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The Full Story
BASS Tour: Harris
Chain of Lakes, FL
BASS Tour Event # 1 of 6
Preview | Day 1 |
Day 2 | Day 3 |
Day 4
Preview: BASS Tour Kicks off at
Harris Chain
LEESBURG, Fla. - There is tremendous excitement surrounding the season
opener
of the 2004 CITGO Bassmaster Tour as the pros
prepare
to kick off their season Jan. 29-Feb. 1., on the Harris Chain of Lakes.
That is because the $449,000 Florida CITGO Bassmaster Tour event, which will
pay a cool $100,000 to the winner, is accompanied by the enthusiasm that
always
surrounds the season opener, but also includes several new developments:
A new CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year program that will shower the top
performers with a whopping $311,550 (paying $100,000 to the Angler of the
Year
and cash awards paid to 25th place).
Spots in the new Bassmaster Elite 50 series will be on the line during the
six-event, $2.6 million CITGO Bassmaster Tour season. The Elite 50 series is
the first big-money, no-entry-fee circuit in the history of professional
bass
fishing.
The new Purolator Big Bass Prize will award $1,000 to each pro and $500 to
each
amateur that weighs in the largest bass each day of every event.
Additionally,
the angler who reels in the biggest bass of the four-day tournament, pro or
amateur, will add an additional $1,000 to his earnings.
The new Busch Shootout will award $200,000 for the season, in a format that
will pay $1,000 to the pro who posts the largest catch each day of the Tour
and
Elite 50 events. The 10 largest daily catches of the Tour and Elite 50
season
will earn a coveted spot in the $160,000 Busch Shootout, a one-day televised
tournament scheduled for Sept. 18 on a mystery lake.
So you can see why the pros are anticipating this season more than ever
before.
"I'm absolutely stoked for a lot of reasons," said reigning CITGO Bassmaster
Classic champion Michael Iaconelli. "The changes that are happening with the
sport, like the new Elite 50 circuit and the Busch Shootout, are exciting
within themselves. But on a personal level, I'm excited about the new
season."
Iaconelli is not alone.
"I'm excited because all of these things further elevate the sport," said
two-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gary Klein. "For us pros, they
provide even more opportunities...to make money."
And then there is the season opener that awaits the nation's top pros on the
Harris Chain. After several months away from competition, they are eager to
get
back into action.
No pro knows the Harris Chain of Lakes as intimately as Jim Bitter, a
five-time
BASS winner from Fruitland Park, Fla. Bitter believes the beleaguered chain
has
almost completely recovered from the problems of the 1990s.
"I think (Lake) Eustis and (Lake) Harris are probably as good or better than
ever before," he said in reference to the high-quality fishing that
attracted
five BASS events from 1986-1990. "(Lake) Dora is probably not quite as good.
(Lake) Carlton and (Lake) Beauclair are probably about the same as always.
"(Lake) Griffin is coming back pretty well. It had a tremendous spawn last
year
- the whole chain had a tremendous spawn due to the low water followed by
rising water. ... There are enough in there to win. No doubt about that. It
just depends on how much the good places get pressured.
"I think the Chain is close to being back. At (its best) it wasn't any
better
than (Lake) Harris and (Lake) Eustis are right now."
In Central Florida, the quality of fishing revolves around the unpredictable
winter weather. In last year's Tour season opener, won by California pro
Skeet
Reese, bitterly cold weather delayed any spawning action and made resident
bass
largely inactive. Fishing was tough.
"I think the fishing's going to be about the same unless something happens
with
the spawn," Bitter said. "I expect we'll have a little bit of the spawn like
we
did last year, but I don't know if we'll get a major one or not.
"This time of year a guy could get lucky and catch a 7-, 8- or 10-pounder
every
day or two of the four days and end up with a pretty good limit of fish. But
I
think you've got to worry about catching a limit of fish, and I think a
limit
of fish each day will put you in the top 12.
"I think 40 pounds ought to win it unless we have a major spawning move. And
then it's going to take tremendous weight because this chain is capable of
it.
If we have a major move, we'll have some spawning in all of the lakes at one
time. And guys will catch some 20-plus pound sacks."
In terms of fishing techniques, Bitter expects that bass will be caught with
"probably a little bit of everything, just like last year. There will be
some
cranking, some Carolina-rigging, Texas-rigging, spinnerbaits. Somebody may
even
catch them on topwater."
