Watch list: St. Johns Elite
Mar 16th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Mar 16th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Put down your pints (St. Patrick’s Day reference kids) and pick up your flipping sticks. It’s time to kick off the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series regular season. The playing field for the first event is the St. Johns River out of Palatka, Florida.
There are stretches that are definitely river, but also portions that are lakes. So, who to keep your eyes on? Well, BassFIRST picked three anglers to watch. They’re certainly not brave picks since the previous St. Johns winner is in the group as are two finalists as well, but they are worthy picks for sure.
Dean Rojas
Sure, this angler from Lake Havasu, Arizona may not seem like a great call for the uninitiated, but he is a Florida fishing machine. Big bass in the shallows in the Sunshine State puts Rojas in a perfect spot to repeat his Top 12 finish, if not go all the way.
Alton Jones
There is no doubt about Jones’ fishing creds or skills. Like Rojas, if the bass are in the shallows he is a happy man. Add the St. Johns River to the equation and there may be a little redemption on his mind from the 2014 event. Always a dangerous angler.
Chris Lane
The easy pick for sure. The winner last time on this river out of this location. He lives in Alabama now, but he is from Florida and knows these fish as well as anyone.
Dark horse
Okay, the dark horse pick isn’t really a dark horse. It’s Bobby Lane. It’s been a long time since this Florida angler has won an event. The St. Johns is a good place for him to get back to the winners’ circle on the Bassmaster Elite Series.