Kevin VanDamPhoto by Garrick Dixon of B.A.S.S.

WEST POINT, MS -With the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship quickly approaching, three Mossy Oak Fishing Pros find themselves in the top twelve competitors going into the event. Bassmaster Elite anglers begin fishing in Hiawassee, GA on Thursday, September 20thand will fish into Sunday, September 23rd.

There is a large amount at stake; the event champion will receive $100,000 of the $1,000,000 prize pool. In addition, the angler who submits the largest daily catch out of all four days will receive $25,000. The entire field is also competing for the 36 qualifying seats to fish the 2019 Bassmaster Classic on March 15-17, 2019 in Knoxville, TN on the Tennessee River.

Three Mossy Oak Fishing Team Members find themselves in the top twelve positions for the AOY Standings going into the event. Currently in 11th for the AOY rankings with 584 points is the most accomplished professional bass fisherman of all time and the Mossy Oak Fishing Team Leader, Kevin VanDam. VanDam is a four-time AOY Champion, each championship of which came in back-to-back-to-back-to-back fashion from 2008-2011.

Currently sitting in 10th place with 592 points is the 2017 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Brandon Palaniuk. Palaniuk joins Mossy Oak Fishing team member, Ott Defoe (currently in 4th place with 634 points) in the top 10 positions going into the tournament.

Next in line after the prestige of the Bassmaster Classic, which is often referred to as the "Superbowl of bass fishing," the AOY title is the second-most coveted title to claim in competitive bass fishing. The Bassmaster Angler of the Year rankings are calculated on a 1-point-per-place system based on the field size on Day 1 of the first Elite event in 2018. From that day forward, the point system will remain the same throughout the 2018 season, including any post-season event. Example: If the season started with a field size of 108, first place will be awarded 108 points, second, 107, down to the last angler weighing a legal fish in the final standings. The remainder of the season would remain the same regardless of the number of withdrawals. Competitors must weigh a legal bass during the competition to receive points. In the case where one or more competitors do not weigh a legal bass, points will end at the place of competitors weighing a legal bass. AOY tiebreakers are broken by total weight from full field days for the season, to include the TBTF event and the AOY championship. In the event these tiebreakers do not determine the AOY Champion, tournament officials shall schedule a sudden death fish off between the tied anglers.

The Mossy Oak Fishing Team, all leaders in the sport of bass fishing, Kevin VanDam, Jordan Lee, Ott DeFoe, Gerald Swindle and Brandon Palaniuk - will be on-site, fishing hard. Follow Mossy Oak Fishing's Facebook page and Instagram page for live updates from the event and the anglers.

As part of the Mossy Oak Fishing Team, all team members will be wearing Mossy Oak's pattern, Elements Agua. Mossy Oak launched Elements Agua at the ICAST show in July 2017. Elements Agua is the official pattern of B.A.S.S. Elements Agua comes from Mossy Oak's family of patterns created with the core elements of the natural world in mind - earth, wind, and water. Agua is a photo-realistic, multi-directional pattern meant for both seasoned sportsmen and those who simply enjoy spending time in the great outdoors.

To learn more about Mossy Oak's Elements Agua pattern, visit www.mossyoak.com/camouflage/elements. To learn more about Mossy Oak and/or to see free, timely, entertaining outdoors content, go to www.mossyoak.com.

Haas Outdoors Inc. is headquartered in West Point, Miss., was established in 1986 and is home of Mossy Oak. For more than 30 years, Mossy Oak has been a leading outdoors lifestyle brand that specializes in developing and marketing modern camouflage designs for hunters and outdoors enthusiasts. The Mossy Oak Brand and patterns can be found on a multitude of products worldwide. Haas Outdoors Inc. is the parent company of Mossy Oak, BioLogic, Capture Productions, MOOSE Media, Nativ Nurseries, Nativ Living, GameKeepers, GameKeepers Kennels and Mossy Oak Properties.Mossy Oak is the official camouflage of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Quality Deer Management Association, and Mack's Prairie Wings and the official pattern of B.A.S.S.and Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.

Follow Mossy Oak on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterestand YouTube.

###

STAY CONNECTED