Koby Kreiger Among Talented 2015 Bassmaster Elite Field

(Provided by B.A.S.S.)

/>Koby Kreiger - Photo Courtesy BASS/James OverstreetThe 2015 Bassmaster Elite Series field is now set with a mixture of well-known veteran pros and young up-and-comers ready to zig-zag the country, vying for thousands of dollars and the coveted Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

Topping the 113-angler field is Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who won the 2014 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite Series event on New Yorkís Cayuga Lake en route to capturing the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. The remainder of last yearís Top 5 points earners is also returning with four-time B.A.S.S. tournament winner Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas; three-time winner Jacob Powroznik of Port Haywood, Va.; six-time winner Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala.; and five-time winner Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark.

There will be 13 newcomers to the Elite Series field, including Mishawaka native Koby Kreiger, who won five FLW events and pocketed $1.4 million while fishing FLW events.

In addition, Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., qualified by finishing seventh in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Opens standings. Though he has yet to win a B.A.S.S. event, Ehrler has enjoyed success on the FLW Tour with eight victories, 33 career Top 10 finishes and more than $2.2 million in earnings during a decade-long career.

The field will feature a dozen former Classic winners, including Davis, Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss.; Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.; Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J.; Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas; Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala.; Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas; Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.; Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss.; and 2014 winner Randy Howell of Springville, Ala.

The Elite Series will begin March 19-22 with a trip to the Sabine River in Orange, Texas. The trail will then set a demanding pace for the anglers with trips to Alabamaís Lake Guntersville on April 9-12, Californiaís Sacramento River on April 30-May 3, Arizonaís Lake Havasu on May 7-10, Tennesseeís Kentucky Lake for BASSfest on June 3-7, New Yorkís St. Lawrence River on July 30-Aug. 2, Marylandís Chesapeake Bay on Aug. 13-16, Michiganís Lake St. Clair on Aug. 27-30 and Wisconsinís Sturgeon Bay for the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Sept. 17-20.

Standard Elite Series events will feature a total purse of $638,000, with $100,000 going to the winner and at least $10,000 going to anyone who finishes 50th or better. BASSfest will offer a total purse of $850,000 with a $100,000 winnerís payout, $60,000 for second place and at least $10,000 for any angler who places 60th or better.

The Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Championship will have a whopping total purse of $1 million, with the winner pocketing $100,000, the second-place angler earning $55,000 and third place paying $45,000. The remainder of the Top 50 pros in the AOY points standings will share in the rest of the championship payout.

Last yearís Elite Series, which featured the first-ever BASSfest in Dayton, Tenn., and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship in Escanaba, Mich., set a new attendance record by drawing 128,600 fishing fans.

The list of 2015 Bassmaster Elite Series qualifiers is below: