Ike Takes Day Two

He’s known for his “Never Give Up” motto, and the 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year and 2003 Bassmaster Classic winner followed his own advice in grabbing the lead Friday, the second day of the Empire Chase presented by Farmer’s Insurance on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

With a victory, Iaconelli would earn $100,000, adding to his Berkley Big Bag honors and a $1,000 premium Friday for the heaviest bag of the day’s competition at 22 pounds, 15 ounces. Trailing him by less than 1 pound is Day 1 leader Matt Reed of Madisonville, Texas, with a two-day total of 43-6. Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., the 2007 Empire Chase champion, is right behind, in third with 42-14, while Kotaro Kiriyama of Moody, Ala., who finished second in 2007, trails Evers in the 2008 tournament by a mere ounce, in fourth with 42-13. Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., rounds out the top five with 42-11.

Fishing fans can catch all of the action from the Empire Chase on The Bassmasters on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

More than the trophy is at stake at the Empire Chase, as the drama of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race continues to build. With just one event remaining after Buffalo, Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas, has taken over the lead in the AOY title race by five points. Faircloth remains in eighth at the Empire Chase after Day 2 with an overall weight of 44 pounds, 5 ounces. Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., now second in the AOY race, is tied for 14th in the tournament with 36-10.

The winner of the AOY race will receive $250,000 and the points will also determine the brunt of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers. The top 36 Elite pros will qualify for the Classic, set for Feb. 20-22 out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La. Also derived from the AOY points will be the first 84 qualifiers for the 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series roster.

Milder wind conditions prevailed Friday, which helped Iaconelli, 36, control his bait a little better, he said. He narrowly missed earning the Purolator Big Bass of the Day honors, weighing in a fish at 5-11 and one at 5-9. The Purolator Big Bass and its $1,000 premium Friday went to Elton Luce Jr. of Brookeland, Texas, for a 5-13 smallmouth.

Iaconelli, who missed the cut in 2007 on Lake Erie by one position in finishing 51st, is fishing a drop-shot in 30 to 35 feet of water on the main lake. He said that, during this tournament in which weather plays a key role, using all of the equipment at the pros’ disposal – from electronics to the line to the bait, even the weight – has been critical.

“Last year I fished 40 to 45, this year I’m a lot shallower than that,” Iaconelli said. “I’m more like in that 30-35 range. That’s a key zone for me. The baits are key, too. I’m fishing a couple of different baits, the Berkley baits, the Tru-Tungsten baits – they’re really doing a good job of imitating gobies.”

Among those making the cut in the top 50: Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., who is third in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race (30th, 33-4), and local favorite Matthew Sphar of Pavilion, N.Y. (35th, 32-13).

Reed, who said the bite Friday wasn’t quite as on fire as it was Thursday, added that getting to his spots has been tough but critical in the windy conditions on Lake Erie.

“You’ve got to be able to know how to position your boat in those kinds of waves and know how to get your bait where those fish are,” said Reed, who lost three smallmouth Friday that were 5-plus-pounders.

In the co-angler division, Tim Creighton of Buffalo leads the chase for the $25,000 top prize with a two-day total of 27-9. Trailing Brodnicki are Shawn Maynor of Oklahoma, with 24-10, and South Carolina’s Marcos Malucelli, with 24-1. Saturday’s competition among the top 50 co-anglers will conclude the amateur event.

Daily tournament launches and weigh-ins will take place at the NFTA Small Boat Harbor, 111 Fuhrmann Blvd. Launches begin at 8 a.m. ET and weigh-ins at 5 p.m.

Before Saturday’s weigh-in, activities for fans at the park include Bassmaster University’s “Ask the Experts,” a Berkley Beginner Fishing Class, Skeeter boat demo rides and the Purolator Big Bass Fan $1,000 Giveaway.

On Sunday, Bassmaster.com will provide updates throughout the day and preview the final weigh-in with Hooked Up, live at 4:30 p.m., hosted by ESPN2 Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders and BASS emcee Keith Alan.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

The local sponsor of the Empire Chase is the Buffalo Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

Location and Field
Empire Chase presented by Farmer’s Insurance
Lake Erie/Niagara River
Buffalo
July 31-Aug. 3, 2008

Field
106 pros, 106 co-anglers
Cut to top 50 pros and co-anglers after Day 2
Cut to top 12 pro anglers after Day 3

Launch/Weigh-in
NFTA Small Boat Harbor
111 Furhmann Blvd.
Buffalo, NY
8 a.m./5 p.m. ET