Daily weigh-ins take place at Venetian Gardens on Lake Harris at 3 p.m.
Anglers
launch beginning at 7 a.m. at Hickory Point.
Day
1: Jones Leads at the
Harris Chain of Lakes
 LEESBURG,
Fla. - Texan Alton Jones seized the lead during day one of the CITGO
Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer, catching 27 pounds of bass from the
Harris Chain of Lakes. The Texan started the day out right, reeling in a
10-pound, 13-ounce lunker for his first keeper, and kept the big bass coming
throughout the first day of competition.
"A lot of people were looking at that fish," Jones said, "I missed it on the
second cast of the day, but with a fish like that, you have to give yourself
a chance. About three more casts and I had her."
With that bass, Jones took the Day 1 Purolator Big Bass award, worth $1,000.
If it holds out to be the largest fish of the tournament, it will bring in
an
additional $1,000.
Jones caught the majority of his 5-bass limit by sight fishing his practice
areas and hooking them up with a Yum Dinger worm.
"Three of the ones I weighed in were caught sight fishing," Jones said. "I
knew exactly where they were, though."
Jones defied the oddsmakers, who predicted that Thursday's cold snap would
spoil the chance of a big catch. The National Weather Service reported that
temperatures slipped toward the icy on Wednesday night, dropping to 36
degrees
in time for the 7 a.m. launch.
South Carolina's Jason Quinn took second with a sack weighing 24-14. Quinn,
who was fishing a new bait, the Kinami Palm Tree, found that the fishing
didn't
turn on for him until the temperature started to warm up.
"I didn't have any fish until about 9 o'clock this morning," Quinn said. "I
was catching them steady from about 9- to around 11 o'clock. I started
culling
about then.
"If I can keep catching them tomorrow, I think I'll be in good shape."
Quinn was also the first Tour angler to qualify for the Busch Shootout
program.
His 24-pound 14-ounce sack earned him an additional $1,000 bonus after day
one. If that weight remains one of the top 10 heaviest daily catches through
all six Tour and four Bassmaster Elite 50 events, he will earn an invitation
for the $160,000 Busch Shootout Tournament that will be held at a mystery
lake
on Sept. 18. Jones is not participating in the voluntary program.
Alabama's Tim Horton brought in a 23-pound, 13-ounce limit that was good
enough
for third after the first day, but was a little unhappy with the day's
results.
"I had a 7-pounder today that I broke off," Horton said. "I was fishing a
Yum
Finesse Tube, flipping beds. I think the fish will still be there tomorrow,
though."
Arkansas' Scott Suggs (22-4) and Kansas' Brent Chapman (21-15) rounded out
the
top five on the pro side.
On the amateur side, Nobel Willits from Florida brought in 12-12 including a
6-4 bass that tied him with fellow Floridian Steve Williams for the amateur
Purolator Big Bass award. The two will split the $500 prize.
Williams (21-11) and Roland Lapin (12-4), also from Florida, rounded out the
top three on the amateur side.
Day 2 at the Harris Chain gets under way Friday with launch at 7 a.m. from
Hickory Point boat ramp. Friday's weigh-in will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the
Venetian Gardens.
You can catch a telecast of the Harris Chain tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7
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 the
Pat Thomas Ball Field.
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 Pat Thomas
Ball
Field. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 can participate in the contest
with the chance to earn a scholarship.
The event and instruction to youngsters will be facilitated by the Lakeland
Hawg Hunters & Seminole Bass Anglers.
