0   $35,000.00

  Day 1: 5   10-05    Day 2: 5   11-07  

5.  Randy Howell           Springville, Ala.      10  20-11    0   $25,000.00

  Day 1: 5    8-10    Day 2: 5   12-01  

6.  Skeet Reese            Auburn, Calif.         10  20-07    0   $75,000.00

  Day 1: 5   10-05    Day 2: 5   10-02  

7.  Gary Klein             Weatherford, Texas     10  20-01    0   $17,000.00

  Day 1: 5    8-15    Day 2: 5   11-02  

8.  Cliff Pace             Petal, Miss.           10  17-11    0   $19,000.00

  Day 1: 5    8-05    Day 2: 5    9-06  

9.  Alton Jones            Waco, Texas            10  17-11    0   $22,500.00

  Day 1: 5    9-00    Day 2: 5    8-11  

10. Mark Menendez          Paducah, Ky.           10  17-03    0   $15,000.00

  Day 1: 5    8-11    Day 2: 5    8-08  

11. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, Ala.          10  17-01    0   $18,000.00

  Day 1: 5    9-04    Day 2: 5    7-13  

12. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, Texas          10  12-02    0   $14,000.00

  Day 1: 5    6-10    Day 2: 5    5-08  

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Big Bass

Day

 1   Randy Howell            Springville, Ala.          3-08       $.00

 2   Gary Klein              Weatherford, Texas         4-08       $.00

Big Bass of Tournament

     Gary Klein              Weatherford, Texas         4-08  $1,000.00

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Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

 1       12        60       113-12

 2       12        60       125-15

----------------------------------

         24       120       239-11

Courtesy of BASS Communications.