MLF releases 2024 Bass Pro Tour roster

Major League Fishing announced today the roster for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour. The field of 80 anglers will compete across nine states during the BPT season for a total purse of more than $6.7 million.

The field is led by 2023 Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker, as well as two-time AOY Jacob Wheeler and 2019 AOY/REDCREST champion Edwin Evers. Also returning are multi-time MLF winner Ott DeFoe, 2023 REDCREST champion Bryan Thrift, multi-time BPT winner and REDCREST 2021 champion Dustin Connell, and up-and-coming superstars Alton Jones Jr. and Dakota Ebare.

REDCREST 2022 champion Bobby Lane will also return to the lineup via a Champions Exemption after a one-year hiatus. The 2024 field includes 29 anglers who have won either a major-circuit Angler of the Year title or national tour-level championship.

New to the roster for 2024 are 12 rookies who qualified via the 2023 Invitationals: Ron Nelson (Michigan), Matthew Stefan (Wisconsin), Keith Carson (Florida), Martin Villa (Virginia), Grae Buck (Pennsylvania), Nick Hatfield (Tennessee), Marshall Robinson (South Carolina), Drew Gill (Illinois), Colby Schrumpf (Illinois), Jason Vance (Indiana), Justin Cooper (Louisiana), and Joshua Weaver (Georgia).

Jordan Lee, a three-time BPT winner and the 2020 AOY, announced this week that he's returning to the Bassmaster Elite Series. Other 2023 competitors not on this year's roster are Cliff Pace (35th on this year's points list), Cody Meyer (36th), Josh Butler (37th), Brett Hite (50th), Mitch Crane (51st), Randall Tharp (60th), Russ Lane (61st), Roy Hawk (76th), Tommy Biffle (77th), Tim Horton (79th) and Jeff Kriet (80th).

Kevin VanDam, the most successful competitor in the history of the sport, announced his retirement prior to the 2023 season.

Invitations to compete on the BPT are earned by performance in the previous year’s Tour, overall lifetime BPT average and performance in the previous year’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

Here's a look at the full 2024 BPT roster:

Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
*Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa.
*Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
*Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La.
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
*Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
*Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
*Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
*Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala.
*Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas
*Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis.
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
*Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind.
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
*Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va.
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
James Watson, Lampe, Mo.
*Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga.
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.
* Denotes 2024 Bass Pro Tour Rookie

The 2024 season gets under way Jan. 30 at Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, La.

---