DEL RIO, Texas — Bassmaster Elite Series pro Dave Wolak of Wake Forrest, N.C., qualified Saturday for the 2008 Bassmaster Classic through the Bassmaster Central Open circuit along with Clark Reehm of Russellville, Ark., and Jay Fuller of Kingston, Okla.
The three pros won the coveted Classic entries by holding on to the top three spots in the Central Open's year-long points race, which reached the finish line Saturday at the conclusion of the season finale on Lake Amistad out of Del Rio.
Wolak, Reehm and Fuller join the 36 pros who qualified earlier this month through the Elite Series to compete for the $500,000 first prize of the Classic, set for Feb. 22-24 on Lake Hartwell out of Greenville, S.C. Elite pro Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., automatically qualified as defending Classic champion.
Wolak, 31, prevailed in his struggle to gain his third Classic berth, which he narrowly missed securing this year through the Bassmaster Elite Series.
"This year I was almost the first person out," said Wolak, who was the 2005 Toyota Rookie of the Year. "It was one of the most disappointing things of my career last year being at the Classic, but not being in it. Making it this year is awesome.
"I felt relaxed on the water today knowing I made the Classic. It was a big sense of relief."
Fuller, 24, who works for a Lake Texoma marina, competed this year for the first time as a pro.
"I'm speechless," Fuller said. "The Classic is a dream come true, and I am looking forward to it."
Only 10 of the 50 Classic contenders are left to be determined. Three will be Bassmaster Southern Open pros who lead the circuit's points race when that season ends Oct. 21. Six will be BASS Federation Nation anglers who will qualify through their championship event, Nov. 8-10 on Florida's Lake Tohopekaliga, an event that will air on ESPN2 at 9 a.m. ET, Feb. 16, 2008.
The final Classic slot will be filled by the winner of the Nov. 14-17 championship of the Bassmaster Weekend Series Operated by American Bass Anglers on Georgia's Clarks Hill Lake.
Elite Series qualifiers
The five pros at the top of the Central Open points standings earned eligibility to advance in 2008 to the upper echelon of competitive bass fishing, the Bassmaster Elite Series. Even though points leader Wolak re-qualified through the 2007 Elite Series, he takes his qualifier through the Central Open.
Besides Wolak, Reehm and Fuller, the pros who obtained Elite status Saturday were Brian Clark, 31, of Haltom City, Texas, who turned to fishing after an injury put an end to his bull-riding career; and Pat Golden of High Point, N.C.
Clark was the points leader until the Central Open's season finale, but his points tally fell to fourth place after the Lake Amistad event. He said he will join the Elite Series.
Oklahoman Fuller also intends to use his eligibility.
Said Fuller: "The Elite Series has been a goal of mine for quite a while. I'm ready. I'm 24 and single and if I'm going to do it, this is the time to do it."
The top 50 pro and co-angler points leaders are awarded a one-week priority window to register as either a pro or a co-angler in all 2008 Bassmaster Open events. Full standings can be found below.
Bassmaster Central Open final points standings
Place Name St Pts
1 Dave Wolak N.C. 819
2 Clark Reehm Ark. 767
3 Jay Fuller Okla. 736
4 Brian Clark Tex 692
5 Pat Golden N.C. 676
6 Bobby Myers Okla. 669
7 Danny Smith La. 659
8 Trevor Rogge Minn. 635
9 Larry Byrd La. 632
10 Robert Byrd Texas 630
11 Dave Parsons Texas 620
12 Bradley Hallman Okla. 611
13 Paul Ferguson Texas 601
14 Ken Adamson Ark. 598
15 Billy Brewer Texas 587
16 Chip Hawkins Ark. 577
17 Chad Griffin Texas 565
18 David Sherrer La. 557
19 Mike Pickett Ky. 542
20 Ross Watkins Miss. 539
21 Teddy Bogard Ark. 536
22 Randy Allen La. 532
23 Corey Waldrop Texas 524
24 Billy McCaghren Jr. Ark. 517
25 Scott Dean Texas 513
25 Craig Schuff Texas 513
27 Trent Huckaby Texas 504
28 Monty Fralick S.D. 492
29 Marvin Ettredge La. 491
30 Wayne Brown Okla. 487
31 Jeff Stevens Texas 475
32 Larry Ford Ark. 462
33 Randy Dearman Texas 460
34 Teb Jones Miss. 454
35 Ryan Brown La. 453
36 Jeff Bruhl La. 451
37 Thomas Law Texas 448
38 Benjamin Jackson Okla. 447
39 Austin Banks Miss. 441
40 Logan Sherrer La. 438
41 Cliff Crochet La. 435
42 Shawn Johnson Fla. 434
43 Pete Cherkas Iowa 433
44 Rob Lee Ala. 432
45 Marc Schilling Texas 428
46 Tony Chachere La. 426
