July 6, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Former Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., is leaving Elite Series competition to pursue other career opportunities.
“My number one goal was always to qualify for the Elite Series,” Stracner said. “I got to travel around the country and fish professionally, which I will always cherish. Some of the guys that I got to fish with and travel with will be friends of mine forever.
“It’s weird to consider myself a ‘former’ Elite Series pro, but at the end of the day, that’s still a title that I’ll be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. I never wanted to fish with any other organization because I just wanted to be a Bassmaster, and I got to do that … getting an opportunity to pursue a really good job opportunity has made this an easier decision.”
Stracner qualified for the Elite Series through the 2020 St. Croix Bassmaster Eastern Opens, where he averaged a 13th-place finish across four events. Stracner’s momentum didn’t stop there, as he went on to win the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year title in 2021. Over the course of his 36-event B.A.S.S. career, Stracner registered 13 Top 30 finishes, 10 Top 20 finishes and qualified for the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
