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The growth of college and high school fishing is helping churn out solid anglers who can compete at the pro level. There are a greater number of bass anglers waiting in the wings to swoop down and capture tournament titles than ever before, and we’ve taken up the task of narrowing them down to the top 30 anglers under 30 years of age.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 30: Shane Powell is a 26-year-old graduate from Auburn University who has fished nearly 30 FLW events, where he’s had five top 10 finishes and a victory in the College championship. In College B.A.S.S., Powell lost to current Elite Jordan Lee in the fishoff for a berth in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. Currently he’s fishing Bass Pro Shops Opens and Costas, where he’s made the championships the past two seasons.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 29: Hunter Shryock, 27, is the younger brother of Elite angler Fletcher Shryock. He competes in Bassmaster Opens, where he just finished the 2016 Southern circuit 24th in points and was 60th in the first Northern Open on Oneida. The Newcomerstown, Ohio, brothers also make some awesome videos under Hunter’s editing.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 28: Logan Latuso, 22, attended East Ascension High School in his hometown of Gonzales, La., where Greg Hackney lives. After competing in the 2008 Junior World Championships, he’s had two Top 10 finishes as a co-angler in Bassmaster Opens and this year took 13th in the first Central Open.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 27: Sam George, who turned 21 this July, is already a veteran of 25 Bassmaster Opens. With a bevy of sponsors aiding his efforts, the Athens, Ala., angler has assembled a nice team in his effort to reach the Elites. Seems like every photo of this kid includes a huge fish.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 26: Matt Lee, 27, of Vinemont, Ala., is the elder of the “Lee Brothers.” He qualified for the 2013 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake through the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. In 2014, Lee fished all three Open divisions and qualified for the Elite Series. In his short tenure, he has three Top 20 finishes, including a seventh on Lake Amistad in the 2014 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open. In 37 tournaments, he’s earned a check a respectable 17 times.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 25: Alton Jones Jr., 24, the namesake of 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones, has quickly stepped into the spotlight. Jones finished his rookie season as a Bassmaster pro last season after fishing the Central and Southern Opens. In the first three events, he made the money twice and didn’t finish outside the Top 50. This season he was 32nd in the Southern Opens points standings and took 19th in first Northern Open on Oneida.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 24: Kyle Fox, 28, began fishing Opens in his teens and jumped into the Elites in 2012 at the age of 22. Now back only in Opens, he’s earned checks in 22 of 59 B.A.S.S. events and has six Top 10 finishes, with total earnings just topping $100,000.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 23: Dustin Connell, 25, is another collegiate angler who is quickly climbing up the ranks. As a representative of the University of Alabama, he was a consistent top finisher in Carhartt Bassmaster College Series and FLW events. Last season he held off a charge from Elite pro Russ Lane to win the Southern Open on the Alabama River. This season he was fourth overall in points on the Southern Open circuit and is expected to move into the Elites in 2017.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 22: Joey Nania, 25, is in his sixth year of fishing Opens, and he’s also the co-host of Sweetwater TV. Originally from Liberty Lake, Wash., Nania lives in Cropwell, Ala., and works to make splashes in the Open scene, where he finished 11th this year in Southern Open points. He has three Top 10s.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 21: Jay Brainard, 28, of Enid, Okla., is fishing his first season on the Elite Series and is currently in eighth place in the Rookie of the Year standings. He’s not set the world on fire yet, but he comes with an impressive Opens record. In his first Bassmaster Open on Ross Barnett, Brainard finished second to Gene Bishop, sacking more than 54 pounds of largemouth. He’s fished just 11 events the last two seasons.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 20: Zack Birge, 25, has gone from College B.A.S.S. national champion to three-time event winner in various FLW series. In 53 FLW events, he’s had nine top 10s and accumulated $218,536 in earnings. He finished eighth in his sole FLW Cup.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Originally from Mayflower, Ark., home of current Elite Billy McCaghren and former Elite Kevin Short, Birge now lives in Blanchard, Okla. He is co-owner and vice president of Bass Militia, and owner of Shallow Water Customz.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 19: Brett Preuett, 25, of Monroe, La., was the 2015 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series representative at the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro and followed that path to the Elite Series.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
While the transition hasn’t been easy for the young professional, Preuett is sitting in sixth place in the Rookie of the Year standings. His Bassmaster Open career has been much better. He’s showed promise with an eighth-place finish at the Central Open on Ross Barnett and 12th on the Southern Open on the Alabama River and sixth on Table Rock last season.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 18: Brandon Cobb, 27, is a sign salesman from Greenwood, S.C., who’s climbed to No. 47 on BassFan’s world rankings. His top finish in FLW competition is third in the Forest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita last season.