47 Jonathan Garrie Texas 423
48 Royce Dennington Okla. 418
49 Patrick Pierce Fla. 414
50 Ed Whaley Texas 412
50 Stan Gerzsenyi Texas 412
52 Jason Christie Okla. 406
53 Dean Perkins Texas 402
54 Mark Morton Ark. 401
55 Gary Giudice Okla. 389
56 Ryan Lovelace Texas 386
57 Matt Mize Ark. 385
58 Alan Kelly 384
58 Aaron Lee Jakub Neb. 384
60 Timmy Reneau Texas 382
60 Al Fisher Ark. 382
62 Steven Bunt N.Y. 376
63 Joe Pope 375
63 E.P. Fletcher Ark. 375
65 Dwayne Mcpeek Texas 374
66 David Stewart Texas 366
67 Ray Hanselman Texas 363
68 Charlie King La. 361
68 Michael Burns Texas 361
70 Scott Ashmore Okla. 360
71 Aaron Martin Mo. 358
72 Sammy Burks Mo. 355
73 Casey Merriman 351
74 Dale Jackson Texas 344
75 J Todd Tucker Ga. 335
76 Jeremy Vandenbosch 332
77 Blane Dyess Texas 330
78 Gary Graffagnino La. 329
79 Mark Hicks Ohio 322
80 Marvin Wells Okla. 321
80 Craig Gipe Ky. 321
82 Brandon Mosley Okla. 319
83 Mark Smith La. 315
83 Matthew McCabe La. 315
85 Randy McCarty Ky. 313
86 Lee Cox Md. 312
87 Anton Silvester Ill. 310
88 Thomas Loving Texas 307
89 Kelly Owens La. 300
89 Dee Cagle Texas 300
91 Terry Bloom Fla. 298
92 Chad Kallina Texas 297
93 Robert Mcfarlane Texas 295
93 Jami Fralick S.D. 295
95 Scott Mcgehee Miss. 291
96 Vincent Parello Texas 289
97 Jeff Cloud Texas 288
98 Yoshikazu Sato 287
99 Doug Garrett Ark. 285
100 Jason Cyboron Neb. 284
101 Brian Penso Texas 282
102 Mike Bates Texas 280
102 Mike Pedroza La. 280
104 Jacky Hawthorne Texas 276
105 Tommy Durham Texas 269
106 Matt Hupp Texas 259
107 Glenn Eastwood Ark. 258
108 Stacy Leonard La. 255
109 Brandon Collins La. 253
110 Jj Ducharme Texas 250
111 Billy Graves La. 248
112 Steve Pyle Ky. 247
113 Homer Humphreys, Jr La. 246
114 Johnny Grice Texas 245
115 Ishama Monroe Calif. 243
115 James Morgan Okla. 243
115 Dwight Dickerson Texas 243
118 Ray Brazier Tenn. 239
119 Arron Lance La. 235
120 Charles Haralson 234
120 Justin Titus Okla. 234
122 Steve Sennikoff Texas 231
123 Darrell Newman Texas 229
124 Trent Loukas Texas 226
124 Robert Collett Texas 226
126 Doug Stump Okla. 223
127 Jamie Jones 221
128 Richard Kennedy La. 220
129 Sean Wieda Ohio 215
130 Pete Ponds Miss. 211
130 Thomas Warren Ill. 211
132 Bob Sealy Texas 208
133 Keith Phillips Texas 205
133 Cody Malone Texas 205
135 Dean Gilbert Texas 204
136 David Truax Texas 203
137 Ryan Dupriest Texas 201
138 Jason Welch Texas 197
139 Lee Wheeler, III Texas 195
140 Jeff Vanderpool Ark. 191
141 T R Andreas Texas 189
141 Jason Pittman La. 189
143 Tim Dungan Ohio 184
144 Bubba Haralson Texas 183
145 Bruce Brown La. 180
146 James Steed 179
147 Darrell West Ark. 178
148 Chad Brauer Mo. 173
149 Raul Morineau Mexico 172
150 Gary Riffle Texas 170
151 Don Stringer Texas 166
152 Byron Velvick Texas 162
153 James Buchanan Miss. 160
154 Randy Alexander 159
155 Bob Morin Tenn. 155
156 Donnie Courtney La. 154
157 Doug Drummonds Ark. 152
158 Wes Roberts Ark. 150
159 Jack Sananikone Texas 149
160 Sean Hoernke Texas 148
161 Jeremy Montoya Colo. 144
162 James Harrison Texas 142
163 Brad Outersky Mo. 139
163 Darren Burkett Okla. 139
165 Frank Boothe Texas 129
165 Kevin Stanley Texas 129
167 Rocky Cummings Ark. 128
167 Kip Bodkin Texas 128
169 Sherman Nofire Okla. 127
170 Ronald Rogers Fla. 122
171 Ronald Pierce Ark. 121
171 Glenn Erskine Texas 121
173 Kevin Daigle Texas 118
174 Joe Gilbert Texas 117
175 Brent Broderick Ohio 113
176 Roger Boler La. 109
177 Ron Cherkas Iowa 108
177 Preston Domingue La. 108
179 Deryl Janzen Texas 107
180 Guy Adams Texas 104
181 Vernon Silver La. 103
182 Richard Parrish Ga. 92
183 Dennis Edmonds Colo. 87
184 James Stricklin Texas 85
184 Scott Smith Tenn. 85
186 Shawn Rook Ark. 83
186 Max Wayne Grubb Ark. 83
188 Zack Keathley Texas 81
189 Greg Terzia La. 79
190 Brad Young N.M. 76
191 Rick Pierce Ark. 72
192 Kevin Short Ark. 69
193 Mike Lott Texas 68
194 Travis Loyd Ill. 67
195 Freddie Grant Texas 62
195 Dean Gilbert Texas 62
197 Conrad Picou La. 56
198 Travis Combs Neb. 54
198 Doug Luper Va. 54
200 Randy Yarnall Pa. 52
201 Roy Sanford Texas 46
202 Joseph New Texas 45
203 Anre' De Villiers South Africa 40
204 Dale Elkins Texas 39
205 Robert Bryant Ark. 34
206 Keith Stephenson Texas 31
207 Hugh Rose Okla. 28
207 Ken Peaker Mo. 28
209 Gregory Jones Tenn. 23
210 Ty Frederick La. 22
211 Chuck Devereaux Okla. 0
211 Jon Despino La. 0
211 Bryan Hoffman 0
211 H D (Howard) Dotson Ky. 0
211 Doug Spigler Texas 0
211 Joe Conway Colo. 0