13 anglers to watch

All eyes will obviously be on Gerald Swindle as the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title comes down to its final eight hours. In reality Swindle can only move up a few places in this event after digging a sizable hole on Day 1. But they could be critical places and points.
All eyes will obviously be on Gerald Swindle as the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title comes down to its final eight hours. In reality Swindle can only move up a few places in this event after digging a sizable hole on Day 1. But they could be critical places and points.
Swindle’s second AOY, may look like a sinking ship, but the title hinges on how well Keith Combs does combined with some monumental poor performances by those ahead of Combs.
Swindle’s second AOY, may look like a sinking ship, but the title hinges on how well Keith Combs does combined with some monumental poor performances by those ahead of Combs.
Keith Combs is whispering the worn out phrase “so you are saying there’s a chance.” And there is a chance, just not much of one. Swindle has to stay in the cellar of this event. And Combs has to produce an incredible stringer, while hoping there is a wholesale down turn in the weights overall.
Keith Combs is whispering the worn out phrase “so you are saying there’s a chance.” And there is a chance, just not much of one. Swindle has to stay in the cellar of this event. And Combs has to produce an incredible stringer, while hoping there is a wholesale down turn in the weights overall.
Combs sits in 34th and needs to move to the top six minimum. That likely means a 30-pound sack on his part, while everyone between him and fourth place can’t manage more than 20 pounds. With some forecasts calling for 20-mile winds on Day 3, anything can happen.
Combs sits in 34th and needs to move to the top six minimum. That likely means a 30-pound sack on his part, while everyone between him and fourth place can’t manage more than 20 pounds. With some forecasts calling for 20-mile winds on Day 3, anything can happen.
While much of the attention has been on the Swindle and Combs match up, a young angler, Seth Feider, has captured the imagination of the fishing world like few have in the past.
While much of the attention has been on the Swindle and Combs match up, a young angler, Seth Feider, has captured the imagination of the fishing world like few have in the past.
Feider is fishing in his home state and for the second week in a row is fighting for a Classic bid against insurmountable odds. He finished second last week, to barely squeak into this event. Now that he’s here, he’s leading this event in grand style with 50-pounds of smallmouth.
Feider is fishing in his home state and for the second week in a row is fighting for a Classic bid against insurmountable odds. He finished second last week, to barely squeak into this event. Now that he’s here, he’s leading this event in grand style with 50-pounds of smallmouth.
And the locals love him. He comes complete with a spectator gallery that borders on the raucous but thoroughly entertains.
And the locals love him. He comes complete with a spectator gallery that borders on the raucous but thoroughly entertains.
Feider, who has been tabbed “The Amazing Feider-Man” by Dave Mercer has certainly seemed to have found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and that has to be troublesome to many.
Feider, who has been tabbed “The Amazing Feider-Man” by Dave Mercer has certainly seemed to have found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and that has to be troublesome to many.
Looking at the AOY points, it would take a miracle of sorts for him to squeak into the Classic. His presence at the top of the standings in an event some thought he couldn’t make is testament enough for the thought “anything can happen.”
Looking at the AOY points, it would take a miracle of sorts for him to squeak into the Classic. His presence at the top of the standings in an event some thought he couldn’t make is testament enough for the thought “anything can happen.”
Like Combs, Feider has to have a lot of help from anglers dropping in the standings and losing points for him to finish this amazing run in story-book style. He’s currently in 46th place in AOY standings, seven places out of the current Classic cut. But three Bassmaster Opens remain in the season and depending on who wins that, the cut off number could be as low as 42nd place, which means, like Combs, there’s still a chance even if he doesn’t make up all the ground on Day 3.
Like Combs, Feider has to have a lot of help from anglers dropping in the standings and losing points for him to finish this amazing run in story-book style. He’s currently in 46th place in AOY standings, seven places out of the current Classic cut. But three Bassmaster Opens remain in the season and depending on who wins that, the cut off number could be as low as 42nd place, which means, like Combs, there’s still a chance even if he doesn’t make up all the ground on Day 3.
Just under Feider in the AOY standings is Stephen Browning in 47th place. Like Swindle he gave away a lot of points on Day 1 and dug himself a big hole. But on Day 3 he will be fighting to move up at least five or six places to keep his chances alive for a Classic berth. Regardless, he will have two chances in the remaining Central Open events, one of which is at the Red River, where he has won twice to get into the Classic.
Just under Feider in the AOY standings is Stephen Browning in 47th place. Like Swindle he gave away a lot of points on Day 1 and dug himself a big hole. But on Day 3 he will be fighting to move up at least five or six places to keep his chances alive for a Classic berth. Regardless, he will have two chances in the remaining Central Open events, one of which is at the Red River, where he has won twice to get into the Classic.
Chris Lane is fishing angry these last few days. He was in the Classic going into the La Crosse event, but fell to the bubble going into the AOY Championship. He’s now in 43rd and on the outside looking in. He has to gain at least 12 places over his competition to get enough points to get back in. He’s sitting in 40th in the derby giving him a lot of room, but slugfests like this make it hard to make big jumps. Still, Lane is known for having big final days in Elite competition.
