Bye bye AOY?

It could be heard from the pre-tournament anglers' meeting in Orange, Texas, until Sunday's final weigh-in – the strong undercurrent formed by the year-end Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

It could be heard from the pre-tournament anglers’ meeting in Orange, Texas, until Sunday’s final weigh-in – the strong undercurrent formed by the year-end Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

In terms of AOY, all 113 anglers were well aware that the first tournament of the 2015 Elite Series season had a do-or-die element to it. The Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River presented by STARK Cultural Venues proved to be exactly that. Some big guns on the Elite Series tour may have seen their AOY chances die this past week.

See the Angler of the Year hits and misses from Sabine here.

Dean Rojas expressed the feelings of the entire field after the Day 1 weigh-in, when Rojas caught a limit that weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces and put him in a 30th place tie.

“This is such a crapshoot,” Rojas said. “I’m always looking at AOY, and you just don’t want to take yourself out of it.”

It was unprecedented when Aaron Martens started the 2013 season with an 85th place finish at the Sabine River and came back to win the AOY title. Before that happened, the general rule was you couldn’t afford to miss a Top 50, two-day cut and expect to have a shot at Angler of the Year.

Last year’s AOY winner, Greg Hackney restored the normal pattern by finishing no lower than 48th (Delaware River) in the eight Elite Series events. (By the way, Hackney’s moment-of-truth came on Day 2 at Lake Seminole, the first event of the year, when he rallied from 100th place with a 23-pound, 15-ounce bag on Day 2, and finished 38th on Day 3.)

Martens went on an incredible run in 2013 to break the mold. After the Sabine, he didn’t finished lower than 24th in the next seven events. He closed the season by placing second, eighth, second, fifth and 12th. He probably would have won the last event if the rough waters of the Detroit River hadn’t caused a breakdown that prevented him from weighing-in the final day.

Since Martens proved that you can have one bad tournament (85th place) and still win AOY, consider this list of top guns that finished lower than 85th at the Sabine:

87. Brent Ehrler, 88. Brett Hite, 91. Steve Kennedy, 92. Alton Jones, 94. Edwin Evers, 97. Fred Roumbanis, 98. Jared Lintner, 99. Kevin Short, 101. Brandon Palaniuk, 102. Bobby Lane, and 107. David Walker.

There were several more proven performers with AOY hopes who finished in the 50-to-85 range at the Sabine and left town less than thrilled.

One bad tournament doesn’t mean a bunch of these guys won’t rally, have a good season and qualify for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic. But they did leave Orange, Texas, with the thought that one of the most coveted titles in bass fishing is most likely out of reach this season.

On the positive side, everyone in the top 25 left the Sabine River elated, none more so that winner Chris Lane. With a third-place finish, Martens certainly feels like he crossed a big hurdle.

Tenth-place finisher Justin Lucas, who was 11th in the AOY race last year, appears to be a solid AOY contender this year as well. The former California resident who currently calls Guntersville, Ala., home is looking at the next three Elite Series events in familiar waters: Lake Guntersville, the Sacramento River and Lake Havasu.

“Coming here is a challenge,” Lucas said at Sunday’s weigh-in. “This one really scared me. I’m really excited for the next three.”

Everyone who escaped the crapshoot of the Sabine River is excited about the rest of the season. For them, the dream is still very much alive: winning the 2015 Toyota Angler of the Year title.