Benton, Avena And A Talented Cast Of Young Pros Vie For Bassmaster Roy Title

I enjoyed watching future Major League stars come through Jacksonville when I was a boy. We have a Southern League team, the Suns. Perhaps the best stretch was during the ‘80’s when they farmed for the Montreal Expos and, for that time, were known as the “Jacksonville Expos” – commonly called the ‘Jaxpos’. The talent in those days was incredibly strong and included eventual National League MVP Larry Walker and a few others who would eventually play on my TV set instead of our stadium in town.

I watched Bo Jackson and Michael Jordan (yes, THAT Michael Jordan when he tried his hand at hardball) play against our Suns. Neither could hit a curve ball at the time. Bo figured it out.

Observing the sport of angling from the front lines, I have had the privilege of watching young anglers learn to hit tournament curveballs – weather changes, disappearing schools, depleted shallow water areas and boat pressure.

A couple of years ago I fished the co-angler division at an FLW Tour tourney on Okeechobee. Now, in no way do I mean to compare the FLW Tour to minor league ball. The Tour represents a most professional sports league. The comparison lies in the fact that it afforded me a front row seat to watch some strong young talent that is now showing up as front runners in the Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year race. Heck, a couple of the young guys are making noise in the Angler of the Year race.

At that one tournament I met Adrian Avena in a grocery store parking lot and fished with Drew Benton on 2nd day of the first FLW Tour event of his rookie season on that trail. Benton won the tournament. What I remember most though is that he dug in his tackle bag and handed me a lure like the one he was catching them on. Before he had finished out his limit. It was a homemade bladed jig. He also figured out why I wasn’t catching them like he was. He explained exactly how the fish were positioned and why.

Drew Benton was dialed-in.

I enjoyed the show and developed an admiration for the way this young man went about his business. And the way he treated me.

While Avena is a Jersey Boy and Benton hails from Panama City, Florida, they share some outstanding character traits. Traits that make it easy to understand the considerable success they have achieved so early in their careers.

Benton currently 9th in AOY points and leads the ROY race with 258 points. Avena is 28th with 217. We’re 3 tournaments into the 2016 season, and a lot can still happen; will happen, but Benton and Avena have separated from a talented pack of rookies. The race should be tight and guys like Brock Mosely and John Hunter will give chase.

 

And I believe that years from now we will look back on this Rookie of the Year race as the start of some big Bassmaster tournament angling careers.