12 to watch in 2012

It's a new year full of hope, promise and plenty of unanswered questions. Here are an even dozen persons, places and things to keep an eye on in 2012. Sit back, relax and watch the stories unfold. We'll be keeping up, too, so you follow it all right here on Bassmaster.com.

#12 - Jamie Horton

The Centerville, Ala., angler will not only fish his second Bassmaster Classic via the Federation Nation in 2012, but he'll be a rookie in the Bassmaster Elite Series. Is he ready for the spotlight and the quantum leap into fishing's big-time? Time will tell; we should have the answer by the end of the new year.

#11 - Joe Everett

This Mission Viejo, Calif., lunker hunter is chasing a new world record largemouth and feels that 2012 might be the year he brings the title back home to the good ol' U.S.A. He's got plenty of top-notch competition, though, from the likes of Mike Long, George Coniglio and others who know their ways around the Southern California trophy factories. We won't have to watch all year, either. Lunker season typically ends around the first of May.

#10 - Janet Parker

With one Central Open remaining in the 2011 season, Janet Parker was in the catbird seat, sitting in second place in points and on the brink of becoming the first woman to fish the Bassmaster Elite Series. Then it all came crashing down with a 100th-place finish in the season finale. Which was the "real" Janet Parker — the one who posted two solid finishes or the one who faltered at the finish line? Stay tuned to find out.

#9 - Fletcher Shryock

Fletcher Shryock is not your father's bass pro. He's different ... a lot different. After finishing 161st in his first Bassmaster Open, Shryock nearly hung it up, but a friend convinced him to keep trying. He won his next B.A.S.S. event, simultaneously earning a berth in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. That's when he set his sights on qualifying for the Elite Series. Now the former motocross racer will be competing against Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers, Rick Clunn, Mike Iaconelli and Denny Brauer on the toughest fishing circuit in the world. With just seven pro tournaments under his belt, is Shryock ready for the Elite Series? Is the Elite Series ready for Shryock?

#8 - Mystery Lake

For the first time in Elite Series history, we've got a tournament scheduled on a "mystery lake" (June 28-July 1). That means none of the Elite anglers will know the destination until shortly before competition begins. Who can put together a winning pattern without the advantage of lots of practice time and information gathering? Forget research; this one will come down to old school bass fishing.

#7 - Nate Wellman

Sure, he won a big tournament last year, but 2011 didn't go the way Nate Wellman wanted it to go. The stigma of cheating allegations weigh heavy on the Michigan pro, and watching the Bassmaster Classic from the sidelines will be painful. If he can stay above the fray and avoid controversy in 2012, he'll take a big step toward rebuilding his reputation.

#6 - Tyler Reed

The longtime associate editor of B.A.S.S. Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer has new duties as the manager of B.A.S.S.'s social media efforts. You can keep up with Tyler Reed through Facebook (www.facebook.com/bass) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/BASS_Nation) to stay connected to the sport you love. If the month-to-month coverage in our magazines and hour-to-hour coverage on Bassmaster.com aren't enough for you, our media maven can keep you up to speed on a minute-by-minute basis.

#5 - Ott DeFoe

Winning the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year award and top honors at All-Star Week was quite a debut, but that just whet the appetites of bass fishing fans who are anticipating even bigger things from Tennessee's Ott DeFoe. Can he challenge KVD for Angler of the Year honors? Will he win the Bassmaster Classic in his first appearance? Can he win an Elite Series tournament in 2012? Expectations are high for the budding superstar who just turned 26.

#4 - Skeet Reese

A disappointing 2011 saw Skeet Reese out of the running for the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title for the first time in a long while. Look for his return to form in 2012. He's too skilled, too determined and too focused to be kept down for long. His batteries should be fully charged after the offseason, and missing the opportunity to defend his Bassmaster Classic title on the Red River (2009) will only serve to fire him up for the Elite Series openers in Florida.

#3 - The 2012 Bassmaster Classic

The Bassmaster Classic is always the tournament of the year and always the sport's biggest and brightest stage, but a few things come together in 2012 to make it even more interesting than usual. For one, the winner of the last Classic on the Red River (Skeet Reese in 2009) won't be competing. For another, Kevin VanDam is going for an unprecedented — and nearly unfathomable — third Classic victory in a row. That should keep every red-blooded bass angler glued to Bassmaster.com in February.

#2 - Castable umbrella rigs

They made a big splash late in 2011, but it remains to be seen just how effective and pervasive castable umbrella rigs — like the Alabama Rig — can be in the world of bass fishing. Will they primarily be used to target suspended fish over deep water, or are these unwieldy harnesses more versatile than that? A full year in the hands of bass anglers should answer that question.

#1 - Kevin VanDam

No bass fishing list is complete without KVD, and he's the number one entry here, too. It's not just because he's clearly the best professional bass angler of all time but because he's in his prime, and his assault on the record books continues. One more Classic title surpasses Rick Clunn; one more AOY puts him within striking distance of Roland Martin; and one more B.A.S.S. win breaks his own record of 20. This is the guy you'll be telling your grandchildren about.