Pro Standings Day 1
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
5 |
27-0 |
| 2 |
Jason Quinn |
Clover, S.C. |
5 |
24-14 |
| 3 |
Tim Horton |
Muscle Shoals, AL |
5 |
23-13 |
| 4 |
Scott Suggs |
Alexander, AR |
5 |
22-04 |
| 5 |
Brent Chapman |
Shawnee, KS |
5 |
21-15 |
| 6 |
O.T. Fears |
Sallisaw, OK |
5 |
19-12 |
| 7 |
Marty Stone |
Linden, N.C. |
5 |
19-09 |
| 8 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
5 |
19-04 |
| 9 |
Bernie Schultz |
Gainesville, FL |
5 |
18-14 |
| 10 |
Takahiro Omori |
Emory, TX |
5 |
18-10 |
| 10 |
Terry Scroggins |
Palatka, FL |
5 |
18-10 |
| 12 |
Scott Rook |
Little Rock, AR |
5 |
18-03 |
Angler Hometown
Bass Weight
13. Terrence Baksay Monroe, Conn. 5 17-09
Day 1: 5 17-09
14. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, Ark. 5 17-06
Day 1: 5 17-06
14. Bud Pruitt Spring, Texas 5 17-06
Day 1: 5 17-06
14. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, N.C. 5 17-06
Day 1: 5 17-06
17. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 5 16-14
Day 1: 5 16-14
17. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 5 16-14
Day 1: 5 16-14
19. George Cochran Hot Springs, Ark. 5 16-12
Day 1: 5 16-12
20. Steve Sennikoff Forney, Texas 5 16-02
Day 1: 5 16-02
21. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 5 16-00
Day 1: 5 16-00
22. Curt Lytle Suffolk, Va. 5 15-15
Day 1: 5 15-15
23. Thomas Martin Hemphill, Texas 5 15-10
Day 1: 5 15-10
24. Tim Loper Terry, Miss. 5 15-07
Day 1: 5 15-07
25. Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 5 14-14
Day 1: 5 14-14
26. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 5 14-11
Day 1: 5 14-11
27. Chris Baumgardner Gastonia, N.C. 5 14-04
Day 1: 5 14-04
27. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 5 14-04
Day 1: 5 14-04
29. Jay Yelas Tyler, Texas 5 14-02
Day 1: 5 14-02
30. Danny Correia Marlborough, Mass. 5 14-00
Day 1: 5 14-00
30. Morizo Shimizu Murrita, Calif. 5 14-00
Day 1: 5 14-00
32. Aaron Martens Castaic, Calif. 5 13-12
Day 1: 5 13-12
33. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 5 13-11
Day 1: 5 13-11
34. Dennis Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 5 13-09
Day 1: 5 13-09
35. David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 5 13-07
Day 1: 5 13-07
36. Harold Allen Shelbyville, Texas 5 13-04
Day 1: 5 13-04
37. Sean Hoernke Quitman, Texas 4 13-03
Day 1: 4 13-03
38. Ronnie Shuffield Bismarck, Ark. 5 13-01
Day 1: 5 13-01
39. Terry Segraves Kissimmee, Fla. 5 12-15
Day 1: 5 12-15
40. Woo Daves Spring Grove, Va. 5 12-14
Day 1: 5 12-14
40. Gerald Gostenik Dearborn, Mich. 5 12-14
Day 1: 5 12-14
40. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 5 12-14
Day 1: 5 12-14
43. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 4 12-11
Day 1: 4 12-11
44. Chad Brauer Osage Beach, Mo. 5 12-06
Day 1: 5 12-06
44. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, Ala. 5 12-06
Day 1: 5 12-06
46. Brian Snowden Springfield, Mo. 5 12-05
Day 1: 5 12-05
47. Scott Nielsen Salt Lake City, Utah 3 12-04
Day 1: 3 12-04
48. Marcel Veenstra Brighton, Mich. 5 12-03
Day 1: 5 12-03
49. Richard Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 5 12-02
Day 1: 5 12-02
50. Michael Hicks Mineral, Va. 5 12-01
Day 1: 5 12-01
Day
2: Quinn Leads by One Ounce
LEESBURG, Fla. - Crowds of fans gathered at the Harris Chain of Lakes bore
witness to serious upheaval when anglers weighed in for Day 2 of the CITGO
Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer. Texas' Alton Jones led day one with
a
27-pound sack, but he failed to bring in a large enough sack of five fish
Friday to keep it. Jones dropped to fifth place and helped South Carolina's
Jason Quinn take the lead from second spot.
Quinn brought in just three fish Friday, but they were lunkers weighing in
at
15 pounds and 1 ounce, giving him a two-day weight of 39-15.
"I caught these fish today in the second best place that I have," Quinn
said.
"I was working around points, Texas-rigging a Kinami Flash stick bait."
For the past two days, Quinn and the other 156 Tour pros have largely had
the
10-lake chain to themselves. Despite a field cut that will send just the top
12 anglers out for Saturday's competition, the BASS pros will still have to
worry about competition - this time from recreational anglers. The weekend
is
likely to bring an increase in recreational anglers on the Harris Chain, but
the possibility of increased pressure on the lake didn't bother Quinn in the
slightest.