Photo: Courtesy Woods and Water SC
Cobb was among the top 15 in points in the FLW standings last year, thus earning a berth into the prestigious Toyota Texas Bass Classic in May.
Photo: Courtesy Woods and Water SC
NO. 17: Skylar Hamilton, 21, of Dandridge, Tenn., learned fishing from his grandfather, so well in fact that he’s already turned his expertise into a Central Open victory and a berth into the 2017 Bassmaster Classic in Houston.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Hamilton has cashed a check in seven of his 23 B.A.S.S. events. He was the Second Chance winner on Nickajack Lake at BASSfest 2014, and won the Bass Pro Shops Central Open on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla., in June by 1 ounce.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 16: Brock Mosley, 28, of Collinsville, Miss., is a rookie on the Elite Series, qualifying through the Southern Opens last season. He is currently fifth in the Rookie of the Year standings.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Prior to this Elite season, Mosley has been a regular on the Bassmaster Opens since 2012. He’s fished a total of 31 events, finishing in the money in 14.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 15: John Hunter, 25, is a first-year Elite angler from Georgetown, Ky. Hunter went from Georgetown College to fish FLW, where he was co-angler of the year with five top 10 finishes.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Hunter also fished Northern Opens and did well enough to qualify for the Elites, where he has struggled since making a Top 12 in his second event at Winyah Bay.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 14: Jesse Wiggins, 26, has a pretty good Opens resume for only competing in seven events. The Cullman, Ala., pro has been in the money six times with one victory, but he says his older brother Jordan is better than him. They teamed up to win the AOY title in the North Division of the Alabama Bass Trail.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Jesse, who works as a respiratory therapist for three hospitals near Cullman, had found much of his success on Smith Lake in Jasper, Ala. That’s where he won the Southern Open this spring and finished sixth in the 2014 Open. He finished this season third in points in the Southern Opens and will receive an Elite invitation.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 13: Jonathon VanDam, 27, has always had some tough shoes to fill, coming into the Elite Series with a powerful name hanging over his head in uncle Kevin VanDam. While JVD has had some roller coaster seasons he has proven that catching fish is hereditary.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
VanDam has two wins under his belt, the first a 2009 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open on Lake Erie and the latest was an Elite Series win at the 2012 Green Bay Challenge on Lake Michigan. Since joining the Elite Series in 2011, VanDam has put together 13 Top 10 finishes and 26 Top 50s, producing more than $450,000 in winnings, while qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic twice.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 12: Micah Frazier, of Newnan, Ga., showed his mettle in his first Elite Series event last season on the Sabine River. The 28-year-old pro stood toe-to-toe with veterans Shaw Grigsby, Aaron Martens, Todd Faircloth and the occasional Chris Lane in the back of a canal, where a large part of the heavy sacks were caught.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
That finish helped put him in his first Bassmaster Classic at Grand Lake. Currently, he’s suffering some sophomore blues (68th in the AOY but has proven he can compete). Frazier has competed in 22 events, all but five of those were Elites. He made checks in 12 and competed in the AOY Championship last season.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 11: Adrian Avena, 26, is the newest Jersey Boy on the Elite Series. After four years with the FLW, where he won two events, fished three Cups and earned almost $300,000, the Vineland, N.J., pro qualified for the Elites through the Northern Opens.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Avena, also a saltwater guide, has made the Top 50 cuts in three of his seven Elite events, including a 13th at BASSfest and an eighth at Bulls Shoals/Norfork. He stands 36th in the Toyota Angler of the Year standings, just inside the cut to make his first Classic.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 10: Drew Benton, 27, of Panama City, Fla., is starting to make a name for himself in his first year on the Elite Series. He’s currently leading the Rookie of the Year standings, but he’s also 13th in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Those high ranks come after two Top 10 finishes this season. His last was an eighth-place finish at the Cayuga Elite event that qualified him for the Classic Bracket event on the Niagara River, where he faced Kevin VanDam in opening round action.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Prior to the Elites, Benton has been a consistent competitor on the Bassmaster Opens since 2012 and the highlight of his career was a win on the FLW Tour on Lake Okeechobee in 2013.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 9: Stetson Blaylock, 28, of Benton, Ark., follows a long line of successful Arkansas pros to the Bassmaster ranks. He’s mainly made his mark on the FLW Tour, where he started his career in 2009.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
In just his third appearance as a pro, he won the FLW Tour event on Lake Norman. In 2013 he finished runner-up in the FLW Tour AOY standings, where he has been a top competitor virtually every season.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
This year he finished third in the FLW AOY standings. On the B.A.S.S. side of things, he recently qualified for the Elite Series, finishing second in the Southern Open points standings.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 8: Jacob Wheeler, 25, has continued his role as one of the rising stars of bass fishing. He recently qualified for the Elite Series after finishing fifth in the Southern Opens points race.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
