Grover’s grind to second Bridgford Angler of the Year crown

December 3, 2024

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Screenshot 2024-12-03 at 12.54.24 PM — KYLE GROVER of Rancho Santa Margarita is a familiar face at Anglers Marine in Anaheim, and he quickly became a force to be reckoned with on the Pro side of the WON BASS trail.

BY MIKE STEVENS

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – Kyle Grover closed the 2023 WON BASS season with a wire-to-wire victory in the U.S. Open, and he used that momentum to hit the water with a full head of steam to kick off a 2024 campaign that came to a close with the Southern California pro claiming Bridgford Angler of the Year (AOY) honors.

After five events spanning ten months, Grover’s 1,243 was enough to hold off Roy Hawk (1,231), Joe Uribe Jr. (1,213), Scott Hellesen (1,205) and Julius Mazy (1,192) on the pro side. His final push for AOY was powered by a third-place finish at the U.S. Open after leading in Day 1. Grover (who finished 5th in AOY standings in 2022) went into the U.S. Open in the number-two spot in AOY standings just four points behind Roy Hawk who finished 19th in the tournament.

No AOY winner will say it was smooth sailing, and looking back at Grover’s path in 2024, it was definitely an uphill climb for over half the season before heating up for that final charge that put him in the top spot.

THIS WAS THE SECOND Angler of the Year win for Kyle Grover, and
had he not missed an event last year, it very well could have been his
third. He’ll be a constant AOY contender for years to come.

Grover’s first WON BASS AOY came in 2020, and last year he had to miss an event due to a scheduling conflict and had he competed in that one and finished in the top-50, he likely would have won that one as well.

As the WON BASS Bridgford Angler of the Year on the Pro side, Grover picked up a check for $10,000 from Bridgford Foods, and along with the other pros finishing in the top 5 for AOY, he will receive berth into the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, which is now a path to qualifying for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series, and possibly a spot in the Bassmaster Classic.

“WON BASS is the biggest circuit the west has with more good anglers in it than any other circuit. To stay near the top against local and traveling talent feels good, especially being from Southern California where I really don’t have a home lake,” Grover told WON. “I’m very thankful for WON BASS. It’s a blast, I like to have fun, and it’s the funnest circuit.”