"That won't bother me, as slow as I'm fishing," he said. "... I hate fishing
that slow, but when you come to Florida, you have to."
Quinn only leads Texan David Wharton by an ounce. Wharton catapulted 34
spots,
rising to second with a five fish limit of 26-7. The largest sack of the day
made him just the second angler to qualify for the Busch Shootout program
and
put $1,000 into his pocket. It also gave him a two-day total of 39-14.
"I went to Lake Griffin today," Wharton said. "I caught some pretty good
fish
in practice there and I stayed in Harris yesterday. After I saw some of the
fish coming in yesterday, I decided to take a gamble."
If Wharton's Day 2 weight remains one of the top 10 heaviest daily catches
through all six Tour and four Bassmaster Elite 50 events, he will earn an
invitation for the $160,000 Busch Shootout Tournament that will be held at a
mystery lake on Sept. 18. With 38 more days remaining in the two competitive
seasons and just 10 berths to go around, Wharton will be keeping his fingers
crossed.
"That's a pretty good bag of fish," Wharton said. "I don't know if it will
hold
out for the Busch Shootout; we still have Santee Cooper and Guntersville.
But,
the good thing about those are that only four guys can come from each
event."
Arkansas' Scott Suggs was up a position from fourth to third with a two-day
total of 39-12. Suggs was fishing a new crankbait, in a very small area.
"I found these fish in practice," Suggs said, "I stayed in one area today,
there were tons of shad in that spot. For a spot that small, I hope I don't
run out of fish, but I'll live by it and I'll die by it."
Alabama's Mark Rizk took the other $1,000 daily prize, for bringing in the
Purolator Big Bass of the day on the pro side with a 10-pound, 3-ounce
lunker.
Robert Decker from Florida picked up the $500 on the amateur side with a
8-pound, 5-ounce bass. Neither fish was big enough to unseat Alton Jones'
10-13 lunker from Day 1. If Jones' Big Bass holds up for the remaining two
competition days, he will earn an additional $1,000 for the Purolator Big
Bass
of the Tournament.
For day three, the field will be cut to the top 12 pros. Michael Iaconelli
from New Jersey, Jones from Texas, Scott Rook from Arkansas, Bud Pruitt from
Texas, Brent Chapman from Kansas, Marty Stone and Chris Baumgardner of North
Carolina, and Tommy Martin and Takahiro Omori from Texas round out the top
12
for day three.
On the amateur side, Connecticut's Frank Vida took the top spot with a total
weight of 17-14, followed by Mark Adams from New Mexico and John Musto from
New
Jersey with weights of 16-12 and 16-3 respectively.
Day 3 at the Harris Chain gets under way Saturday with launch at 7 a.m. from
Venetian Gardens boat ramp. Saturday's weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. at the
Pat Thomas Ball Field.
You can catch a telecast of the Harris Chain tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7
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 the
Pat Thomas Ball Field.
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 Pat Thomas
Ball
Field. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 can participate in the contest
with the chance to earn a scholarship.
The event and instruction to youngsters will be facilitated by the Lakeland
Hawg Hunters & Seminole Bass Anglers.
