Texas bass pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland is headed to the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2025.
Ebare, 32, recently qualified for the big league trail by virtue of his third-place finish in the final Bassmaster EQ Open event of the 2024 season held Oct. 1012 on Lake Martin in Alexander City, Alabama.
The finish carried Ebare to seventh place in the 2024 Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year standings. The Top-nine finishers in the AOY standings after regular season events received invitations to fish the top tier Elites next season.
It’s worth noting that Ebare departed the MLF Bass Pro Tour after the 2023 season to focus on the Bassmaster Opens as a bridge to qualify for the Elites. He won more than $1.1 million in MLF events dating back to 2017.
The affable pro says he knew going in that qualifying for the Elites would be a grind. He’s stoked about reaching the goal on the first try.
“It’s a dream come true,” Ebare said. “I’m very blessed, that’s about the only way I can put it. I was asking a lot to step away from the BPT and try to qualify for the Elites in one year. I put a lot of pressure on myself and on my sponsors to do so, and I’m really glad it all worked out. It’s a huge relief to be back on a professional tour and I’m really looking forward to it.”
ELLANDER WINS FALL SHOOTOUT
John Ellander of Lake Charles, LA., was the big winner in the two-day Sealy Outdoors Fall Shootout held earlier this month on Sam Rayburn.
Ellander weighed in a 9.31 pounder during the opening round that turned out to be the heaviest bass of the event. He banked $1,000 in hourly money, plus the grand prize package that included a fully rigged Phoenix 919 Pro XP bass boat.
Rounding out the Top 5 finishers were Mike Williams of Lufkin, 8.81, $2,500; Brian Little of Brookeland, 8.54, $2,000; Cord Rawls of Calls, 8.49, $1,500; and Tanner Richards of Houston, 8.45, $1,000.
The full field weighed in 309 bass totaling 1,165.55 pounds.
8.18 TAKES TOP PRIZE IN BERKLEY BIG BASS
‘John McDiffitt of Quitman topped a field of more than 1,200 anglers at 19th annual Berkley Big Bass event on Oct. 19 at Lake Fork with an 8.18 pounder. He won a fully rigged Skeeter ZX 200 bass boat, plus $1,000 for catching the big bass of the hour.
Randy Young of Hope caught the biggest bass under the 16-24 inch slot limit. The 2.79 pounder earned Young a Skeeter ZX150, plus $1,000. The full field turned in two other fish over the slot, a 8.11 pounder and a 7.91 pounder.