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The Full Story
BASS Tour: Lake
Guntersville, AL
Tour Event # 3 of 6
Preview | Day 1 |
Day 2 | Day 3 |
Day 4
Preview: Lake Guntersville
Preview
Most pros are always excited about
returning to Alabama's famed Lake Guntersville where they know the shallow grassbeds
harbor one of the best largemouth fisheries in the nation.
But as the Alabama Bassmaster Tour event
approaches, their enthusiasm is almost overwhelming.
"I am truly looking forward to the Guntersville tournament," said
Alabama pro Randy Howell. "There are going to be record catches there, and I
cannot wait."
The last time the BASS train pulled into the 69,100-acre Tennessee River
impoundment, Texan Kelly Jordon was the big winner with 81 pounds, 11
ounces.
But Howell believes that Kelly's 2002 catch will be dwarfed by the 2004
winner's weight.
"I don't think I'm going out on a limb in predicting that the winner will
have
a lot more than Kelly did," he said. "Guntersville is probably the best lake
in
the country right now."
Howell, who lives about an hour from the lake, took three trips to
Guntersville
before it was placed off limits to tournament competitors.
"All three trips were awesome," he said. "The last time I went, I fished
from
the dam all the way up the lake, and I caught good fish everywhere I went.
I'm
talking about good fish. Of the 21 fish we caught, 15 of them were 3 to 6
pounds.
"There are so many 3- to 6-pound fish in this lake it's amazing."
Could Busch and BASS hand out a
$1 million check after this event? If any angler can break Dean Rojas'
record, it will happen. Keep an eye on this one.
Local tournaments held throughout the fall and winter also offered evidence
of
Guntersville's resurgence in the past few years. Howell said it routinely
takes
five bass weighing 23 to 28 pounds to win those one-day contests. A recent
tournament was won with 34 pounds, despite water temperatures that dipped to
41
degrees.
"The only thing that could make our tournament less than awesome would be a
lot
of rain right before the tournament that would make the Tennessee River
carry a
lot of high, muddy water through Guntersville," Howell said. "That would
make
it tougher.
"Worst case scenario, I predict it would take 78 pounds to win. Best case
scenario, it could take 100 pounds."
Howell expects that fishing shallow-running crankbaits and lipless crankers
in
grass to be the productive pattern.
Daily weigh-ins take place at Lake Guntersville State Park at 2:45 p.m.
Anglers
launch beginning at 6 a.m.
Day
1: 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
From BASS
Day
2: Reigning Classic
Champion Takes Guntersville Lead
 Temperatures
are still frigid at the Bassmaster Tour event at Lake Guntersville, AL.
However, anglers prevailed over the weather again by bringing in heavy sacks
of bass. Although the mercury plunged overnight, weights remained high
at what many pros regard as the top lake in the Southeast.
New Jersey's Mike Iaconelli, the reigning Classic Champion brought in a
limit weighing 24-6 to leap from second and snatch the lead. Texan Zell
Rowland took Ike's second place spot with 23-8, a mere 10 ounces off the
lead. Former Classic Champion Kevin VanDam of Michigan dropped from his Day
1 lead to 5th place today.
Iaconelli, who used his signature "power fishing" technique all day, was
pleased that his two-day weight of 48-9 helped him make today's field cut to
the top 12.
"I'm catching staging fish (mostly) pre-spawn females," Iaconelli said.
"But, the one negative thing is that I'm not getting a lot of bites, but
when I get a bite, it's a big one. I'm throwing it down. I'm fishing the
outside edge of a weed line. The key depth is about 8-15 feet. That's where
I'm getting my bites. I'd say, by Sunday, if it starts warming up, those
fish will start
coming up."
Zell Rowland, who was fishing a Booyah spinnerbait, agreed that the
temperatures were a big hurdle, but had a lot to say about Guntersville as a
fishery.
"I'd love to be here in about a month," Rowland said. "... This lake is the
best. ... When you'd throw a spinnerbait up there and it hits the water, you
wouldn't turn the handle three times and one would grab it."
Missouri's Stacy King had a big day Friday as he jumped up to third spot and
became the Busch Heavyweight of the day with a 28-pound, 2-ounce catch.
Along with the $1,000 prize, King will have the opportunity to fish at a
mystery lake Sept. 18 in the Busch Shootout tournament if his catch remains
one of the top 10 heaviest from the Tour and Bassmaster Elite 50 series.