Pro Standings Day 2
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Jason Quinn |
Clover, S.C. |
8 |
39-15 |
| 2 |
David Wharton |
Sam Rayburn, TX |
10 |
39-14 |
| 3 |
Scott Suggs |
Alexander, AR |
10 |
39-12 |
| 4 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
10 |
36-08 |
| 5 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
10 |
35-14 |
| 6 |
Scott Rook |
Little Rock, AR |
10 |
34-13 |
| 7 |
Bud Pruitt |
Spring, TX |
10 |
34-07 |
| 8 |
Brent Chapman |
Shawnee, KS |
10 |
34-0 |
| 9 |
Marty Stone |
Linden, N.C. |
10 |
33-09 |
| 10 |
Chris Baumgardner |
Gastonia, N.C. |
9 |
33-07 |
| 11 |
Tommy Martin |
Hemphill, TX |
10 |
32-11 |
| 12 |
Takahiro Omori |
Emory, TX |
9 |
31-09 |
Rank Name Hometown
Bass Weight Points Winnings
13. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, Ark. 10 30-15 251 $5,400.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 13-09
14. Steve Daniel Clewiston, Fla. 8 30-07 248 $5,300.00
Day 1: 3 10-14 Day 2: 5 19-09
15. Terry Scroggins Palatka, Fla. 10 30-03 245 $5,200.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 11-09
16. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 10 29-11 243 $5,100.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 16-00
17. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 8 29-01 241 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 3 10-03
18. Tom Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 10 28-12 239 $4,900.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 16-12
19. Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 10 28-04 237 $4,800.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 13-06
20. Harold Allen Shelbyville, Texas 10 28-03 235 $4,700.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 14-15
21. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 8 28-01 233 $4,600.00
Day 1: 5 23-13 Day 2: 3 4-04
22. Byron Velvick Boulder City, Nev. 9 27-12 231 $4,500.00
Day 1: 4 8-06 Day 2: 5 19-06
23. Mike Auten Benton, Ky. 10 27-09 229 $4,400.00
Day 1: 5 9-15 Day 2: 5 17-10
24. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 10 27-00 227 $4,300.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 12-05
25. Terry Baksay Monroe, Conn. 10 26-15 225 $4,200.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 9-06
26. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 8 26-14 223 $4,100.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 3 10-00
27. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 9 26-13 221 $3,900.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 4 10-13
28. Koby Kreiger Okeechobee, Fla. 6 26-11 219 $3,750.00
Day 1: 3 11-13 Day 2: 3 14-14
28. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 10 26-11 219 $3,750.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 12-07
30. Mark Kile Tonto Basin, Ariz. 6 26-06 215 $3,600.00
Day 1: 1 2-01 Day 2: 5 24-05
31. Brian Snowden Springfield, Mo. 10 26-05 213 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-00
32. Randy Blaukat Joplin, Mo. 10 25-15 211 $3,400.00
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 15-03
33. Danny Correia Marlborough, Mass. 10 25-11 209 $3,300.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 11-11
34. Jimmy D Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 10 25-05 207 $3,200.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 14-15
35. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 7 25-03 205 $3,100.00
Day 1: 2 8-05 Day 2: 5 16-14
36. Chad Brauer Osage Beach, Mo. 10 25-02 203 $2,900.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 12-12
36. Ishama Monroe Patterson, Calif. 8 25-02 203 $2,900.00
Day 1: 3 9-11 Day 2: 5 15-07
36. Jason Reyes Humble, Texas 6 25-02 203 $2,900.00
Day 1: 3 7-05 Day 2: 3 17-13
39. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 7 25-01 197 $2,700.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 2 12-03
40. O T Fears III Sallisaw, Okla. 8 24-15 195 $2,550.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 3 5-03
40. Davy Hite Prosperity, S.C. 10 24-15 195 $2,550.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-05
42. Mike Reynolds Modesto, Calif. 10 24-12 191 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 8-06 Day 2: 5 16-06
43. Mike McClelland Springdale, Ark. 10 24-09 189 $2,400.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 13-01
44. Curt Lytle Suffolk, Va. 10 24-01 187 $2,400.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 8-02
45. Aaron Martens Castaic, Calif. 10 23-15 185 $2,350.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 10-03
46. Kevin Short Mayflower, Ark. 10 23-09 183 $2,350.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 12-02
47. Edwin Evers Mannsville, Okla. 8 23-07 181 $2,300.00
Day 1: 3 4-13 Day 2: 5 18-10
47. Tim Loper Terry, Miss. 9 23-07 181 $2,300.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 4 8-00
49. Brooks Rogers Quitman, Texas 10 23-01 177 $2,200.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 13-00
50. Art Ferguson III Saint Clair Shores, Mi 7 22-15 175 $2,200.00
Day 1: 2 4-06 Day 2: 5 18-09
Day
3: Iaconelli Leads at
Harris Chain
 LEESBURG, Fla. - Under a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Harris Chain of
Lakes in Leesburg, Fla., 12 anglers on the CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented
by Busch Beer were cut to the Super Six and Friday's top three were sent
home. Reigning CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion Mike Iaconelli rose from
fourth place to take the lead Saturday with a five-fish limit of 13 pounds,
5 ounces, bringing his three-day total to 49 -13.
"I'm just fishing the moment," Iaconelli said. "That means pulling up to an
area, dropping the trolling motor and deciding what you have to do to catch
fish.
"I haven't been sight fishing at all. I have a spot in the canal where I can
get a limit of bucks (male bass) early, and once I have a good limit, I move
to Big Harris where they are staging ...That's where I caught my big one
today."
