Meet the Elite Angler Advisory Board

In an effort to facilitate better communication and collaboration with Elite Series anglers, the Bassmaster Elite Angler Board of Professionals (ABP) has been created, B.A.S.S. announced today. The Advisory Board consists of six Elite anglers who were voted on by their peers and who will speak on behalf of the entire field in communicating with B.A.S.S. in order to provide a more direct and efficient way of discussing any current challenges and future opportunities.

John Crews
Salem, Virginia

John Crews has fished the Elite Series since its inception in 2006. Over the course of his long career, the Virginia native has fished 236 B.A.S.S. events.

In addition to winning the 2010 Duel in the Delta and the 2022 St. Johns River event, he has 27 Top 10 finishes in B.A.S.S. events.

Over the course of his career, Crews has earned $1,681,577.31 with B.A.S.S.

Crews has qualified for 13 Bassmaster Classics.

Mark Menendez
Paducah, Kentucky

Mark Menendez has also fished the Bassmaster Elite Series since its inception in 2006. Over the course of his 30-year career, the Kentucky native has fished 280 B.A.S.S. events.

Menendez has won three B.A.S.S. events, including an Elite tournament, Bassmaster Southern Open and Top 100 tournament. He has 29 Top 10 finishes with B.A.S.S. with six Bassmaster Classic appearances to his name.

Over the course of his career, Menendez has earned $1,444,535.65 with B.A.S.S.

Menendez has a degree in fisheries biology and frequently briefs legislative and conservation groups on invasive species issues.

Lee Livesay
Longview, Texas

Lee Livesay has fished the Bassmaster Elite Series since 2019. The Texas native has claimed three Elite Series victories.

His three Elite wins were the Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake (2020), the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork (2021) — where his final-day catch of five bass weighing 42-3 was the third-heaviest, single-day weight in B.A.S.S. history — and the 2022 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork (2022). He also won a Bassmaster Open event on Ross Barnett in 2022.

During his career, Livesay has fished 76 B.A.S.S. events, securing 14 Top 10 finishes in those events.

Livesay has earned $925,356 in B.A.S.S. events.

Drew Benton
Panama City, Florida

Drew Benton has fished the Bassmaster Elite Series since 2016. In 2016, the Florida native won the Rookie of the Year title.

In his career, Benton has won two Bassmaster Elite Series events — the 2018 Bassmaster Texas Fest at Lake Travis and the 2023 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray.

During his career, Benton has fished 115 B.A.S.S. events, securing 19 Top 10s in that time.

Benton has earned $1,112,746 fishing B.A.S.S. events.

Alex Wetherell
Middletown, Connecticut

Alex Wetherell has fished the Bassmaster Elite Series since 2023.

During his career, Wetherell has fished 46 B.A.S.S. events. In that time, the Connecticut native has notched 10 Top 10 finishes — three of which were in Elite Series competition.