Fellow Missourian Chad Brauer (46-12) is tied with King for third with
VanDam (46-5), Arkansas's George Cochran (46-1), Kentucky's Mike Auten
(41-14), Texas's David Wharton (39-14), Mississippi's Paul Elias (38-14),
Florida's Jim Bitter (38-9), Ohio's Charlie Hartley (37-15) and Tennessee's
David Walker (37-12) joining them to make the top 12 for the third day of
competition.
On the amateur side, Alabama's Philip Dukes took the lead with a two-day
weight of 33-13, followed by North Carolina's Mark Lamb and Alabama's
William Carter with 27-7 and 26-9 respectively.
The Purolator Big Bass of the day went to pro Dennis Kolender from Nevada,
who hauled in a 9-pound, 1-ounce bass and $1,000 from Purolator. On the
amateur side, Virginia's William Robinson landed a 9-10 lunker that awarded
him $500 for the day puts him in contention for a $1,000 bonus if it holds
out to become the Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament after Sunday's final
round.
The CITGO Bassmaster Tour event on Lake Guntersville will continue Saturday.
Launch begins at 6:30 a.m. from the Lake Guntersville State Park. Weigh-in
will be held at the State Park as well beginning at 3 p.m.
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.
Day 2 Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
10 |
48-09 |
| 2 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
10 |
47-15 |
| 3 |
Chad Brauer |
Osage Beach, MO |
10 |
46-12 |
| 3 |
Stacey D. King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
10 |
46-12 |
| 5 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
10 |
46-05 |
| 6 |
George Cochran |
Hot Springs, AR |
10 |
46-01 |
| 7 |
Mike Auten |
Benton, KY |
10 |
41-14 |
| 8 |
David Wharton |
Sam Rayburn, TX |
10 |
39-14 |
| 9 |
Paul L. Elias |
Pachuta, MS |
10 |
38-14 |
| 10 |
Jim Bitter |
Fruitland Park, FL |
10 |
38-09 |
| 11 |
Charlie Hartley |
Grove City, OH |
10 |
37-15 |
| 12 |
David Walker |
Sevierville, TN |
10 |
37-12 |
The following anglers did not qualify to fish the final two days.
Rank Angler Hometown
Bass Weight Points Winnings
13. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, Ark. 10 37-11 251 $5,400.00
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 14-10
14. Aaron Martens Castaic, Calif. 10 37-02 248 $5,300.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 21-05
15. Robert Lee Angels Camp, Calif. 10 37-01 245 $5,200.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 17-11
16. David Fritts Lexington, N.C. 10 37-00 243 $5,100.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 15-10
17. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 10 36-04 241 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 15-03
18. Brent Chapman Shawnee, Kan. 10 35-07 239 $4,900.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 16-12
19. Jimmy D Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 10 35-05 237 $4,800.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 18-08
20. Gerald Gostenik Dearborn, Mich. 10 34-12 235 $4,700.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 14-03
21. Randy Blaukat Lamar, Mo. 10 34-11 233 $4,600.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 17-11
22. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, Mo. 10 34-04 231 $4,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 21-13
23. Joe Thomas Milford, Ohio 9 34-00 229 $4,400.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 4 16-02
24. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 10 33-15 227 $4,300.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 16-13
25. Brian Snowden Springfield, Mo. 10 33-07 225 $4,200.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 18-02
26. Lee Bailey Hebron, Conn. 9 33-01 223 $4,100.00
Day 1: 4 13-06 Day 2: 5 19-11
27. Marcel Veenstra Brighton, Mich. 10 32-14 221 $3,900.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-03
28. Jimmy Houston Cookson, Okla. 9 32-12 219 $3,800.00
Day 1: 4 14-15 Day 2: 5 17-13
29. Davy Hite Prosperity, S.C. 10 32-07 217 $3,700.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 17-14
30. Harold Allen Shelbyville, Texas 10 31-14 215 $3,600.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 14-08
31. Guy H Eaker Cherryville, N.C. 10 31-13 213 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 13-06
32. Coby Carden Shelby, Ala. 10 31-12 211 $3,400.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 18-01
33. Chris Price Church Hill, Md. 10 29-15 209 $3,300.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 16-02
34. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, Texas 10 29-13 207 $3,150.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 16-15
