GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. - Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala., and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., qualified Saturday for the 2009 Bassmaster Classic through the Bassmaster Southern Open circuit.
The three pros also led the list of 10 anglers who earned this season's Southern Open invitations to compete in the 2009 Elite Series.
Herren, Pugh and Lane punched their tickets for the Classic after scoring the top three places in the 2008 Bassmaster Southern Open points race, which reached the finish line Saturday on Alabama's Lake Guntersville.
Herren had come into the Guntersville event sitting fourth in points - strong enough to be a realistic Elite hopeful but shaky enough to view a Classic slot as slightly out of reach. Now he's set to compete in his first Classic.
"I came here with a specific goal, to make the Elites. That was priority one, but now the Classic is right here in my hands too," said Herren, an experienced pro who has competed in various circuits for about 20 years.
Herren said he will join the 2009 Elite Series.
Pugh is also a first-time Classic qualifier.
"Making the Classic this season was my top goal," said Pugh. "It's something I've wanted to do for several years, but I hadn't been able to fish the Opens like I wanted to. Everybody always dreams of going to the Classic, and I finally made it. I'm very excited."
Lane's 2009 Classic berth will be his second; his first was last year, also obtained through the Southern Open circuit.
Lane, the 2008 Advance Auto Parts Rookie of the Year, had already secured a 2009 Classic spot by finishing 15th in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, which is the Bassmaster Elite Series points competition. Lane, however, now takes his Classic qualification through the Southern Open.
The double-qualifier situation opens the Classic door to Elite pro Rick Clunn of Ava., Mo., who is now in after being the first man out in the Elite's points race to the Classic. Clunn will be competing in his 32nd Classic, more than any other angler in Classic history.
Clunn might not end up taking the back-door entry. He's said he'd "rather make it on my own." He has a good shot at that through the Central Open division, which wraps up Nov. 1.
A total of 51 anglers will compete Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., for the Classic's top prize of $500,000 and the title.
The three Southern Open pros are the most recent additions to the Classic field. They join 37 previous qualifiers: the defending champion - Alton Jones of Waco, Texas - and 36 other Elite pros.
Another Classic berth will be filled Oct. 25, when the Women's Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year winner will be named in Hot Springs, Ark., at the Women's Tour Championship. She will make history as the first woman to qualify for a Classic.
Three more berths will be filled Nov. 1 through the Central Open, and six more Nov. 7 through the BASS Federation Nation National Championship.
The final 2009 Classic competitor will be known Nov. 15. That person will be the winner of the Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship
Besides Herren and Pugh, Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Ala., and Luke Gritter of Kalamazoo, Mich., became first-time Elite Series qualifiers Saturday.
Vinson, 31, was 18th in the points standings before the Oct. 16-18 Lake Guntersville event. His second-place finish in Alabama on Saturday ran up his points tally to land fifth place in the points race, easily making the top 10.
He began his trek to the Elite level in 2004, when he competed as a co-angler in Elite events.
"Fishing beside the best of the best gave me the inspiration to try to achieve that level,"Vinson said. "I'm tickled to death. My goal coming into the Guntersville tournament was to qualify for the Elite Series."
Six pros who earned Elite spots Saturday had already qualified through the 2008 Angler of the Year points race: Lane; Preston Clark of Palatka., Fla.; Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla., Peter Thliveros of St. Augustine, Fla.; Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., and Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C.
As with dual-tour Classic qualifiers, the six must take their 2009 Elite spots through the Southern Open. BASS will work down the AOY points standings to award the six spots to pros who competed on the Elite level in the 2008 season, but who did not requalify.
The 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series season will kick off March 12-15 on Lake Amistad out of Del Rio, Texas.
