Team Dick Cepek Angler Wins Bassmaster Angler of the Year
Team Dick Cepek angler Justin Lucas landed the 2018 Angler of the Year (AOY) title at Lake Chatuge, Georgia, last weekend.
The 32-year-old angler came into the weekend with an eight-point lead in the AOY standings over Josh Bertrand of Arizona. After impressive catches on Thursday and Friday, Lucas’ lead had climbed to an almost-insurmountable 47 points. Solidifying his championship even further, his closest competitor, Bertrand, decided not to fish Sunday in order to return home for the birth of his second child.
Lucas caught five bass that weighed only 11 pounds, 14 ounces Sunday, but his three-day weight of 39 pounds was enough to earn him the AOY title, and the $100,000 prize.
Team Dick Cepek anglers have earned the AOY title two years in a row, with Lucas’ fellow Team Dick Cepek angler Brandon Palaniuk winning in 2017.
“Congratulations to Justin on an outstanding Bassmaster Elite season and taking the Angler of the Year title,” said Ken Warner, vice president of marketing for Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels. “Justin continued to impress us tournament after tournament this season, and his dedication and consistency is what made him a champion. Dick Cepek is pleased to sponsor athletes like Justin, who find success through hard work, drive and persistence. We are proud to have back-to-back Angler of the Year winners on Team Dick Cepek.”
Lucas had a reliable season, finishing in the top 10 in four of the 2018 Bassmaster Elite tournaments. He is the 23rd angler to hold the Angler of the Year title in Bassmaster’s 50-year history, joining a coveted club with bass fishing legends such as Kevin Van Dam, Roland Martin and Gerald Swindle.