34. Mark Rizk Arab, Ala. 9 29-13 207 $3,150.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 4 10-06
36. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 10 29-04 203 $2,950.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 11-12
36. Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 8 29-04 203 $2,950.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 3 11-12
38. Brett Hite Phoenix, Ariz. 8 28-15 199 $2,800.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 3 7-12
39. Tim Loper Terry, Miss. 10 28-13 197 $2,700.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 12-11
40. David Mansue Robbinsville, N.J. 10 28-05 195 $2,600.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 15-06
41. Randy Yarnall Womelsdorf, Pa. 9 28-02 193 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 5 18-01
42. Tim Horton Tuscumbia, Ala. 9 28-01 191 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 10-09 Day 2: 5 17-08
43. Kevin Short Mayflower, Ark. 8 27-14 189 $2,400.00
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 4 17-02
44. Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 10 27-12 187 $2,375.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 12-09
44. Elton Luce Jr Brookeland, Texas 9 27-12 187 $2,375.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 4 14-08
46. Thomas O O'Bryant Drummonds, Tenn. 8 27-10 183 $2,350.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 3 9-01
47. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 9 27-08 181 $2,266.67
Day 1: 4 9-07 Day 2: 5 18-01
47. Mike O'Shea Westlake Village, Cali 8 27-08 181 $2,266.67
Day 1: 5 17-15 Day 2: 3 9-09
47. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 7 27-08 181 $2,266.67
Day 1: 2 10-02 Day 2: 5 17-06
50. Steve Daniel Clewiston, Fla. 8 27-02 175 $2,200.00
Day 1: 3 12-00 Day 2: 5 15-02
Day
3: Three Classic Champs
Make Guntersville 'Super Six'
 Three
Classic champions are among the 'Super Six' anglers who will vie for victory
in the Sunday finals of the third event on the Bassmaster Tour.
Reigning Classic champion Michael Iaconelli was in the lead Saturday morning
when a dense blanket of fog loomed over Alabama's Lake Guntersville,
creating a two-hour delay. When the fog finally lifted and the anglers took
off, they faced tough fishing conditions that shook up the leader board
heading into the competition's final day.
Two-time Classic champion George Cochran is the man to beat after Day 3. The
pro brought in 23 pounds, 10 ounces of bass Saturday, heading into the final
day of competition with a total weight of 69-11. The fog delay didn't affect
Cochran's style much as he was catching fish throughout the shortened day.
"I've been catching two and a half limits a day," Cochran said. "I think
today, though, I only caught eight fish. I lost a 6-pounder right at the
boat today, too. The fog delay didn't affect me all that much because I've
been catching fish constantly. It was clear conditions today and what I had
to do was fish a lot slower.
"What I'm doing is ripping the bait and then pausing it for three or four
seconds and that's when they're hitting it. If you move the bait at a
constant speed, they won't hit it. It's moving too fast. They're sluggish.
But when the bait stops, they'll come up and hit it."
Cochran also received an additional $1,000 for becoming the Busch
Heavyweight of the day with a sack of fish that included a 7-pound lunker,
earning him another $1,000 for the Purolator Big Bass of the Day.
Cochran doesn't have much room to breathe, however. Missouri's Stacy King is
a pound behind with 68-11 over three days. Missouri's Chad Brauer (66-1),
2001 Classic champion Kevin VanDam of Michigan (64-1), New Jersey's Mike
Iaconelli (54-11), and Texas' Zell Rowland (51-6) round out the "Super Six"
who will compete for the $100,000 top prize on Sunday.
The amateur competition finished up Saturday with local angler Philip Dukes
taking home the top honors with a three-day weight of 45-7. The Alabama
native has fished many tournaments on Lake Guntersville, but admitted that
this one bested them all.
"This is the biggest tournament I've fished here by far," Dukes said. "I
wasn't nervous at all until this morning. When I got here and realized how
much I was leading by, I started to get worried. All the guys I fished with
here were great and I had a great time with all of them."
Dukes took home over $36,000 in cash and prizes including a year's worth of
free gasoline from CITGO.
Virginian Robert Wilkinson caught a 5-pound 4-ounce bass on Saturday,
earning $500 from Purolator for the Purolator Big Bass of the Day on the
amateur side.
The CITGO Bassmaster Tour event on Lake Guntersville will conclude Sunday.