He followed that up with a similar top finish in the FLW Tour standings this season. Wheeler became a known commodity in 2014 when he edged Kevin VanDam to win the inaugural BASSfest on Chickamaugua.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Wheeler, of Indianapolis, came to that event with impeccable credentials. He is the youngest angler to ever win the BFL All-American in 2011. And in 2012 he won the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier in Georgia.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 7: Josh Bertrand, 28, of Mesa, Ariz., has quickly become recognized as a force on the Elite Series. He’s currently 34th in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings and has an extraordinary check-to-tournaments fished ratio with 26 checks in 46 events.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Of those he’s finished in the Top 20 a total of 10 times. While the winner’s circle has eluded him, most feel like it’s just a matter of time. He’s been close before.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Bertrand started his career finishing in a first-place tie with Brent Chapman at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Lewisville Lake. Chapman won that event in a fishoff, but Bertrand showed he could perform well enough to win.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 6: Bradley Roy is the most seasoned of the anglers under 30, even if he is only 25. He’s in his sixth season on the Elite Series, having won the Rookie of the Year award in 2010.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
To take his history another step, he won the Bassmaster Junior World Championship at the age of 13. While he’s not notched another win since, he’s come close.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Currently, he is enjoying his best season on the Elites this far. He is sitting in 23rd in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings after three Top 20s this year, including a 12th place at BASSfest on Texoma, all of that putting him in a position to earn his first Bassmaster Classic berth.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 5: Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is in his third year on the Elite Series and he’s quietly built up a strong resume.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
The 28-year-old angler has produced well enough to make a check in more than half of the events he’s fished, and he’s qualified for two Bassmaster Classics.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
After a stellar season in 2015, where he qualified for the AOY championship, Lester has fallen off the pace a bit this season, currently sitting in 73rd in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. But he has shown strengths, especially at the Elite Series event on Wheeler Lake where he flirted around the Top 5 for two days.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 4: James Elam, 29, of Tulsa, Okla., is in his fourth year on the Elite Series and is quickly becoming more in tune with the high level of competition on the tour.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
In his first two years on the Elites, Elam recorded a total of four checks. But in 2015, he showed out with five Top 10 finishes.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Four of those came on the Elite Series and he scored a victory at the Central Open on Fort Gibson, giving him a Classic berth and a less-stressful time at the AOY Championships. In 41 events, he’s earned a check in 22 events.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 3: Brandon Card, 29, will see his last year on the 30-under-30 list after earning a spot in the top three. Card was the first angler to make the leap from the Carhartt College Series to the Elite Series.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Card qualified for the top level in 2012, making his way through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Opens. At the Elite level, Card has qualified for two Classics, and in 60 events has cashed 32 checks with 19 of those in the Top 20.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
The latest top finish for Card was as runner-up at BASSfest on Texoma, where he showed flashes of brilliance by coming from well behind on the final day to make a run at the title.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 2: Jordan Lee, 25, is fast-becoming a household name in the professional ranks. He reached the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville through the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, and he impressed everyone by finishing sixth.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Lee followed that performance with taking part in all three Open divisions in 2014 and, like his brother, qualified for the Elites. Since joining the Elite Series he’s fished a total of 33 events earning a check in 25 events, an almost unheard of feat.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Lee has qualified for the Classic twice, the last time through the Elite Series, and he recently went head-to-head with Kevin VanDam to finish second in the Cayuga Elite Series event.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
NO. 1: Since bursting on the scene as the B.A.S.S. Nation representative in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic, Brandon Palaniuk, 28, has proven he’s anything but a one-hit wonder.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
In one of the more historic Classics, he finished in fourth place, and he hasn’t let up since. Palaniuk is undoubtedly the most successful angler in the world still in his 20s. He’s qualified for the Classic every single year he’s competed and has won two Elite Series events (Bull Shoals in 2012, St. Lawrence River in 2013).
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
Palaniuk has backed that up with three runner-up finishes, including last season at St. Clair. And in 78 events, he has earned a staggering 45 paychecks for more than $700,000 in B.A.S.S. earnings.
Photo: B.A.S.S. photo
