RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - Celebrating his 35th birthday, Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., stepped closer to his second victory of the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series season by being the first to qualify for the 12 angler cut Friday at the Bassmaster Legends bass fishing tournament at Lake Dardanelle.
Martens caught five bass Friday weighing 17 pounds, 0 ounces, for a two-day total of 33-0, and a 10-ounce margin over Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who caught five bass weighing 13-12 for a two-day total of 32-6. Weights are zeroed for Saturday's competition and only the top six competitors will qualify for Sunday's final day of action and have a shot at the $250,000 top prize.
Martens made the cut at Lake Dardanelle, which featured a similar format to the Bassmaster Majors. Thus, the four-time BASS winner is very familiar with the six-hole "course" which the 12 semifinalists will fish in Saturday's third round of action in a timed, rotating manner. A little cloud cover, he said, will make his birthday even happier.
"If we get the slightest bit of cloud cover, it'll be amazing," said Martens, a California native. "I hardly scratched the surface in the course two years ago. Each hole has got offshore stuff. There are piles of offshore, man-made structure. If I catch them shallow, I'll still try to get something going offshore."
Martens anticipated making the semifinal round, but he also said he was surprised that the weights were so high. At the end of the day, he caught a bass that weighed 5-1 that sealed the deal.
"I expected to do as well as I did," said Martens, who has amassed more than $1 million in BASS career earnings. "I caught 40 or 50 bass a day, and about 10 or 12 keepers. I figured if I got a limit each day, I'd have a good chance to make it."
Martens said the "course" is different than what he fished in the first two rounds. To adjust, he said he'll have to be more versatile.
"I've got to be open minded," Martens said. "I'll have 13 or 14 rods on the deck instead of six. I'll have baits tied on that I haven't thrown yet."
Like Martens, who said Lake Dardanelle reminds him of the California Delta, Hackney compared Dardanelle to the lower Arkansas River, where he fished for most of his formative years. He parlayed the similarities into a shot at $250,000.
"The main thing is that I'll be able to get in those 'holes,' and I qualified," said Hackney, 33. "Now, I've got to figure out what is the deal and how to catch them in those areas."
With 18-10 going into Friday's round, Hackney said he knew a limit would be enough to make the cut. When he caught five keepers, the three-time BASS winner said he relaxed and prepared for Saturday.
"Normally, I have to grind it out until the end, and at the end of the day and I'm mentally and physically exhausted," the 2004 Toyota Rookie of the Year said. "This week I've been very blessed. Of course, tomorrow the mental and physical stress will be at the maximum."
Rounding out the top five were Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., in third with 32 pounds, 1 ounce; Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., in fourth with 31 pounds, 0 ounces, and two-time BASS winner Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., in fifth with 30 pounds, 4 ounces.
Also qualifying for Saturday was defending Legends champion Scott Rook of Little Rock, Ark., in sixth with 28 pounds, 3 ounces, and 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., in ninth with 25 pounds, 8 ounces.
Meanwhile, Rick Coker of Little Rock, Ark., who served as Oklahoman Tommy Biffle's observer Friday, won a Triton boat package. Biffle scored the Purolator Big Bass of the Day, a 5-11 brute, allowing Coker to win the prize offered to observers in Bassmaster Majors competition.
The top six anglers will also fish the six-hole course Sunday in a timed, rotating manner.
2007 Bassmaster Legends 8/23-8/26
Lake Dardanelle, Russellville AR.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 33-00 0
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-00
2. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 32-06 0
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 13-12
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 32-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 16-02
4. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 10 31-00 0
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-08
5. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 10 30-04 0
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 11-15
6. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 28-03 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 15-06
7. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 27-15 0
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 11-10
8. Fred Roumbanis Broken Arrow, OK 8 27-00 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 3 06-11
9. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 25-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-00
10. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 9 24-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 5 16-03
11. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 10 24-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-02
11. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 24-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-06
13. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 24-09 0 $11,700.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-10
14. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 24-07 0 $11,600.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 12-07
15. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 10 24-03 0 $11,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 13-15
16. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 24-02 0 $11,350.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-04
16. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 9 24-02 0 $11,350.00
Day 1: 4 10-14 Day 2: 5 13-04
18. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 24-01 0 $12,150.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 12-09
18. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 24-01 0 $11,150.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 13-06
20. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 7 23-14 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 2 06-01 Day 2: 5 17-13
21. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 9 23-09 0 $10,900.00
Day 1: 4 09-10 Day 2: 5 13-15
22. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 9 23-07 0 $10,800.00
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 13-05
23. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 7 22-12 0 $10,700.00
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 5 17-11
24. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira , KS 10 22-10 0 $10,600.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 09-06
25. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 22-08 0 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 12-07
26. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 7 22-07 0
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 3 10-04
27. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 21-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 10-11
28. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 21-08 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 12-00
29. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 9 21-02 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 09-02
30. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 20-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 08-15
31. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 7 20-01 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 2 07-03
32. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 8 19-02 0
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 4 11-07
33. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 8 18-12 0
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 5 12-15
34. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 6 18-10 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 1 02-07
35. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, FL 8 18-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 3 07-02
36. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 7 17-09 0
Day 1: 4 10-08 Day 2: 3 07-01
37. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 6 16-12 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 1 01-10
38. Chris Lane Winter Haven, FL 7 16-10 0
Day 1: 2 05-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
39. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 6 16-03 0
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 2 05-01
40. Derek Remitz Madison, AL 6 15-01 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 5 12-14
41. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 5 13-14 0
Day 1: 3 08-09 Day 2: 2 05-05
42. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 6 13-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 12-01
43. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 7 13-12 0
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 4 06-13
44. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 8 13-04 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 3 05-00
45. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 7 10-10 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 5 07-05
46. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 4 09-15 0
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 1 01-14
47. Morizo Shimizu Murrieta, CA 5 08-07 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 3 05-10
48. Peter E Thliveros St. Augustine, FL 4 07-15 0
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. John Crews Salem, VA 3 06-00 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 1 02-11
50. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 3 05-15 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 2 04-12
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Big Bass
Day
1 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 06-12 $1,000.00
2 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 05-11 $1,000.00
Day
1 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 20-05 $1,000.00
2 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 17-13 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 28 203 521-13
2 32 202 516-04
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60 405 1038-01