2008 Guntersville, AL - Southern 3
Boater Points After Lake Guntersville, Ending 10-18-2008, Day 3
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Place Name St Pts
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1 Matt Herren Ala. 802
2 Greg Pugh Ala. 775
3 Bobby Lane Fla. 767
4 Preston Clark Fla. 725
5 Greg Vinson Ala. 708
6 Terry Scroggins Fla. 699
7 Peter Thliveros Fla. 695
8 Aaron Martens Ala. 685
9 Casey Ashley S.C. 668
10 Luke Gritter Mich. 666
11 Chad Griffin Texas 641
12 Allen Hopper Fla. 636
13 Russ Lane Ala. 625
14 Randall Tharp Ala. 615
15 John Cox Fla. 609
16 Wesley Strader Tenn. 593
17 Jerry Stalvey Jr Fla. 592
17 J Todd Tucker Ga. 592
19 Cliff Crochet La. 573
20 Arnie Lane Fla. 563
20 Shannon Denson Miss. 563
22 Todd Auten S.C. 562
23 Jeff Fitts Fla. 557
24 Josh Guess Fla. 552
25 Fred Chivington Fla. 545
26 David Kilgore Ala. 541
27 Ron Klys Fla. 533
28 Jonathon Vandam Mich. 530
29 Jamie Laiche La. 524
30 Clint Brownlee Ga. 521
31 Cliff Prince Fla. 516
32 David Davis Fla. 504
33 Brandon Coulter Tenn. 500
34 David Cooke N.C. 499
35 Felton Jackson N.C. 468
36 Gregory Roth Canada 466
37 Gary Riffle Texas 458
38 Darrin Schwenkbeck N.Y. 454
39 John Gray Ind. 451
40 Jimmy Mason Ala. 449
41 Troy Morrow Ga. 448
42 Kenneth Chapman Tenn. 447
43 Rodney Chastain S.C. 440
44 Daryl Biron Conn. 427
45 Brannon Jones Ala. 426
46 Lance Vick Texas 422
47 Brian Wilhoit Md. 415
47 Preston Johnson Wisc. 415
49 John Devries Ind. 411
50 Chris Daniels Fla. 408
51 Gerald Gostenik Mich. 407
52 James Anderson Fla. 405
52 Kevin Langill N.C. 405
52 Patrick Kelly Ala. 405
55 Brett Mitchell S.C. 402
56 Brian Hatfield Ky. 401
56 Chris Lane Fla. 401
58 Allen Glasgow Ala. 399
59 John Kremer Fla. 390
60 David Mansue N.J. 384
61 Brent Broderick Ohio 376
62 Derek Remitz Ala. 375
63 Kyle Fox Fla. 371
64 Russell Colwell Md. 368
65 Doc Merkin Ill. 366
66 Mark Rogers Fla. 365
67 Scott Ashmore Okla. 349
67 Brian Penso Texas 349
69 Allen Duke Fla. 345
70 Brian Holder N.C. 342
71 David Burch Fla. 338
72 Britt Myers S.C. 334
72 Steve Crotteau Wisc. 334
74 Mike Wurm Ark. 328
75 Bryan Hudgins Fla. 318
76 Eric Nethery Ga. 317
77 Tim Ezell Fla. 316
78 Scott Wiley Ala. 315
78 Glenn Delong Ohio 315
80 Jason Williamson S.C. 310
81 Sean Dassau Ala. 305
82 Larry Rollings S.C. 303
83 Charlie Youngers Fla. 298
83 Teb Jones Miss. 298
85 Pam Martin-Wells Ga. 294
86 George Alexander Fla. 292
87 Lex Costas S.C. 290
88 David Gray Ala. 285
89 Kyle Walling Ky. 283
90 Tony Chachere La. 281
91 Robert Miley Fla. 280
92 Lisa Johnson Ala. 279
93 Harry Moore Ala. 278
94 Frank Scalish Ohio 277
95 Shawn Strader Tenn. 272
96 James Nuckols Tenn. 271
97 Kenneth Ellis S.C. 268
97 Skip Elliott Fla. 268
97 Phillip Cury Fla. 268
100 Patrick Pierce Fla. 265
101 Chuck Thurlow Ala. 264
101 Jack Wade Tenn. 264
103 Kelby Waldrip Ind. 261
104 Andy Morgan Tenn. 260
105 Mark Burgess Mass. 257
106 Dustin Evans Tenn. 256
106 Patrick Anderson Ala. 256
108 Curtis Reeves Ga. 252
109 Chris Ludwig Ind. 248
110 Eric Lewis Fla. 241
111 Brian Key S.C. 234
111 John Chaffo Pa. 234
113 Randy Alexander Ky. 230
114 Dan Welch W.Va. 224
115 Jason Danes Fla. 220
115 Ray Sedgwick S.C. 220
115 Chuck Howard S.C. 220
118 Sam Bass Ala. 219
