CELEBRATION, Fla. — Pro anglers have just wrapped up this week's Capitol Clash on the Potomac River presented by BUSCH Beer and with that, BASS has finalized the 55-angler field for the third and final Bassmaster Major, the Bassmaster Legends presented by Goodyear, on the Arkansas River in Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 24-27.
The field includes six anglers who hail from Arkansas, including Kevin Short of Mayflower.
"I have fished the river hundreds of times in my life," said Short, who did not qualify for either of the earlier Bassmaster Majors. This is the tournament I was most looking forward to on the schedule. I really wanted to qualify for this one."
But Short will have to contend with homegrown competition. Mike McClelland, Mike Wurm, Jimmy Mize, Stephen Browning and Scott Rook all qualify for the Legends through their three-year combined CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year averages — and all are looking to take home the $250,000 top prize. So, what is Short going to do?
"I have a pretty good history on the river at this time of year," he said. "It's going to be tough, but I plan to fish my butt off." Short has never fished a BASS event on the Arkansas River, but won a 2005 ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series event on nearby Lake Dardanelle.
Also in the field will be inaugural Bassmaster Majors winner Peter Thliveros of Jacksonville, Fla., — who is BASS' sixth all-time active money winner — and Bassmaster American winner Dave Wolak, qualifying because he is the 2005 Toyota Rookie of the Year.
Anglers will fish the Arkansas River on Days 1 and 2 and then fish a marked off, six-hole course of the river on Days 3 and 4. Anglers also will fish from their own wrapped boats on all four days of competition, offering unmatched exposure for their sponsors and individual brands.
Forty anglers qualified for the Bassmaster Legends based on three-year combined Angler of the Year standings. Also qualifying are the top 10 active anglers from the BASS all-time money list. Once again, Steve Kennedy is currently leading the Toyota Rookie of the Year race and qualifies as well. Also qualifying under an exemption is Mark Menendez.
2005 CITGO Bassmaster Classic champ Kevin VanDam and 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year Aaron Martens also will compete.
The Legends is in honor of the BASS founder Ray Scott. A complete list of qualifying anglers is below.
Additionally, www.Bassmaster.com will have complete coverage, a real-time leaderboard, live video of the weigh-ins and on-the-water live chats with anglers powered by Mobile ESPN. Daily tournament launches begin at 6:50 a.m. and weigh-ins begin at 3:30 p.m. CT, Aug. 24-27. Fishing fans that can't make it to the weigh-in can see the tournament Sept. 2 at 10 a.m. on ESPN2.
2006 Legends qualifiers
2005 Classic Champion: Kevin VanDam
2005 Angler of the Year: Aaron Martens
2005 Rookie of the Year: David Wolak
2006 Rookie of the Year Leader: Steve Kennedy
Previous Announcement: Mark Menendez
Top 10 All Time Money
Place Angler Name Winnings
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1. Denny Brauer $2,100,851.71
2. Rick Clunn $1,771,894.53
3. Gary Klein $1,428,674.97
4. Shaw Grigsby, Jr $1,348,755.23
5. Davy Hite $1,267,000.00
6. Peter Thliveros $1,202,789.00
7. Zell Rowland $1,089,265.90
8. Michael Iaconelli $1,064,579.00
9. Tommy Biffle $1,049,878.80
10. Takahiro Omori $1,006,093.00
Top 40 2004, 2005, 2006 Angler of the Year Combined Standings
Place Angler Name
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1. Greg Hackney
2. Skeet Reese
3. Kevin Wirth
4. Edwin Evers
5. Timmy Horton
6. Gerald Swindle
7. Marty Stone
8. Terry Scroggins
9. Mark Tucker
10. Kelly Jordon
11. Brent Chapman
12. Dean Rojas
13. Jason Quinn
14. Bernie Schultz
15. Lee Bailey
16. Scott Rook
17. Brian Snowden
18. Ishama Monroe
19. Mike McClelland
20. Jeff Reynolds
21. Alton Jones
22. John Crews
23. Paul Elias
24. Jeff Kriet
25. Chad Brauer
26. Mike Wurm
27. Matt Reed
28. Jimmy Mize
29. Randy Howell
30. Mark Tyler
31. Keynon Hill
32. Mike Reynolds
33. John Murray
34. Guy Eaker
35. Todd Faircloth
36. Charlie Hartley
37. Morizo Shimuzu
38. Kotaro Kiriyama
39. Stephen Browning
40. Kevin Short
Local sponsors include the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Sponsors of the Bassmaster Majors include CITGO Petroleum Corp., Toyota, Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Advance Auto Parts and Theraseed®.