2011 Bassmaster Classic - Angler Photos

Like Ryan Said, Tracy Adams qualified for his first Classic via the Northern Opens, but unlike Said, Adams declined the Elite Series invite.

Vermont native Sean Alvarez has only fished six events with B.A.S.S.; the Classic will be his seventh. Alvarez represented the Eastern Division in the BFNC.

Tommy Biffle's nearly untouchable flipping skills will make him efficient on the Delta. Plus, 2011 is his 17th Classic, so you might say he's due for a win.

Fresh off an elbow injury treatment, Stephen Browning is ready to best his current top Classic finish: 7th at the 1997 event on Logan Martin Lake. (story: http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?page=f_b...)

Terry Butcher had a banner season last year, finishing fourth in Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. Look for this 2-time Classic qualifier to ride his wave of momentum down the Delta.

Brent Chapman may fly under the radar much of the time, but he's always on the verge of getting his third win. If he had it his way, it would be this year at his tenth Classic.

Texan Keith Combs is no stranger to hauling up huge bass: Before he became a full-time pro he was a full-time guide on famed big-bass factory Lake Amistad, a stop on Combs' route to the Classic (and Elite Series) through the Central Opens in 2010.

George Crain represented the Southern Division at the BFNC, and will fish his first Classic in 2011. He's only fished nine B.A.S.S. events.

John Crews earned his first B.A.S.S. win during the 2010 Elite Series season, and is looking to further cement his place among the ranks of the best with a Classic win in his fifth try this year.

With one Classic win under his belt (1995), you might think this Arkansan is resting on his laurels. Not so much. This is Mark Davis' 15th qualification, and he's as fired up as ever.

In 2007, Boyd Duckett became the first angler to win a Classic in his home state and break said 36-year curse. This will be his fifth Classic.

Paul Elias was the last contender to qualify through the Elite Series. This is the first Classic he's fished in seven years, his 14th all told. In 1982 he managed to win it on the Alabama River.

Edwin Evers will be fishing his 10th Classic this year. His highest finish is 5th, at the 2009 event on Louisiana's Red River.

Easy-going Texan Todd Faircloth is anything but that on the water. He's racked up a pair of wins to complement a runner-up finish in the 2009 Angler of the Year race, and nearly won the 2010 Classic when he finished third.

During his career, Shaw Grigsby has racked up eight wins, but none of them came during his 12 Classic qualifications. The closest he's come was in 1995 where he claimed runner-up spot.

Greg Hackney is a native Arkansan but has lived in Louisiana for a number of years. His shallow-water prowess and familiarity with the area makes him a safe bet and a serious contender. This will be his 9th Classic.

Though he hasn't registered a win with B.A.S.S., Matt Herren's name has long been associated with consistency. This is his third qualification in two years on the Elite tour. His first came from the Southern Opens tour of 2008.

Dale Hightower - like all the BFNC qualifiers - is fishing his first Classic. He represented the Central Division at the BFNC.

Michael Iaconelli should be on most every Fantasy Fishing team. His Classic win came from the Louisiana Delta in 2003, proving to all that he's just as comfortable fishing shallow water as he is drop shotting deep water. This marks his 12th Classic.

In just a short time, Kelly Jordon has established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He's already got four wins, has fished eight Classics and racked up more than $1.2 million in earnings.

Outwardly, Steve Kennedy may seem like a low-key angler. But, more than $830,000 in earnings, a win and two Century Club belts (earned when a total tournament catch exceeds 100 pounds) tell a different story. This guy is out to win in his fifth Classic.

Gary Klein is perhaps the most talked about angler in this year's event. Why? This is his 29th qualification, he's as confident as he's ever been and he has the most qualifications without a win.

Jeff Kriet came close to tasting glory during the 2010 Classic, where he lost by exactly five pounds to Kevin VanDam on Lay Lake. Think he'd like revenge?

Brian LaClair is perhaps more familiar with fish than any Classic competitor: he works in the seafood industry. LaClair represented the Mid-Atlantic Division at the BFNC.

Florida native Bobby Lane is on many folks' lists to do well on the Delta, since he's a shallow-water expert and can flip with the best of 'em. This will be his fourth Classic. He fell just three places shy of winning the 2008 Classic, his first.

