2012 Classic qualifiers

Following is the field for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic, Feb.  24-26, on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., how they qualified and their Classic history.

KEVIN VANDAM

2011 Classic winner

VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Mich., will be looking to three-peat, having won the past two years. This will be his 22nd consecutive Classic appearance, and he has won a record-tying four championships. KVD was 30th in the 2009 Classic on the Red River.

GERALD SWINDLE

Open event winner

The Warrior, Ala., pro who won his first B.A.S.S. event in 2011 and subsequently earned the first berth to the 2012 Classic, will be competing in his 12th championship. He missed the 2009 Classic and was third in 2005 and fifth in 2001.  

SHAW GRIGSBY

Elite event winner

Grigsby, of Gainesville, Fla., gained the first Classic berth from an Elite victory, winning the season-opener on the Harris Chain of Lakes.  Among his 13 Classics, Grigsby was runner-up in 1993 and third in 2000. He finished 19th in the 2009 Classic.

EDWIN EVERS

Elite event winner

The Talala, Okla., pro will be competing in his 11th Classic. Evers posted his best Classic finish on the Red River by taking fifth, but he also was among the Super Six in 2005.

DAVY HITE

Elite event winner

Hite, of Ninety Six, S.C., who won the 1999 Classic in New Orleans, is making his 14^th Classic appearance but his first since 2009, when was 33^rd. Hite was also runner-up on Lay Lake in 1996 and seventh in 2005.

DEAN ROJAS

Elite event winner

Heading into his 10^th Classic, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.’s Rojas has a top finish of fourth on Lake Wylie in 2004. He placed 10^th in 2007 and was 18^th on the Red River.

STEPHEN KENNEDY

Elite event winner

Kennedy, of Auburn, Ala., will be competing in his sixth consecutive Classic. His best finish was in his first, an eighth on Lay Lake in 2007, and he finished 35th on the Red River.

CASEY ASHLEY

Elite event winner

The Donalds, S.C., angler is headling to his fourth Classic after missing last year. His best finish was a 13th on the Red River in 2009. 

DENNIS BRAUER

Elite event winner

The 1998 Classic winner on High Rock Lake, Brauer, of Camdenton, Mo. , will mark his 21st Classic in February. Brauer has six Super Six finishes, including two runner-up finishes and one third, fourth and fifth. 

DAVID WALKER

Elite event winner

Back in B.A.S.S. after five years, the Sevierville, Tenn., angler is back in the Classic as well. Walker will be fishing his seventh championship, with third-place finishes in both 2001 and 2002 his best.

OTT DEFOE

Fourth in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

This is the first Classic appearance for the Knoxville, Tenn., angler, who was the Elite Series’ top rookie.  DeFoe went on to win the Evan Williams Bourbon All-Star Championship.

TERRY SCROGGINS

Sixth in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Scroggins, of San Mateo, Fla., will be making his ninth appearance in a Classic. His best finish was fourth in 2006 on Lake Toho, and he was 26th on the Red River.

ALTON JONES

Ninth in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Jones, who won the 2008 Classic on Lake Hartwell out of Greenville, S.C., is heading to his 14th championship. The Waco, Texas, angler was seventh in two other Classics and finished 14th on the Red River.

KEITH POCHE

10th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

A consistent sophomore season in the Elite Series gives the Pike Road, Ala., angler his first berth into a Bassmaster Classic.  He’s fished 43 B.A.S.S. events with his best finish a fourth on Pickwick Lake in 2011.

GREG VINSON

11th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Vinson, of Wetumpka, Ala., will be making back-to-back Classic appearances after a stellar third season with the Elites. He took 24th last year in the New Orleans Classic.

CHRIS LANE

12th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

The Guntersville, Ala., pro is back in the Classic for the second time. He last qualified in 2008, when he finished 49th.

RANDY HOWELL

13th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Shreveport-Bossier City will be Howell’s 10^th Classic. The Springville, Ala., pro had his best finish in a Classic in 1999 at 11th and was 24th on the Red River.

KEITH COMBS

15th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

The Huntington, Texas, pro is making back-to-back Classic appearances. Last year in his first qualification, he finished 22nd^.

AARON MARTENS

16th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Could 13 be lucky for the Leeds, Ala., angler? Martens makes his 13th appearance in the Classic, where he has been runner-up in four and has three other top 10 finishes, including a ninth on the Red River.

MIKE IACONELLI

18th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

It’s also No. 13 for Pitts Grove, N.J., pro Iaconelli, who has a Classic title from 2003 on the Louisiana Delta. Last time on the Red, Ike was runner-up to Skeet Reese, and he has also finished sixth twice along with a fifth.

DUSTIN WILKS

19th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Wilks, of Rocky Mount, N.C., is in his sixth Classic. His last appearance was a 44th in 2009. Wilks’ best was 16th in 1999.

ISH MONROE

20th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Also last seen competing at the Red River Classic, Monroe was 41st there. The Hughson, Calif., angler’s best finish in his six previous Classics was 14th in 2007.

TODD FAIRCLOTH

21st in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Faircloth, of Jasper, Texas, will be in his 10th Classic. He came close in 2010 with a third, recorded a fifth in 2001 and was eighth last year. On the Red, he finished 35th.

