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Former Classic Champions
Brave Wind and Snow at Guntersville
 GUNTERSVILLE,
Ala. - Anglers awoke to find two inches of snow on their boats Thursday
morning as they prepared to launch for the first day of the CITGO Bassmaster
Tour event presented by Busch Beer on Alabama's Lake Guntersville.
The cold and the wind, however, didn't dampen too many anglers' spirits,
particularly when fishing turned out to be exceptional for the
conditions.2001 CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion Kevin VanDam walked out of
Day 1 with a 2-pound lead over 2003 Classic champ Michael Iaconelli's 24-3.
VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Mich., had a leading weight of 26-3, marking the first
time this year that he has held the lead in CITGO Bassmaster Tour
competition
and also giving him the $1,000 Busch Heavyweight award for the heaviest
catch
of the day.
"(The Busch Heavyweight poundage) has got to hold for the entire Tour and
Elite
50 (seasons)," said VanDam, who will earn an invitation to the Busch
Showdown
in September if his weight remains among the top 10. "It could, but I'd be
surprised if we didn't see some 30-pound sacks come in here the rest of the
week."
VanDam had high hopes for Day 2, but admitted that he had an early struggle.
The change in weather patters that will slowly move into the area may change
the habits of his fish, but he has a back-up plan or two that will afford
him
some leeway.
"I don't know how it'll be from day to day," VanDam said. "I didn't do all
that well in practice, but I hooked one today that kind of got me started.
It
kind of sets you off. I got a key bite first thing today fishing a certain
bait a certain way and somehow when I got that bite, I knew that that was
what
I needed to do. Then it was real easy. I've never had a day that it went
easier.
"That's kind of how it's always been with me," he added. "You get one little
clue and if you're smart enough to pick up on it (you do well). I'm trying
to
kind of put the pieces of the puzzle together and figure out the migration.
I've still got a lot of key spots to fish and I would just love to catch a
good
string tomorrow and be able to go out there with just 12 guys on the water."
Iaconelli, who had a rough morning that started with boat trouble, had a
5-fish
limit by 10 a.m. and is also taking aim at Friday's cut to 12.
"I don't know what's going on with my boat," Iaconelli said. "It was
overheating this morning. The mechanic got it to stop overheating and by
this
afternoon it would only run 4,000 RPM's. It would barely get up on skid, so
I
have to get that figured out by tomorrow."
Iaconelli is working fish that are beginning to move up to spawning areas, a
pattern that has worked well for him in the past.
"I'm catching fish that are kind of holding up out there," Iaconelli said.
"There's lots (of fish) together. The fish I'm catching are actually
lethargic, meaning that they aren't very active and they're not feeding. I'm
catching them on a reaction strike. That means that a lot of these fish
don't
even want the bait that I'm throwing them but I'm force-feeding them. They
eat
it, just out of instinct. I probably cast past more bass than anything, but
the key is to trigger their strike.
"This is one of those tournaments that, I think, every day you learn more
about
what you're doing and hopefully that will be indicative of me doing better
every day."
The Purolator Big Bass of the Day went to Georgia's Danny White, who takes
home
an additional $1,000 for his 9-pound 3-ounce lunker on the pro side, and
$500
goes to Kentuckian Bruce Luckett who brought in a 7-10 bass that earned him
the
amateur bonus.
Arkansas's Larry Nixon, Texas's David Wharton and Ohio's Charlie Hartley
rounded out the top five for Day 1 with weights of 23-1, 22-3 and 21-15
respectively.
Vermont's Larry Butler walked away from day one with a commanding lead on
the
amateur side with a 22-pound, 12-ounce sack.
Day 2 at Lake Guntersville gets under way Friday with launch at 6 a.m. from
Lake Guntersville State Park. Friday's weigh-in will begin at 2:45 p.m. also
at the State Park.
Fans can watch "The CITGO Bassmasters" telecast of the Lake Guntersville
tournament on Saturday, March 6 at 10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
The CITGO Bassmaster Tour events this season feature the highly interactive
and
family friendly BASS Sponsor Expo area. Sponsors present interactive
exhibits
and provide a fun family experience for all ages. The Expo will take place
from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday at
Lake
Guntersville State Park.
The CastingKids program, presented by CITGO will be held in conjunction with
the BASS Sponsor Expo Saturday, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Lake
Guntersville
State Park. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 can participate in the
contest with the chance to earn a scholarship.
