2014 Bassmaster Elite Cayuga Lake Day 2: Greg Hackney in Lead of AOY and Tournament!

Angler of the Year is Super Hot with Hackney and Faircloth 1-2. 

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. — Give the man some grass, and he feels right at home.

That’s grass, as in aquatic vegetation, and crystal-clear Cayuga Lake is loaded with it.

“Deep, clear water with grass is by far my favorite way to fish,” said Greg Hackney, the pro angler from Gonzales, La., who took the lead Friday in the second round of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake out of Union Springs, N.Y.

Greg is a master with the big rod. New York is playing to
the strengths of many Elite anglers.
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

Hackney weighed the day’s heaviest bag of bass — 23 pounds, 1 ounce — to rise into the lead from fourth place. His two-day total was 43-6.

“Grassmaster” No. 2 on Friday was Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas.

“Anytime we go to a lake that has grass in it, my confidence soars,” said Faircloth, who climbed from seventh place into second place with twin weights of 20-2 for a running total of 40-4. He trailed Hackney by 3-2.

Coincidentally, Hackney and Faircloth currently occupy first and second place, respectively, in the season’s Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. After Friday’s round, they were 17 points apart.

2014 Bassmaster Elite at Delaware River Day 3: Ike Takes Command of Hometown Tournament!

Ike leads by 6 pounds!

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

PHILADELPHIA  — This week on the Delaware River, Michael Iaconelli has been the prince of tides. Judging by the mass of fans pulling for him at the Bassmaster Elite Series event out of the City of Brotherly Love, he’s also the fishing prince of Philadelphia.

Mike is pumped and ready to win this event.
Today he pulled away from the pack to take total control.
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

Saturday in the third of four rounds, Iaconelli not only repeated his Friday lead, he banked 6 pounds, 9 ounces against his nearest challenger by reading and adjusting to the tides.

Iaconelli’s leading three-day total was 37-0. Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., and Scott Rook of Little Rock, Ark. — both “river rats” who have tapped into their knowledge of current and river habitat to attack the Delaware — are Iaconelli’s lurking challengers.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Table Rock Lake Day 2: Mark Turns Tables!

Veteran Davis Claims lead in tournament and AOY

by Deb Johnson

Bass press release

BRANSON, Mo. — Everyone’s saying Mark Davis is on fire.

Indeed he is. Friday he fanned that flame by taking the lead on the second day of the April 3-6 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite on Table Rock Lake.

Inferno, anyone?

Experience and determination has made
Mark Davis super keen to win it all.
(Photo: BASS)

Davis moved up from second place by adding another 15 pounds, 3 ounces to his first-day weight of 18-8. The Mount Ida, Ark., pro’s two-day tally was 33 pounds, 11 ounces.

If Davis, who already owns three Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, goes on to win Sunday, he would cement his early lead in the race for the 2014 AOY title. He earned the AOY lead by finishing in third place in each of the first two Elite events of the season.

“It’s been really, really hard to keep it going, but so far, so good,” said Davis, who also owns a Bassmaster Classic title from 1995.