JARED LINTNER

22nd in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

The Californian from Arroyo Grande hasn’t been to a Classic in three years, since he was 20th at Lake Hartwell in 2008. He was 19th the year before on Lay Lake and now will fish his third.

BOBBY LANE

23rd in in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Lane, of Lakeland, Fla., has been to four consecutive Classics, and his first on Hartwell was his best as he finished fourth. The next year on the Red, he was 16th then returned to the Top 10 last year at ninth.

JEFF KRIET

24th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Making his eighth Classic appearance, Kriet hopes to top his best finish, runner-up to KVD in 2010 on Lay Lake. The Ardmore, Okla., angler also was sixth in 2008. He missed the Red River Classic.

GREG HACKNEY

25th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Hackney, of  Gonzales, La., will be fishing his 10th Classic. A fifth on Hartwell was his best Classic showing, and he was 20th in 2009.

KEVIN WIRTH

26th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

The veteran angler from Crestwood, Ky., is making his 14th Classic appearance. Wirth’s best finish was a sixth on Lay Lake in 2007, but he also has four other Top 10s. 

FRED ROUMBANIS

27th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Roumbanis, who lives in Bixby, Okla., will fish his third Classic after missing the past two. He was 29th on the Red River, his last berth.

TIMMY HORTON

29th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Horton, of Muscle Shoals, Ala., has been to 11 Classics with a best finish of 10th in Pittsburgh in 2005. He was 51st in 2009, his last appearance.

JOHN CREWS

30th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Fishing in five previous Classics, Crews , of Salem, Va., has a top finish of 16th in 2008. He missed the championship the next two years then was 17th last year.

STEPHEN BROWNING

31st in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Browning, of Hot Springs, Ark., will be making his eighth Classic appearance. He has one Top 10 finish, a seventh at the 1997 Classic on Logan Martin Lake. He didn’t qualify in 2009.

TAKAHIRO OMORI

32nd in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

The 2004 Bassmaster Classic champion on Lake Wylie is back for his eighth championship. He finished 10th in 2010 after missing the Red River event.

MATT REED

33rd in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

After missing the past four Classics, Madisonville, Texas’ Reed is back for his third championship. His top finish was 19th in 2003 on the Louisiana Delta.

BILL LOWEN

34th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Lowen, of Brookville, Ind., will be fishing his fourth Classic this year on the Red River, site of his best finish in a championship at 23rd.

MARTY ROBINSON

35th in in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Robinson, of Lyman, S.C., who has fished the Elites since 2007, will be fishing in his first Classic.

BRENT CHAPMAN

36th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Chapman, who is from Lake Quivira, Kan., will fish his 11th Classic. He finished fifth in the past two championships after taking 27th on the Red River.

BRANDON PALANIUK

36th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

Palaniuk, of Rathdrum, Idaho, is the final Elite to make the Classic through the points standings. In his first Classic last year as Federation Nation champion, he finished fourth.

MARK TUCKER

Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open event winner

The St. Louisian who fished the top B.A.S.S. series for 10 years earned his eighth Classic berth by winning the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Lake Lewisville. Tucker was eighth in his first Classic in 1998 and 12th in 2010 after missing in 2009.

FLETCHER SHRYOCK

Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open event winner

A virtual unknown from Newcomerstown, Ohio, Shryock took the B.A.S.S. world by storm with his Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open victory on Lake Norman, earning his first Classic berth in the process. The former motocross racer vowed to back up his victory and since finished 11th and ninth in Opens.

KELLY PRATT

Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open event winner

Pratt, of Williamsburg, Va., qualified for his first Classic by winning the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open on the James River. He’s fished 11 Bassmaster events, placing second in another event on the James River.

ANDREW UPSHAW

Mercury College B.A.S.S. champion

Upshaw, of Hemphill, Texas, took the first qualifying berth from the College B.A.S.S. circuit. He and Stephen F. Austin teammate Ryan Watkins teamed to win the National Championship then Upshaw edged Watkins by ounces to take the Classic berth.   

JAMIE HORTON

Fed Nation Southern Division champion

The 2011 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation presented by Yamaha and Skeeter champion won the Southern division again and will fish his second Classic. The Centerville, Ala., angler finished 40th in the 2002 Classic on Lay Lake.

JOSH POLFER

Fed Nation Western Division champion

Polfer, the Idaho Fed Nation president from Nampa, will be fishing his first Classic. He won the Western title in the Nov. 3-5 tournament by 10 pounds. 

MATT MCCOY

Fed Nation Northern Division champion

McCoy, of Indianapolis, qualified for his first Classic by topping his closest Northern Division competitor by 3 pounds.  

CHRIS PRICE

Fed Nation Mid-Atlantic Division champion

Price, of Church Hill, Md., won his Division by 4 ounces making this his second Classic apperance since 2002.

JOHN DIACO

Fed  Nation Eastern Division champion

Diaco, of Rochester, N.H., had a 5-ounce victory in the Eastern Division and will be fishing his first Classic.

TOM JESSOP

Fed Nation Central Division champion

Jessop, of Dalhart, Texas, qualified for his first Classic with a 2-pound, 5-ounce victory in the Central Division.

ALLAN GLASGOW

Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series champion

Glasgow, of  Ashville, Ala., won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship, operated by American Bass Anglers, and is heading to his first Classic.