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Alabama’s Aaron Martens Leads Onslaught at Lake Guntersville Elite Series Event

Category: press release

 May 8th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified May 8th, 2009 at 12:00 AM

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Setting a torrid pace on ultra-active Lake Guntersville, Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., relied on stealth to build to a two-day total of 58 pounds, 14 ounces, at the Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge, enough to lead Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., by more than 1 pound.

	Aaron Martens leads after Day 2 at Lake Guntersville Elite Series Event (Photo Courtesy of BASS)

Plagued by local boat traffic, Martens was forced to play defense at his most productive spots Friday. So concerned was Martens that he resorted to hiding in his best spots when other boats pulled into the areas. He would pop back into the honey hole only when he felt all traffic had moved away. He fished for only six hours of his competition day, meaning the other four were spent sitting, literally, on his best spots.

But Martens has made a name for himself because of his ability to adapt. His West Coast roots and his exposure to fishing since practically infancy have given Martens a deserved reputation as one of the most versatile pros on the Elite Series. On Friday he used all of his guile.

“It’s stressful out there,” said Martens, the 2005 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “If I played my cards right and had all of my spots to myself, who knows what I could have caught. But it’s always going to be a grind. These weights are just amazing and at some point they have to drop off.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Southern Challenge on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, while a wealth of unique content will also be available at Bassmaster.com. Fans can log on to Bassmaster.com throughout the competition to catch live, daily Hooked Up updates with BASS emcee Keith Alan.

Forced to find new areas, Martens cobbled together 29 pounds, 12 ounces, Friday. He has found a bevy of productive spots on Guntersville but was afraid that he might have trouble locating more. With possible nasty weather Saturday, Martens and the other 49 competitors who advanced to Day Three should see less local boat traffic. Martens, relieved at the thought, planned to hit his best spot first thing Saturday morning.

“If I have my best area to myself it should be a 5-pounder on nearly every cast,” he said. “The First, second, third, fourth cast. It’s just an amazing spot.”

While he declined to discuss specifics, Martens has used two distinctly different patterns. One was similar to what many in the field were doing but the other pattern was unique and he felt it would be key in his continued success.

McClelland held steady in second with 57-7. Sticking with what was successful Thursday, the 41-year-old threw a variety of baits, including spinnerbaits, to defined areas.

After a horrid first two days of practice, McClelland became dialed in after making some wholesale adjustments. He is executing a 1-2 punch, keying on the shad spawn in the early morning to build a modest limit and then pecking and hunting for larger fish by working with the current later in the day.

Like most in the field, McClelland is confident in boating 20 to 22 pounds each day but is relying on kicker fish to take his weight to another level. Thursday, he landed an 8-pound behemoth, and Friday he boated a 6-14.

Within his areas, McClelland is barely moving, trying to entice the tightly positioned bass with ultra-precise casts.

“‘I’m a little concerned because the bigger fish are getting harder to catch as we get deeper in the tournament,” he said. “But it’s definitely a matter of timing. And I just need to hit it at the right time.”

Slipping from the lead into third was Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas, with 55 pounds, 15 ounces overall. In fourth was Byron Velvick of Del Rio, Texas, with 55 pounds, 2 ounces. Moving up from seventh to fifth was Mike Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J., with 54 pounds, 10 ounces.

In what is shaping up to be a climactic Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, the top three anglers heading into the event finished safely within the cutline Friday. Four-time AOY Kevin VanDam (18th) will look to hold off Skeet Reese (15th) and Alton Jones (7th) to maintain his lead.

Meanwhile, Kevin Langill of Terrell, N.C., had his Friday catch disqualified for violation of Participation Rule 1.

With just three regular-season events remaining after Guntersville, anglers are jockeying for position to qualify for the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Series postseason. The details of that two-tournament event, Sept. 12-13 on Alabama’s Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka and Sept. 17-18 on the Alabama River from Montgomery, were announced Wednesday. Only the top 12 anglers in the regular-season AOY standings will qualify.

