BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After an incredible 2023 season that set records for both attendance and fan engagement, saw six first-time Elite Series champions and a Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race that came down to the season’s final day of competition, B.A.S.S. has announced the 2024 Elite Series field. An accomplished field of young rookies courtesy of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, a surprise qualifier from the B.A.S.S. Nation — the first Elite from the state of New Hampshire — and two legends of the sport highlight the roster.
“I can’t wait for the 2024 season to start and think the schedule sets up really well for big catches, big drama and big excitement,” said the Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “The Elite Series field is absolutely stacked, and fans are going to love following their favorite anglers, including the legendary Rick Clunn, who is celebrating 50 years in our sport, as well as meeting this talented crop of rookies.”
Enthusiasm reached an all-time high for the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens in 2023 as B.A.S.S. unveiled a new “Elite Qualifiers” division that required anglers to fish all nine events across three divisions to qualify for one of nine spots on the Bassmaster Elite Series. The result was a hotly contested series culminating in a stacked rookie class of new Elites.
Highlighting the rookies is Opens Angler of the Year JT Thompkins, who amassed an incredible seven Top 25 finishes en route to claiming the AOY title. Along with Thompkins, John Garrett finished second followed by Trey McKinney in third. Robert Gee, Tyler Williams, Wesley Gore, Logan Parks, Ben Milliken and Kyle Patrick all earned Elite Series berths as well.
Eight of the nine anglers moving on to the Elite Series are under the age of 30, with Thompkins (21), Williams (21) and McKinney (18) being the three…
Read the full article here