Day 1 Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
5 |
26-03 |
| 2 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
5 |
24-03 |
| 3 |
Larry Nixon |
Bee Branch, AR |
5 |
23-01 |
| 4 |
David Wharton |
Sam Rayburn, TX |
5 |
22-03 |
| 5 |
Charlie Hartley |
Grove City, Ohio |
5 |
21-15 |
| 6 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
5 |
21-09 |
| 7 |
David Fritts |
Lexington, N.C. |
5 |
21-06 |
| 8 |
Brett Hite |
Phoenix, AZ |
5 |
21-03 |
| 9 |
Scott Rook |
Little Rock, AR |
5 |
21-01 |
| 10 |
George Cochran |
Hot Springs, AR |
5 |
20-12 |
| 11 |
Chad Brauer |
Osage Beach, MO |
5 |
20-09 |
| 11 |
Gerald Gostenik |
Dearborn, MI |
5 |
20-09 |
Angler
Hometown
No./lbs-oz Total
13. Mike Auten
Benton, Ky.
5 20-03
Day 1: 5 20-03
14. Greg Pugh
Cullman, Ala. 5
19-09
Day 1: 5 19-09
15. Mark Rizk
Arab, Ala.
5 19-07
Day 1: 5 19-07
16. Robert Lee
Angels Camp, Calif. 5 19-06
Day 1: 5 19-06
17. Scott Suggs
Alexander, Ark. 5
19-02
Day 1: 5 19-02
18. Pete Gluszek
Franklinville, N.J. 5 18-15
Day 1: 5 18-15
19. Danny White
Milledgeville, Ga. 4 18-14
$1,000.00
Day 1: 4 18-14
20. Brent Chapman
Shawnee, Kan. 5
18-11
Day 1: 5 18-11
20. David Walker
Sevierville, Tenn. 5 18-11
Day 1: 5 18-11
22. Stacey D King
Reeds Spring, Mo. 5 18-10
Day 1: 5 18-10
23. Thomas O O'Bryant Drummonds, Tenn.
5 18-09
Day 1: 5 18-09
24. Guy H Eaker
Cherryville, N.C. 5 18-07
Day 1: 5 18-07
25. Mike O'Shea
Westlake Village, Cali 5 17-15
Day 1: 5 17-15
26. Jim Bitter
Fruitland Park, Fla. 5 17-14
Day 1: 5 17-14
26. Joe Thomas
Milford, Ohio 5
17-14
Day 1: 5 17-14
28. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla.
5 17-12
Day 1: 5 17-12
29. Greg Hackney
Gonzales, La. 5
17-08
Day 1: 5 17-08
29. Gerald Swindle Hayden,
Ala. 5
17-08
Day 1: 5 17-08
31. Skeet Reese
Auburn, Calif. 4
17-07
Day 1: 4 17-07
32. Harold Allen
Shelbyville, Texas 5 17-06
Day 1: 5 17-06
33. Jeff Reynolds
Platter, Okla. 5
17-03
Day 1: 5 17-03
34. Mark Davis
Mount Ida, Ark. 5
17-02
Day 1: 5 17-02
35. Randy Blaukat
Lamar, Mo.
5 17-00
Day 1: 5 17-00
36. Johnny Lesesne Blue
Ridge, Ga. 5
16-13
Day 1: 5 16-13
36. Jimmy D Mize
Ben Lomond, Ark. 5
16-13
Day 1: 5 16-13
36. Dustin Wilks
Rocky Mount, N.C. 5 16-13
Day 1: 5 16-13
39. Marcel Veenstra Brighton,
Mich. 5 16-11
Day 1: 5 16-11
40. Tim Loper
Terry, Miss.
5 16-02
Day 1: 5 16-02
41. Paul L Elias
Pachuta, Miss. 5
16-01
Day 1: 5 16-01
42. Aaron Martens
Castaic, Calif. 5
15-13
Day 1: 5 15-13
43. Randall R Romig Barto, Pa.
5 15-07
Day 1: 5 15-07
44. Brian Snowden
Springfield, Mo. 5
15-05
Day 1: 5 15-05
45. Jay Kendrick
Ooltewah, Tenn. 5
15-04
Day 1: 5 15-04
45. Mark Shepard
Labelle, Fla. 5
15-04
Day 1: 5 15-04
47. Denny Brauer
Camdenton, Mo. 5
15-03
Day 1: 5 15-03
48. Jimmy Houston
Cookson, Okla. 4
14-15
Day 1: 4 14-15
49. John Murray
Phoenix, Ariz. 5
14-14
Day 1: 5 14-14
50. Davy Hite
Prosperity, S.C. 5
14-09
Day 1: 5 14-09
50. Gary Klein
Weatherford, Texas 5 14-09
Day 1: 5 14-09
52. Ben Matsubu
Hemphill, Texas 4
14-02
Day 1: 4 14-02
52. Terry Scroggins Palatka, Fla.
5 14-02
Day 1: 5 14-02
54. Mike McClelland Vella Vista,
Ark. 5 14-01
Day 1: 5 14-01
55. Brooks Rogers
Quitman, Texas 5
14-00
Day 1: 5 14-00
55. Tommy Stiles
Mc Minnville, Tenn. 5 14-00
Day 1: 5 14-00
57. Chris Price
Church Hill, Md. 5
13-13
Day 1: 5 13-13
58. Coby Carden
Shelby, Ala.