Guntersville has been the site of more than 20 previous BASS events, including the 1976 Bassmaster Classic, won by Elite Series pro Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo. The last time the Elite Series visited the popular fishery, in 2007, VanDam outlasted the field to claim the trophy. His winning weight of 66 pounds, 3 ounces, was more than 7 pounds the better over St. Louis’ Mark Tucker, who finished second with 59-1.

After Saturday’s Day Three, only the top 12 will go on to compete in Sunday’s Day Four. Fans are encouraged to attend the Southern Challenge’s daily launches (6 a.m. CT) and weigh-ins (4 p.m.) through Sunday at Lake Guntersville State Park, 4242 Aubrey Carr Scenic Dr., Guntersville.

Other activities Saturday and Sunday at the Southern Challenge will begin at 1 p.m. CT at Lake Guntersville State Park, featuring the popular Dog Training & Retriever Demonstrations Brought To You By SportDog, as well as the Southern Challenge Rib Cookoff on Saturday.

At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, fans are invited to experience Bassmaster University, which includes the “Ask the Experts” session with Elite pros at 3 p.m.

Sunday’s activities include the live taping of Hooked Up, hosted by ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. The show, which will air live at 3:30 p.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, will preview Sunday’s final weigh-in.

All events at the Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge are free and open to the public. Up next in the Elite Series is the June 3-6 Tennessee Triumph on Kentucky Lake out of Paris, Tenn.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNOutdoorsMedia.com for the latest releases photos and more.

The local sponsor of the Southern Challenge is the Marshall County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multimedia platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive Web properties in ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content – from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage – to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS annually sanctions more than 20,000 events.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

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Media Contact: Doug Grassian; (407) 566-2216 or [email protected]

