I've been watching the elite series events a lot closer this year and they even have extensive live coverage on the websites for all who didn't know!

 

Personally I'd love to see Aaron Martens take AOY again this year but Dean Rojas is still in the lead. Not sure if the numbers have updated following the Bassfest results.

 

Anyone else have favorite anglers or predictions for who they'd like to see take the title?

i think kvd i well on his way to winning this.  especially now heading east.  want rojas though

I would say the rest of the season sets up well for Aaron Martens, Edwin Evers, Brent Ehrler and KVD.   All 4 are in the top 10 and they all can win smallmouth events on the Great Lakes.

The top 3 is really close but out of those it sets up best for A-Mart 

I thought this would be Dean Rojas's year but even though hes leading, I dont think hes the odds-on favorite.  There are too many smallmouth guys on his heels!  AMart, Ehrler, and KVD can whack the brown fish!  

No love for Justin Lucas? This dude knows how to catch 'em and is currently sitting in 2nd.

 

He's fished well on fisheries in the north (see Bays de Noc, Cayuga), not sure why I see in discussions elsewhere that the Northern swing will hurt him....  Maybe because he's not a "smallmouth guy", but hes a guy who knows how to fish clear water and seems comfortable when he has to slow down and pull out the spinning rods.

No love for Justin Lucas? This dude knows how to catch 'em and is currently sitting in 2nd.

 

He's fished well on fisheries in the north (see Bays de Noc, Cayuga), not sure why I see in discussions elsewhere that the Northern swing will hurt him....  Maybe because he's not a "smallmouth guy", but hes a guy who knows how to fish clear water and seems comfortable when he has to slow down and pull out the spinning rods.

 

I definitely respect him as a balanced angler but I'd give it to Brent Erhler before Lucas primarily because this guy has some of the more impressive wide range angling talent I've ever seen. He and Aaron will be the ones to dethrone KVD if anyone does. However I loved watching Lucas on the Cali Delta. He Killed it! That kicker was pretty sweet.

Stephen Longobardi ,