rookies and not-so-rookies
CAL LANE
GUNTERSVILLE , ALABAMA
Among the handful of bass-fishing families that made their marks in tournament bass fishing , it would be hard to argue against “ Lane ” and “ Hibdon ” being among the most respected surnames in the sport – just shy of $ 7.2 million in career winnings between the two families tells you all you need to know about their bass-catching bloodlines .
With the addition of Cal Lane and Lawson Hibdon to the Pro Circuit roster – Hibdon qualified in through the Plains Division , Lane via the Southeastern Division – don ’ t be shocked if / when that number gets even bigger .
Hibdon will compete head-to-head with his dad Dion , a Forrest Wood Cup and Bassmaster Classic champion who will reenter tour-level competition after a five-year absence ( more on this later ). Lane will be in the same Pro Circuit field as his dad Chris ( a Classic champ ) and uncle Bobby ( a General Tire World Champion ), both of whom are fishing both the Bass Pro Tour and the Pro Circuit .
Hibdon has competed in the Ozark Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League for eight years – starting as a
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
JACOPO GALLELLI
FLORENCE , ITALY
PHOTO BY CURTIS NIEDERMIER PHOTO BY ANDY HAGEDON
FAMILY BUSINESS
boater when he was 18 – and fished three seasons ( 2011 , 2012 and 2015 ) on the FLW Tour as a co-angler . He qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup in 2015 and has 35 BIG5 tournaments under his belt heading into the 2021 season .
Lane , the youngest-ever qualifier for the Pro Circuit ( he was 18 when he qualified ), went all-in right out of high school , fishing both the Choo Choo BFLs and Southeastern Division of the Toyota Series in 2020 , with the full intent of qualifying for the tour .
“ The Toyota Series is no joke : You ’ re fishing at somebody ’ s home body of water everywhere you go , and when you ’ re able to travel around and put together the kinds of seasons that Cal and Lawson did to qualify for the Pro Circuit , you ’ ve really accomplished something ,” says MLF BIG5 Senior Director of Tournament Operations Daniel Fennel . “ There ’ s never been a person born named ‘ Lane ’ or ‘ Hibdon ’ that didn ’ t have fishing ability , judging by what those families have shown us .
( Cal and Lawson ) both look like they come by their ability naturally , and they ’ ve sure had some incredible mentors to help them prepare to compete at this level .”
LAWSON HIBDON
VERSAILLES , MISSOURI
The tournament results from Jacopo Gallelli ’ s first full season fishing the Toyota Series are impressive enough to put him on the list of potential rookie-class newsmakers in 2021 – Gallelli was fourth in AOY standings in the Southern Division and sixth in the Southwestern Division in 2020 , making him a double qualifier into the Pro Circuit .
He also earned two top 10s along the way ( sixth on the St . John ’ s River , eighth at Fort Gibson Lake ).
But the distance from his home that Gallelli will fish his first Pro Circuit makes his story all the more interesting : 5,048 miles , the distance between Florence , Italy ( where Gallelli was born and raised ) and Clewiston , Florida , where he ’ ll start his tour-level career in February .
Gallelli made a splash in 2018 when he qualified for the Bassmaster Classic
“ To double qualify was pretty awesome ; I ’ m very much excited ,” Gallelli said as he watched his boat being wrapped for the season . “ It ’ s a life goal for me . I used to live right in the middle of Florence , so I ’ ve said that I was born on the wrong side of the ocean . I was in the right place to be an artist or teacher of history , but not to be a bass fisherman .”
PHOTO BY JACOB FINE
50 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021