When Allen Glasgow won the the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship on Nov. 12, he became the final qualifier for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
The Classic field now has all 49 anglers set, coming from five circuits and 22 states.
"To be able to go to the Classic, to do what few anglers have done, is exciting," Glasgow said. "It's just beginning to sink in today."
Glasgow, who hails from Ashville, Ala., became the 10th qualifier from his home state, which had already earned bragging rights as the state with the most entries for 2012, followed by Texas with seven.
Bassmaster Classic 2012 blends the new with the familiar. There will be 12 Classic rookies, including Texan Andrew Upshaw, who was named the Mercury College B.A.S.S. champion. These first-timers will have to try and outfish defending champ and four-time winner Kevin VanDam, who will compete in his 22nd consecutive Classic. Denny Brauer, the 1998 Classic winner, will make his 21st Classic appearance.
All qualifiers arrived via one of five avenues, but the majority of the field stemmed from the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series. Six others traveled the long road of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation. Four emerged from the 2011 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open divisions. Mercury College B.A.S.S. and the 2011 Weekend Series each produced one qualifier.
The 2012 Classic will be held on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City on Feb-24-26. The world championship was last held in Shreveport-Bossier back in 2009, when Classic attendance records were broken. Daily weigh-ins will take place at CenturyLink Center in Bossier, while the 2012 Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo presented by Dick's Sporting Goods will be at the Shreveport Convention Center.
Below are all 49 qualifiers, organized by state, and alphabetically by angler within each state. City of residence is noted.
Alabama: Allan Glasgow, Ashville; Jamie Horton, Centreville; Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals; Randy Howell, Springville; Steve Kennedy, Auburn; Chris Lane, Guntersville; Aaron Martens, Leeds; Keith Poche, Pike Road; Gerald Swindle, Warrior; Greg Vinson, Wetumpka
Arizona: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City
Arkansas: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs
California: Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande; Ish Monroe, Hughson
Florida: Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville; Bobby Lane, Lakeland; Terry Scroggins, San Mateo
Idaho: Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum; Josh Polfer, Nampa
Indiana: Bill Lowen, Brookville; Matt McCoy, Indianapolis
Kansas: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira
Kentucky: Kevin Wirth, Crestwood
Louisiana: Greg Hackney, Gonzales
Maryland: Chris Price, Church Hill
Michigan: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo
Missouri: Denny Brauer, Camdenton; Mark Tucker, St. Louis
New Hampshire: John Diaco, Rochester
New Jersey: Michael Iaconelli, Pitts Grove
North Carolina: Dustin Wilks, Rocky Mount
Ohio: Fletcher Shryock, Newcomerstown
Oklahoma: Edwin Evers, Talala; Jeff Kriet, Ardmore; Fred Roumbanis, Bixby
South Carolina: Casey Ashley, Donalds; Davy Hite, Ninety Six; Marty Robinson, Lyman
Tennessee: Ott DeFoe, Knoxville; David Walker, Sevierville
Texas: Keith Combs, Huntington; Todd Faircloth, Jasper; Tom Jessop, Dalhart; Alton Jones, Waco; Takahiro Omori, Emory; Matt Reed, Madisonville; Andrew Upshaw, Hemphill
Virginia: John Crews, Salem; Kelly Pratt, Williamsburg
Click here for a schedule of other upcoming tournaments.