Iaconelli, of Runnemede, N.J., used a Mann's Baby Four Minus Saturday and
had a limit of bass by 9:30 a.m. His patterns will likely stay the same for
the final day, unless they don't work as they have the last two days.
"I'm gong to launch that boat tomorrow and just play it by ear," he said.
"I'm going to let the fish talk to me and let the day talk to me and fish
the moment."
Texas angler Bud Pruitt had a great third day of competition, rising from
seventh spot to take second going into the final day of competition. His
Saturday catch of 13 pounds, 10 ounces brought his total up to 41-8 and also
brought him a $1,000 check for the Busch Heavyweight catch of the day. His
limit included a 6-3 lunker, earning him another $1,000 for the Purolator
Big Bass award. Pruitt didn't quite believe his sack won it.
"I know I took the big bass, but I took the big sack too?" Pruitt said.
"Cool. I'll take an extra grand on a bad day."
Although other anglers have targeted spawning bass throughout the first
three tournament days, Pruitt used a Berkley Power Flipping Tube flipping
kissimmee grass in 3 feet of water, a pattern that he doesn't expect to
alter Sunday.
"I haven't caught one fish on a bed," Pruitt said. "I was on one for an hour
today and Alton Jones pulled in to the area. I pretty much left. ...I saw
him later and he told me he lost a 10-pounder. I know exactly where it's at
and I'm going to go get her tomorrow. And that'll be the way the cookie
crumbles."
Arkansas' Scott Rook ended day three in the third position and was fairly
happy fishing a 6-inch Zoom Trick Worm slowly in a big canal. His three-day
weight of 47-12 brought him up three spots from sixth.
"I have no Plan B, so I'm going to stick with Plan A, which is what I've
been doing. I haven't caught any on pads the whole tournament."
Kansas' Brent Chapman (46-1), North Carolina's Marty Stone (45-15) and
Texas' Tommy Martin (44-0) round out the Super Six for Sunday's Tournament.
Day 1 leader Alton Jones and Day 2 leader Jason Quinn both plummeted in the
standings, finishing seventh and eighth, just short of the cut. Although
Jones is out of competition, if his Day 1 Purolator Big Bass of 10-13
remains unbeaten, he will pick up an additional $1,000 on Sunday for winning
the Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament.
Competition concluded for the amateurs fishing the Harris Chain of Lakes
Saturday with Bill Poirier of Riverview, Fla., taking home the $36,000 first
prize, including a fully rigged boat and motor. Poirier also picked up the
final Purolator Big Bass for the amateurs, earning him an additional $500.
The amateur winner also earned a year's worth of free gasoline from CITGO.
"It was a struggle all three days," Poirier said, "I missed a good fish
today. With the way these guys are fishing...it's hard to get a bite from
the back of the boat."
The final day at the Harris Chain gets under way Sunday with launch at 7:30
a.m. from the Venetian Gardens boat ramp. Sunday's weigh-in will begin at 4
p.m. at the Pat Thomas Ball Field.
You can catch a telecast of the Harris Chain tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7
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 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Pat Thomas Ball Field.
The CastingKids program, presented by CITGO, was held in conjunction with
the BASS Sponsor Expo Saturday, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Pat Thomas
Ball Field. The winners, Blaine Brownsberger, 8, and Billy Anderson, 12,
will be going to the state championship event in Tampa, March 5-7.
The event and instruction to youngsters were facilitated by the Lakeland
Hawg Hunters & Seminole Bass Anglers.
Day 3 Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
15 |
49-13 |
| 2 |
Bud Pruitt |
Spring, TX |
13 |
48-01 |
| 3 |
Scott Rook |
Little Rock, AR |
15 |
47-12 |
| 4 |
Brent Chapman |
Shawnee, KS |
15 |
46-01 |
| 5 |
Marty Stone |
Linden, N.C. |
15 |
45-15 |
| 6 |
Tommy Martin |
Hemphill, TX |
15 |
44-0 |
| 7 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
12 |
42-08 |
| 8 |
Jason Quinn |
Clover, S.C. |
9 |
41-13 |
| 9 |
Scott Suggs |
Alexander, AR |
11 |
41-08 |
| 10 |
Chris Baumgardner |
Gastonia, N.C. |
12 |
40-08 |
| 11 |
David Wharton |
Sam Rayburn, TX |
10 |
39-14 |
| 12 |
Takahiro Omori |
Emory, TX |
10 |
32-11 |
Final: Stone Recovers and Wins
Opener
 LEESBURG,
Fla. - North Carolina's Marty Stone recovered from his
"self-proclaimed slump" on Sunday, sweeping past the competition to win the
first event of the 2004 CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer.