Chris Lane is fishing angry these last few days. He was in the Classic going into the La Crosse event, but fell to the bubble going into the AOY Championship. He’s now in 43rd and on the outside looking in. He has to gain at least 12 places over his competition to get enough points to get back in. He’s sitting in 40th in the derby giving him a lot of room, but slugfests like this make it hard to make big jumps. Still, Lane is known for having big final days in Elite competition.
Tommy Biffle has consistently climbed up the AOY standings this week. After a surprising poor performance at La Crosse, he started his event in 48th in points. But after two days is in 42nd place. He’s just 9 points out of pay dirt. His biggest problem is he sits in 5th place in this event. Typically not considered a smallmouth guy, he’s having a tremendous tournament. He’s done his work, now he needs help from guys falling down in the point’s race.
Tommy Biffle has consistently climbed up the AOY standings this week. After a surprising poor performance at La Crosse, he started his event in 48th in points. But after two days is in 42nd place. He’s just 9 points out of pay dirt. His biggest problem is he sits in 5th place in this event. Typically not considered a smallmouth guy, he’s having a tremendous tournament. He’s done his work, now he needs help from guys falling down in the point’s race.
Boyd Duckett may have made the biggest move in the points’ standings in this event. He started the championship in 44th place and well out of the Classic race. But after two strong days on Mille Lacs, (10th place in the event) he’s moved from 44th to 37th place and into the Classic. It’s a tenuous position. He’s just six points in a difference of less than 2-pounds in the tournament.
Boyd Duckett may have made the biggest move in the points’ standings in this event. He started the championship in 44th place and well out of the Classic race. But after two strong days on Mille Lacs, (10th place in the event) he’s moved from 44th to 37th place and into the Classic. It’s a tenuous position. He’s just six points in a difference of less than 2-pounds in the tournament.
Brent Ehrler put together an incredible two days in the AOY Championship to move himself into the Classic race. Ehrler was in the nervous position of getting knocked out of the Classic at La Crosse and winding up in 41st in the standings. He’s now sitting in third place in the event and has moved up to 35th in the standings. Is he can hang on to a top 10 the Classic berth is his.
Brent Ehrler put together an incredible two days in the AOY Championship to move himself into the Classic race. Ehrler was in the nervous position of getting knocked out of the Classic at La Crosse and winding up in 41st in the standings. He’s now sitting in third place in the event and has moved up to 35th in the standings. Is he can hang on to a top 10 the Classic berth is his.
Fred Roumbanis is in a similar boat as Chris Lane. Roumbanis started the event in 31st in AOY standings. After two days on Mille Lacs, he’s sitting in 41st. He has a lot of ground to make up on Day 3. He is 48th in the derby, and needs to gain at least 10 points to get in. That’s possible but will be increasingly more difficult if the big smallmouth just keep rolling in for the rest of the field.
Fred Roumbanis is in a similar boat as Chris Lane. Roumbanis started the event in 31st in AOY standings. After two days on Mille Lacs, he’s sitting in 41st. He has a lot of ground to make up on Day 3. He is 48th in the derby, and needs to gain at least 10 points to get in. That’s possible but will be increasingly more difficult if the big smallmouth just keep rolling in for the rest of the field.
Randy Howell is in 44th in the AOY standings and needs to gain 12- to 15-points on Day 3 to have a chance at a Classic berth. He’s in 31st in the event and that translates to a 5- to 6-pound gain on the anglers above him in the derby. Howell, though, could put together another amazing final day like his Guntersville Classic.
Randy Howell is in 44th in the AOY standings and needs to gain 12- to 15-points on Day 3 to have a chance at a Classic berth. He’s in 31st in the event and that translates to a 5- to 6-pound gain on the anglers above him in the derby. Howell, though, could put together another amazing final day like his Guntersville Classic.
Andy Montgomery has been flirting around a Classic berth for the last two weeks. He started this event in 37th in the points race, giving him a cushion of two places. He now sits in 40th, just four points from the Classic. After two days in the derby he’s 33rd, and less than a pound is the difference at this point from him being in or out.
Andy Montgomery has been flirting around a Classic berth for the last two weeks. He started this event in 37th in the points race, giving him a cushion of two places. He now sits in 40th, just four points from the Classic. After two days in the derby he’s 33rd, and less than a pound is the difference at this point from him being in or out.
Ish Monroe sits in 38th in the AOY standings, currently just four points inside the Classic race. He started the championship well in at 32nd place, but has fallen steadily at this event. The amazing thing is he has caught back-to-back 17-pound plus stringers (mostly largemouth) in this event and has still fallen. He’s hoping he’s bottomed out, and can figure out how to move back up.
Ish Monroe sits in 38th in the AOY standings, currently just four points inside the Classic race. He started the championship well in at 32nd place, but has fallen steadily at this event. The amazing thing is he has caught back-to-back 17-pound plus stringers (mostly largemouth) in this event and has still fallen. He’s hoping he’s bottomed out, and can figure out how to move back up.
Dave Lefebre has done the opposite of Monroe. He started the event in 39th place in the standings and was the last guy in the Classic. Each day he has added some cushion and currently is in 34th in the standings. That move came on the strength of 21- and 23-pound stringers that has him in 9th place in the derby.
Dave Lefebre has done the opposite of Monroe. He started the event in 39th place in the standings and was the last guy in the Classic. Each day he has added some cushion and currently is in 34th in the standings. That move came on the strength of 21- and 23-pound stringers that has him in 9th place in the derby.