118 Randy Yarnall Pa. 219
120 Scott Smith Tenn. 218
121 Randall Allen Ala. 213
121 Steve Parker S.C. 213
123 James Mcmon Ala. 212
124 Darrell Hicks Ga. 210
125 Kevin Pulsifer Fla. 208
126 Jason Lambert Tenn. 206
127 Rusty White S.C. 205
127 Steve Panaroni Conn. 205
129 Ryan Coleman Ga. 204
130 Frank Jordan JR Ga. 201
131 Lonnie Caywood Ga. 200
131 John Kolinski Wisc. 200
133 Mark Lamb N.C. 198
134 Todd Wagman Fla. 194
135 Marc Schilling Texas 193
136 Marty Sexton Ga. 191
137 Marty Robinson S.C. 185
138 Tim Gore Ala. 183
138 Michael Iaconelli N.J. 183
140 Jason Berg Minn. 177
141 Tom Hamlin Ga. 176
141 Michael Johnson Ga. 176
143 Mike Norsworthy Miss. 173
144 Craig Nels N.Y. 172
145 Terry Baksay Conn. 171
146 Ron Wolfarth N.C. 168
146 Charlie Hartley Ohio 168
148 Scott Mcgehee Miss. 165
149 Will Dickens S.C. 164
150 Hugh Crumpler Fla. 161
151 Terry Segraves Fla. 159
152 Lee Hartley Ga. 153
152 Jerry Green Ala. 153
154 Rich Patterson Fla. 151
155 Raul Morineau Mexico 144
156 James W Smith Ala. 143
157 Kirk Crump S.C. 141
158 Jerry Savage Miss. 139
159 Bob Morin Tenn. 136
160 Chad Illing N.C. 135
161 Cecil Douberly Fla. 134
161 Sandy Melvin Fla. 134
163 Bryan Miller Va. 128
163 Charlie Hill Ky. 128
165 Byron Franklin Ala. 127
166 Sam Greer Ky. 121
166 Tony Sapp Ga. 121
168 Brad Wall Ohio 120
169 David Stephens Fla. 117
170 Craig Fredrychowski S.C. 116
171 Alan Bull Ark. 115
171 Mike Haggerty Tenn. 115
173 Edward Guice Ala. 114
174 Austin Banks Miss. 113
175 Ben Harris Fla. 111
176 Tim Little Ga. 109
176 Ed Whaley Texas 109
178 Marc Deschenes S.C. 107
179 Brad Roberts Ark. 105
180 Richard Kitchens Fla. 103
181 Steve Linville Ohio 102
182 Craig Taylor Fla. 101
183 Bill Smith, Jr. Ky. 99
184 Gerald Swindle Ala. 97
185 Edward Bohn Ill. 90
186 Mark Peiser Ind. 87
187 Darrell Newman Texas 84
188 Mickey Thomas Mich. 80
189 Jeff Cloud Texas 76
190 Larry Jones Ga. 75
190 Juan Ruiz Fla. 75
192 Troy Gibson Ala. 70
192 Earl Purcell Mass. 70
194 Rick Pierce Ark. 69
195 Clint Belcher Ohio 66
195 Mark Stewart Ala. 66
197 Ray Brazier Tenn. 65
198 Alex Ormand N.C. 64
199 Lee Cox Md. 62
199 Warren Lovvorn Ala. 62
199 Jeff Morrison Ill. 62
202 Darrell Davis Fla. 61
203 Mike Weiss Wisc. 60
204 Chad Morgenthaler Ill. 57
205 Bradley Dortch Fla. 56
206 Raymond Derrick Fla. 54
207 Clark Smith Ala. 53
207 Thomas Dooley Va. 53
209 Ashley Hayes Tenn. 48
210 Bobby Stanfill S.C. 46
210 Keith Poche Ala. 46
212 Lynn Oswalt Ala. 44
213 Frank Ippoliti Pa. 40
213 Matt Amedeo Ohio 40
215 James Butler Tenn. 38
215 Homer Humphreys La. 38
217 Sean Hoernke Texas 34
218 Rusty Taylor Ala. 32
219 Mark Denney Ga. 29
220 Eric Johnson Ind. 26
221 Keith Ray Ala. 25
222 Russ Moran Tenn. 24
223 Mark Morton Ark. 23
224 Andrew Dick Del. 21
225 Kat Ealey Ala. 19
226 Tyrone Cypress Fla. 18
227 Sammy Burks Mo. 17
228 John Crews Va. 16
228 Bob Marek Ill. 16
230 Stephen Barrett Canada 15
230 Douglas Mayo Ala. 15
232 Rick Morris Va. 10
233 Chad Kallina Texas 9
234 Ish Monroe Calif. 7
235 Jeffrey Mahaffey Va. 6
235 Cody Malone Texas 6
237 Ronald Pierce Ark. 5
237 James Niggemeyer Texas 5
239 Wayne Prater Tenn. 4
239 Antonio Modino Fla. 4
241 Kenneth Hyatt Fla. 2
242 Patrick Tierney N.C. 0
242 Joey Thigpen Fla. 0
242 Bruce Bingenheimer N.Y. 0