Stone, who has not placed higher than 33rd in the past two Tour seasons,
pulled
61 pounds, 12 ounces of bass out of the Harris Chain of Lakes, earning the
tournament's $100,000 top prize. Stone's last BASS victory came five years
ago
at Alabama's Lake Wheeler.
An emotional Stone told the crowd at the Pat Thomas Ballfield, "I've seen
the
bottom of this sport and this just goes to show, you never give up.
"I'll be the first to admit, when I made that first Classic, I thought I was
a
pretty good fisherman," he said, "but I've been in a self-proclaimed slump
for
the past few years. I want to be a good fisherman, and to do that I'm going
to
have to be on the water. I have a lot of work to do."
Stone's victory came by fishing a 7-inch Sweebo Worm, junebug in color, with
an
American Rodsmith 71/2-foot flipping stick. Stone also used a 3/8-ounce
Gambler Ninja Spin spinnerbait, a minnow style spinnerbait that has a white
and
blue head.
"Those are ideal colors for cloudy weather like today," Stone said.
Stone also picked up an additional $1,000 as the Busch Heavyweight of the
day,
the daily award for having the heaviest catch of the day. His 15-pound,
13-ounce sack for Day 4 earned him some money, but Stone doesn't think he'll
see much of it.
"My wife and I made a deal," he joked. "I can keep all the trophies and she
gets the money."
Arkansas pro Scott Rook came up a spot from third to finish the tournament
in
second, earning him $38,000. Rook came in with a 12-13 sack Sunday, giving
him
a total of 60-9 for the four days.
Brent Chapman took home third place Sunday and a check for $23,000. Chapman,
who was fishing his 100th BASS event, wasn't satisfied with his performance.
"I need to make sure I put every fish in the boat," Chapman said. "I missed
two fish today that could have been the difference in the tournament. I'm
really trying hard not to think about that now, but it's hard not to."
New Jersey's Mike Iaconelli, who led Saturday's round, wound up fourth
(58-12),
with Texans Tommy Martin (56-7) and Bud Pruitt (48-1) taking fifth and sixth
places, respectively.
The Purolator Big Bass of the day went to Martin, who brought in a 6-pound
bass
to earn him the $1,000 bonus. The Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament and
its
$1,000 prize went to Day 1 leader Alton Jones. His 10-pound 13-ounce lunker
had already earned him $1,000 for Day 1.
On Friday, tournament officials erred while determining which of the two
amateur anglers tied for 12th place would qualify to fish in Saturday's
final
amateur round.
After tournament officials discovered the error, they contacted the anglers
in
question and discussed reparations with the amateur who was incorrectly cut.
Final measures will be determined when BASS officials meet next week.
Tournament Director Trip Weldon called the incident unfortunate and assured
that corrective steps are being taken to prevent a similar situation in the
future.
The CITGO Bassmaster Tour heads north next week to Smith Lake in Jasper,
Ala.,
for the second event on the 2004 Tournament Trail, Feb. 5-8.
Fans can catch a telecast of the Harris Chain tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7
at
10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
Thousands of fans were on hand Sunday afternoon to take part in the highly
interactive and family friendly BASS Sponsor Expo area. Sponsors presented
interactive exhibits and provided a fun family experience for all ages.
Final Day Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
Winnings |
| 1 |
Marty Stone |
Linden, N.C. |
20 |
61-12 |
$100,000.00 |
| 2 |
Scott Rook |
Little Rock, AR |
20 |
60-09 |
$38,000.00 |
| 3 |
Brent Chapman |
Shawnee, KS |
20 |
60-02 |
$23,000.00 |
| 4 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
20 |
58-12 |
$20,000.00 |
| 5 |
Tommy Martin |
Hemphill, TX |
19 |
56-07 |
$16,000.00 |
| 6 |
Bud Pruitt |
Spring, TX |
13 |
48-01 |
$15,000.00 |
Articles from BASS
By Brandon Shook
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