FORT WORTH, Texas - After a poor practice at Eagle Mountain Lake, Peter Thliveros was less than thrilled with his chances at winning the $250,000 top prize at the first-ever Bassmaster Major bass fishing tournament.
Now, fast forward to Saturday at the Bassmaster Memorial in Fort Worth. The wily veteran from Jacksonville, Fla., led the tournament after catching a 15-pound, 3-ounce limit and is headed into Sunday's finale at Benbrook Lake with confidence he previously did not have. Thliveros led angler Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky., by more than 1 pound.
"This is my tournament to lose," said Thliveros, who for the second consecutive day weighed-in the Purolator Big Bass and also had the Bag of the day. "I have never been this confident heading into the final day at a BASS tournament before."
In his 17 years as a BASS pro the angler has amassed more than $900,000 in tournament earnings. However, a $250,000 Memorial payday would push him over the threshold, making him the latest BASS millionaire, joining 13 other anglers.
An ex-chef who toiled in his father's Italian restaurant in Jacksonville, Thliveros fished a ½-ounce Team Supreme jig around riprap - a pattern he said is unique in the field - on the way to seven keeper-sized bites.
Second-place Menendez - who was the only angler to catch a limit - strolled across the Memorial stage at Will Rogers Coliseum with his dog Barkley, weighing in 13-14. Much like the rest of the field, the angler had little previous knowledge of Benbrook Lake.
"You've got to let instincts take over when you have little knowledge of a fishery," said Menendez, 41. "I just let that Strike King bait show me the way."
The $250,000 top prize would augment an already significant comeback for Menendez. It was just last year when Menendez was stricken with viral meningitis and feared it would end his fishing career. But after a fifth-place finish at the 2005 Bassmaster Open Championship and a stellar 2006 Bassmaster Elite Series season, the two-time BASS winner is once again a force to be reckoned with.
Lurking right behind Thliveros and Menendez was 2003 Bassmaster Classic champ Mike Iaconelli. The Runnemede, N.J., pro has had a banner season and like Thliveros, is nearing the $1 million mark in BASS career earnings. Last month, Iaconelli won the Southern Challenge on Lake Guntersville in Alabama and has yet to place lower than 20th. As soon as he completes the Memorial, Iaconelli will fly to California to appear on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, May 24, at 12:05 a.m. ET.
"I have the advantage heading into Sunday because I get to select where I start," Iaconelli said, who will choose his starting location on the six-hole course because he leads the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. "But you have to catch the fish to win any tournament."
The rest of the top six moving into Sunday's finale are California's Skeet Reese (10-9), Louisiana's Greg Hackney (7-10) and Oklahoma's Edwin Evers (7-3).
Memorial Expo
Big crowds showed up on the opening day of the ESPN Outdoors Expo at the Bassmaster Memorial. The show - at Will Rogers Coliseum in conjunction with the Memorial weigh-in - is a smaller version of the popular annual expo during Bassmaster Classic week.
One feature getting the most attention from fishing fans were the CastingKids exhibit - manned by Texas Federation Nation volunteers and state youth director Trey Scott. Children who tried their hand at a cast received an official certificate of competition as well as a free copy of Junior Bassmaster magazine. "This is a fantastic opportunity for the volunteers to spend quality time with the kids and teach them the techniques of fishing," Scott said.
For the first time, the BASS Federation Nation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are teaming up to access a network of 1,200 volunteers who will work together on grass-roots projects across the state, Scott said.
"We're so pleased with the success of both the Memorial and the expo," said Don Rucks, vice president and general manager of BASS, who was at the weigh-in Saturday. "The whole idea of the Bassmaster Majors was to elevate a few tournaments above and beyond the Elite Series and we feel like we've accomplished that goal. The fan and angler feedback has been amazing."
2006 Bassmaster Memorial 05/18-05/21
Eagle Mountain Lake, Ft. Worth Texas
(PRO Division) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 4 15-03 0 $3,000.00
Day 1: 5 8-03 Day 2: 4 13-12 Day 3: 4 15-03
2. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 5 13-14 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 12-03 Day 2: 4 8-11 Day 3: 5 13-14
3. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J. 4 10-12 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 4 10-12
4. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 4 10-09 0
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day 3: 4 10-09
5. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 3 7-10 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 9-11 Day 3: 3 7-10
6. Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 3 7-03 0
Day 1: 4 8-02 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 3 7-03
7. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 3 7-00 0 $16,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 4 8-01 Day 3: 3 7-00
8. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 2 4-11 0 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 9-01 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day 3: 2 4-11
9. Dave Wolak Warrior Run, Pa. 2 4-06 0 $16,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 4 10-00 Day 3: 2 4-06
10. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 1 4-02 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 4 7-04 Day 3: 1 4-02
11. John Crews Salem, Va. 2 4-00 0 $13,100.00
Day 1: 2 6-10 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 2 4-00
12. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 0 0-00 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 0 0-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 7-01 $1,000.00
2 Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 7-00 $1,000.00
3 Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 7-05 $1,000.00
Busch Heavyweight
Day
1 David Wolak Warrior Run, Pa. 16-14 $1,000.00
2 Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J. 16-14 $1,000.00
3 Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 15-03 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 23 201 455-11
2 17 181 400-15
3 1 33 89-06
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41 415 946-00