This will mark Russ Lane's fourth Classic. His previous best finish is 4th in last year's event on Alabama's Lay Lake.

Bill Lowen has registered 23rd- and 33rd-place in previous Classics. This is nowhere near what the Ohioan is capable of doing. His home waters (the Ohio River) are some of the toughest bass fishing, and he knows how to grind with the best of them.

Aaron Martens will be fishing his 12th Classic in 2011. He has the very unfortunate record of three runner-up Classic finishes.

Each of Mike McClelland's six wins are in different states, but none are a Classic victory and none have been in Louisiana. This year, look for him to add both of those to the "win" column on his resume.

Ryan McMurtury is a jack of all trades: he's done everything a certified surgical technician does, and makes his own lures among other things. But, has decided that he want to be a professional fisherman. This is his first Classic.

South Carolinian Andy Montgomery has made a living fishing for the past six years on another major circuit but is "where he wants to be" as he embarks on his Rookie Elite Series season. And who could blame him? He's already fishing his first Classic.

Cliff Pace should be a Fantasy Fishing favorite on the Delta. The Mississippian is as consistent as they come, and is looking for a win at his fourth Classic.

Brandon Palaniuk went into the 2010 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship representing the Western Division, and came out as overall champion as he punched his ticket to the Classic. The young pro will also be fishing the 2011 Elite Series.

Skeet Reese earned his first Classic win at the 2009 event on the Red River. This year's derby marks his 12th qualification.

Young gun Derek Remitz proved himself in 2007 as he won on Texas' Lake Amistad. It was the first Elite-level event he had ever fished. He's proven to be consistent, too. This is his third Classic qualification in four years in the big leagues.

Clark Reehm nearly had a breakout year during his rookie season as he nearly won an event on Texas' Lake Amistad. A vast working knowledge of the border lake helped him to his second Classic.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more competitive guy than Arizona-native Dean Rojas. Rojas' legendary froggin' skills have earned him more than $1.2 million, three wins and eight other Classic berths.

Scott Rook's strong shallow water skills make him one to watch for on the Delta. This is his 8th qualification.

Ryan Said, a Chrysler engineer, is looking to make a living in the out-of-doors as he puts his career on pause to try his hand at the Elite Series. He's also fishing his first Classic this year, too.

Florida flipping master Terry Scroggins could surprise a lot of folks this week thanks to his shallow-water abilities. His best Classic finish in the eight he's fished was in the 2006 event where he placed fourth.

Morizo Shimizu is the only foreign-born contender for 2011. If he wins, though, he'll be the second Japanese-born champ. Takahiro Omori won the 2004 event on North Carolina's Lake Wylie. This is Shimizu's first Classic qualification.

Brian Snowden has four runner-up finishes with B.A.S.S., and is looking to grab his first win on the biggest stage possible this week. His best Classic finish was 3rd, in 2009.

Gerald Swindle is coming off of his first-ever B.A.S.S. win, and is pumped to get the season started. He used to be called "one of the best who's never won," and he'd like to not be called "one of the best who's never won a Classic."

Randall Tharp has long fished as a pro at levels other than the Elites, and this Alabama native proved it during the 2010 Bassmaster Southern Opens season, claiming the top spot and his first Classic berth.

Kevin VanDam is the reigning Classic champ. His last win marked his third title, one shy of Rick Clunn's record of four.

After nearly having to sit out last year's Elite tour, Greg Vinson faired well enough to qualify for his first Classic. This your gun has the skills - on and off the water - to play this game for a long time.

Pipefitter David Watson represented the Northern Division at the 2010 BFNC.

Jason Williamson made a big splash early in his career like Remitz did. In the three years he's fished the Elite Series, he has a win in the last two. Now, he makes it to his first Classic in 2011.

Kevin Wirth's skill set extends way beyond fishing: he's a scratch golfer and has ridden in the Kentucky Derby. In the 11 Classics he's fished, the closest he's come in 6th in 2007.

Dave Wolak has fished in four Classics, with his best finish being 14th at the 2008 derby on South Carolina's Lake Hartwell, where Alton Jones took home the hardware.