Launch begins at 6:30 a.m. from the Lake Guntersville State Park. Weigh-in
will be held at the State Park as well beginning at 3:30 p.m.
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.
Day 3 Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
George Cochran |
Hot Springs, AR |
15 |
69-11 |
| 2 |
Stacey D. King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
15 |
68-11 |
| 3 |
Chad Brauer |
Osage Beach, MO |
15 |
66-01 |
| 4 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
15 |
64-01 |
| 5 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
12 |
54-11 |
| 6 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
11 |
51-06 |
Rank Name Hometown
Bass Weight Points Winnings
7. Mike Auten Benton, Ky. 11 47-09 272 $12,000.00
8. Jim Bitter Fruitland Park, Fla. 12 42-08 268 $10,000.00
9. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 11 41-05 264 $9,000.00
10. Paul L Elias Pachuta, Miss. 11 41-03 260 $8,000.00
11. Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 11 41-01 257 $6,000.00
12. David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 10 39-14 254 $5,500.00
Day
4: Two Time Classic
Champion Wins on Lake Guntersville
 Three
different Classic champions led the first three days of the Bassmaster Tour
event on Lake Guntersville, but two-time Bassmaster Classic champion George
Cochran
of Arkansas ended up with the $100,000 top award. Cochran boated just shy of
100 pounds of bass to win the event of the.
Cochran caught 29 pounds, 15 ounces today on a Wild Shiner Strike King
jerkbait, greenback and bone in color, bringing his four-day total up to
99-10, just six ounces shy of the century mark. The 29-15 catch was also the
largest sack of the day, earning Cochran another $1,000 as the Heavyweight
of the day.
"The trick to catching these fish, and catching big fish like I caught today
was, I would pull it down about 3 or 4 foot, twitch it twice and let it sit
for five or six seconds and every fish hit it when it was sitting still,"
Cochran said. "I could just watch the line jump.
"Today I was more patient because I knew where the fish were and I stayed in
the right area longer. I stared throwing 5 pounders back at 10 o'clock. It
took me till 11:30 (to get a limit), but I culled all of them by 2:30 and
when you're throwing 5 pounders (back) by 11 a.m., I didn't think anybody
could beat me. Right now, I want to just stop and enjoy this victory, but it
definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into anywhere."
Cochran's final catch was a full 9-9 over second place Stacy King. The
Missouri pro brought in an amazing sack Sunday (28-2), but just didn't have
enough to stave off the hard-charging Cochran. King followed Cochran's lead,
however, throwing a silver and black Normark Husky Jerk suspending jerkbait
all four days of the competition that saw him weigh in 90-1.
"I knew this lake could produce so much," King said. "George had been on a
good pattern so I didn't have any expectations, you know. Whatever happens,
happens."
Michigan's Kevin VanDam, another Classic champion, brought in 23-2 Sunday to
give him a four-day total of 87-3. Sunday's catch also included an 8-pound
5-ounce bass that proved to be the largest of the day, earning him $1,000
from Purolator for the Big Bass of the Day. Also receiving $1,000 from
Purolator was amateur angler William Robinson of Clintwood Missouri. His
9-10 lunker on Day 2 held out to win the Purolator Big Bass of the
Tournament, and Robinson's award marks the first time an amateur has won the
overall tournament honors.
Missouri's Chad Brauer (83-13), New Jersey's Mike Iaconelli (66-1) and
Texas' Zell Rowland (60-10) rounded out the Super Six of the tournament.
Brauer's fourth place finish put him atop the Bassmaster Angler of the Year
standings with 671 points. Iaconelli is close behind with 656. Previous
leader, Arkansan Scott Suggs is currently in third spot and still leading
the Rookie of the Year race.
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.
Day 4 Pro Standings
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
Winnings |
| 1 |
George Cochran |
Hot Springs, AR |
20 |
99-10 |
$103,000.00 |
| 2 |
Stacey D. King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
20 |
90-01 |
$39,000.00 |
| 3 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
20 |
87-03 |
$25,000.00 |
| 4 |
Chad Brauer |
Osage Beach, MO |
20 |
83-13 |
$21,000.00 |
| 5 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
15 |
66-01 |
$15,000.00 |
| 6 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
13 |
60-10 |
$14,000.00 |
By Brandon Shook
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