DAY 2 STANDINGS- STA-BIL MARINE FORMULA SOUTHERN CHALLENGE

2009 Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge 5/7-5/10
Lake Guntersville, Guntersville AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 58-14 305
Day 1: 5 29-02 Day 2: 5 29-12
2. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 10 57-07 295
Day 1: 5 30-10 Day 2: 5 26-13
3. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 55-15 295
Day 1: 5 31-00 Day 2: 5 24-15
4. Byron Velvick Del Rio, TX 10 55-02 285
Day 1: 5 29-04 Day 2: 5 25-14
5. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 10 54-10 280
Day 1: 5 27-05 Day 2: 5 27-05
6. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 51-14 276
Day 1: 5 25-14 Day 2: 5 26-00
7. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 51-11 272
Day 1: 5 28-12 Day 2: 5 22-15
8. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 10 51-10 268
Day 1: 5 24-06 Day 2: 5 27-04
9. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 10 51-06 264
Day 1: 5 26-11 Day 2: 5 24-11
10. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 51-03 260
Day 1: 5 24-07 Day 2: 5 26-12
11. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 51-01 257
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 26-05
12. Marty Stone Fayetteville, NC 10 50-12 254
Day 1: 5 26-15 Day 2: 5 23-13
13. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 50-10 251
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 24-14
14. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 50-07 248
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 24-14
15. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 10 50-00 245
Day 1: 5 25-06 Day 2: 5 24-10
16. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 10 49-04 243
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 23-08
17. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 49-02 241
Day 1: 5 22-02 Day 2: 5 27-00
18. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 49-00 239
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 23-07
19. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 10 48-09 237
Day 1: 5 26-14 Day 2: 5 21-11
20. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 47-14 235
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 26-13
21. Ken D Cook Lawton, OK 10 47-07 233
Day 1: 5 29-02 Day 2: 5 18-05
22. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 10 47-03 231
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 26-14
23. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 10 46-08 229
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 23-07
24. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 46-03 227
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 22-12
25. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 10 46-02 225
Day 1: 5 24-08 Day 2: 5 21-10
26. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 46-00 223
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 25-15
27. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 46-00 221
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 23-12
28. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 10 45-07 219
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 24-14
29. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 10 44-12 217
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 20-12
30. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 44-08 215
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 25-11
31. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 10 44-08 213
Day 1: 5 22-02 Day 2: 5 22-06
32. Clark Reehm Russellville, AR 10 44-07 211
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 28-14
33. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 44-07 209
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 22-06
34. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 44-03 207
Day 1: 5 22-10 Day 2: 5 21-09
35. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 10 44-01 205
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 20-13
36. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 44-01 203
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 5 21-02
37. Billy Mccaghren Mayflower, AR 10 44-01 201
Day 1: 5 22-13 Day 2: 5 21-04
38. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 43-15 199
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 17-12
39. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 10 43-09 197
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 23-05
40. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 10 43-06 195
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 22-10
41. Mark Burgess Norton, MA 10 43-04 193
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 22-00
42. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 43-00 191
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 19-12
43. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 10 42-12 189
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 22-00
44. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 10 42-10 187
Day 1: 5 25-03 Day 2: 5 17-07
45. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 10 42-06 185
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 25-13
46. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 10 42-05 183
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 22-01
47. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 10 42-02 181
Day 1: 5 23-10 Day 2: 5 18-08
48. Wade Grooms Bonneau, SC 10 42-02 179
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 22-14
49. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 10 41-10 175
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 23-02
50. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 41-09 173
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 21-00
51. Vince Fulks Purcell, OK 10 41-01 171
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 22-09
51. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 10 41-01 171
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 22-09
53. Matthew Sphar Pavilion, NY 10 40-13 167
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 17-07
54. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 10 40-13 165
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 21-10
55. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 10 40-09 163
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 22-05
56. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 10 40-01 161
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 19-03
57. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 39-14 159
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 5 15-13
58. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 10 39-14 157
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 20-08
59. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 10 39-13 155
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 22-13
60. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 10 39-11 153
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 18-02
61. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 10 39-04 151
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 5 15-03
62. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 10 39-04 149
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 19-14
63. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 39-00 147
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 20-02
64. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 10 38-13 145
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 19-07
65. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 38-06 143
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 18-10
66. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 38-03 141
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 19-09
67. Jason Quinn York, SC 10 38-00 139
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 16-09
68. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 10 37-14 137
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 17-08
69. Luke Gritter Kalamazoo, MI 10 37-10 135
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 22-10
70. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 10 37-08 133
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 17-05
71. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 10 37-04 131
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 15-14
72. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 10 37-01 129
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 15-08
73. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 10 36-12 127
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 21-01
74. Jeremy Starks Charleston, WV 10 35-13 125
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 19-04
75. Brian Clark Haltom City, TX 10 35-10 123
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 14-14
76. Jim Murray Arabi, GA 10 35-09 121
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 23-01
77. Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, AR 10 35-04 119
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 17-08
78. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 10 35-04 117
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 15-01
79. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 35-02 115
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 14-10
80. John Crews Salem, VA 10 34-12 113
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 14-15
81. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 9 34-10 111
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 4 12-12
82. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 10 34-04 109
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 13-13
83. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 10 33-13 107
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 19-13
84. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 10 32-07 105
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 16-14
85. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 31-10 103
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 14-03
86. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 10 31-10 101
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 14-13
87. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 8 31-02 99
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 5 23-05
88. Scott Campbell Springfield, MO 9 30-15 97
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 4 09-02
89. David Smith Del City, OK 10 30-09 95
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 15-10
90. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 30-08 93
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 16-07
91. Chris Lane Lakeland, FL 10 29-03 91
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 16-03
92. Grant Goldbeck Gaithersburg, MD 10 29-02 89
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-09
93. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 28-08 87
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 12-04
94. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 8 28-00 85
Day 1: 3 12-00 Day 2: 5 16-00
95. Pat Golden High Point, NC 10 27-03 83
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 10-08
96. Elton Luce Jr. Brookeland, TX 10 26-15 81
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 12-00
97. Zell Rowland Montgomery, TX 7 25-00 79
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 2 04-04
98. Kevin Langill Terrell, N.C. 5 20-14 77

99. Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 7 20-10 77
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 5 16-06
———————————————————————–

BIG BASS
Day
1 Ken D Cook Lawton, OK 08-05 $0.00
2 Clark Reehm Russellville, AR 09-02 $0.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 488 2064-09
2 96 490 2020-03
———————————-
192 978 4084-12