NEW ELITE SERIES PRO
Category: notes
Jan 29th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jan 29th, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Bassmaster Opens pro J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., on Monday was offered and accepted a spot in the 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series, the highest level of BASS competition.
Tucker had been one spot away from an Elite Series invitation after finishing 11th in the Bassmaster Central Open standings. But when the points race winner, Michael Burns, officially declined to opt into the Elites, an invitation was extended to Tucker.
“I’ve been working for this for the past three years,” said Tucker, 35, who competed in all Open divisions offered since 2006. “I’d been fishing consistently, but couldn’t quite get over the hump into the Elites.”
In the 2008 season, he competed in both Open divisions, the Central and Southern. As his season began to shape up, it looked like the Southern Opens, not the Central Opens, would be his route to the Elite level. But it didn’t happen for him in the Southern, and it came down to the Central Open finale on Lake Texoma.
“I went into Texoma in 22nd place, and knew I needed a pretty good tournament to move up. I had one,” he said. “I didn’t think I had a shot in the Central, but I wound up pulling it off. That’s why you should never give up. It helps, if the Elite Series is your goal, to fish more than one Open circuit.”
Tucker said that when the Elite invitation came, he had already entered all three 2009 Open divisions – the Central, Southern and the recently reestablished Northern tour. He said he still plans to compete in all nine Open tournaments in addition to the 11-event Elite Series season.
“The way the schedule is, it works out for the Elite anglers to fish all the Opens,” he said. “Now we can fish BASS all season long, we don’t have to cross over and fish other circuits.”
A quail hunting guide when he’s not competing on the water, Tucker, 35, has been fishing in BASS events as a pro since late 2002.
Although it was several years coming, Tucker said he’s pleased with the timing of his Elite rookie year.
“I feel like I’m fishing better, and I’ve got my sponsors lined up, and I can go into it with a little bit of financial backing,” he said. “That lets you fish with a clearer mind. I think that’s important because fishing is about 50 percent mental, 50 percent technique. If you have to worry about paying your bills while you’re on the water, those other anglers have already beat you.”
Tucker said his sponsors include Southern Woods Plantation, the Georgia lodge where he guides, and a Washington, D.C., caucus organization, the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation. The boat wrap with which he’ll start the 2009 Elite season is sponsored by Columbia County, Ga., and Clarks Hill Partnership, a marketing coalition of five Georgia counties that promotes tourism.
The 2009 Elite season begins with the Battle on the Border, March 12-15 on Lake Amistad out of Del Rio, Texas.
Although Burns, the Central Open points race winner from Plano, Texas, won’t move up to the Elites, he will compete in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La. He was one of three Classic qualifiers through the Central Open circuit.