5 13-11
Day 1: 5 13-11
59. Lee Bailey
Hebron, Conn. 4
13-06
Day 1: 4 13-06
59. J T Kenney
Frostburg, Md. 4
13-06
Day 1: 4 13-06
61. Elton Luce Jr
Brookeland, Texas 5 13-04
Day 1: 5 13-04
62. Morizo Shimizu Murrita,
Calif. 4 13-02
Day 1: 4 13-02
63. Frank Scalish
Cleveland, Ohio 5
13-01
Day 1: 5 13-01
64. David Mansue
Robbinsville, N.J. 5 12-15
Day 1: 5 12-15
65. Jason Barber
Gun Barrel City, Texas 5 12-14
Day 1: 5 12-14
66. Danny Correia
Marlborough, Mass. 5 12-13
Day 1: 5 12-13
67. Edwin Evers
Mannsville, Okla. 4 12-12
Day 1: 4 12-12
68. Jason Quinn
Clover, S.C.
5 12-07
Day 1: 5 12-07
68. Mark Tucker
Saint Louis, Mo. 5
12-07
Day 1: 5 12-07
70. Steve Daniel
Clewiston, Fla. 3
12-00
Day 1: 3 12-00
71. Chris Daves
Hopewell, Va. 3
11-14
Day 1: 3 11-14
71. Randy Dearman
Onalaska, Texas 3
11-14
Day 1: 3 11-14
71. Eric Nethery
Acworth, Ga.
5 11-14
Day 1: 5 11-14
74. Lance Vick
Mineola, Texas 5
11-12
Day 1: 5 11-12
75. Casey Iwai
Laveen, Ariz. 5
11-11
Day 1: 5 11-11
75. Mike Wurm
Hot Springs, Ark. 4 11-11
Day 1: 4 11-11
77. Jeff Kriet
Ardmore, Okla. 5
11-10
Day 1: 5 11-10
77. Bud Pruitt
Spring, Texas 4
11-10
Day 1: 4 11-10
79. Dennis Kolender Henderson,
Nev. 5 11-09
Day 1: 5 11-09
80. Rick Clunn
Ava, Mo.
3 11-07
Day 1: 3 11-07
81. Ron Shuffield
Bismarck, Ark. 5
11-04
Day 1: 5 11-04
82. Tommy Martin
Hemphill, Texas 2
11-02
Day 1: 2 11-02
83. Scott A Nielson Salt Lake
City, Utah 3 10-13
Day 1: 3 10-13
83. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla.
4 10-13
Day 1: 4 10-13
85. Kevin Short
Mayflower, Ark. 4
10-12
Day 1: 4 10-12
86. Norio Tanabe
Tokyo 153, Japan 4
10-11
Day 1: 4 10-11
86. Jack L Wade
Knoxville, Tenn. 4
10-11
Day 1: 4 10-11
88. Tim Horton
Tuscumbia, Ala. 4
10-09
Day 1: 4 10-09
89. Dean Rojas
Grand Saline, Texas 4 10-05
Day 1: 4 10-05
90. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark.
3 10-02
Day 1: 3 10-02
90. Bernie Schultz
Gainesville, Fla. 2 10-02
Day 1: 2 10-02
92. Dalton Bobo
Northport, Ala. 4
10-01
Day 1: 4 10-01
92. Randy Yarnall
Womelsdorf, Pa. 4
10-01
Day 1: 4 10-01
94. Ray Sedgwick
Cross, S.C.
3 10-00
Day 1: 3 10-00
95. Jay Yelas
Tyler, Texas
2 9-15
Day 1: 2 9-15
96. Tim Carroll
Owasso, Okla. 3
9-14
Day 1: 3 9-14
96. O T Fears III
Sallisaw, Okla. 4
9-14
Day 1: 4 9-14
98. Mark Kile
Tonto Basin, Ariz. 3 9-09
Day 1: 3 9-09
99. Mark Menendez
Paducah, Ky.
4 9-07
Day 1: 4 9-07
100.Doug Garrett
Cabot, Ark.
3 9-04
Day 1: 3 9-04
100.Mike Reynolds
Modesto, Calif. 3
9-04
Day 1: 3 9-04
From BASS
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