SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Needing every ounce of his two-day total of 39 pounds, 0 ounces, Peter Thliveros of Jacksonville, Fla., defended his Bassmaster Memorial crown Sunday, holding off his nearest competitor, Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., by just 2 ounces.
Thliveros, who scored victory in the 2006 Bassmaster Memorial in Fort Worth, Texas, enjoyed a solid start, catching four bass in the first hour of competition. With the victory and the top prize of $250,000, he has amassed more than $1.5 million in BASS career earnings.
Weights were zeroed for the top 12 anglers after two days of competition on New York's Oneida Lake. The final two days were held on Onondaga Lake and a rotating six-hole course set up by BASS officials.
"It seems like destiny," said Thliveros, a six-time BASS winner. "This victory and defending this title are the hallmark of my career."
Thliveros, 47, clinched the victory by boating a smallmouth bass at 4:35 p.m. ET, in his final hour of fishing. His final catch, however, perhaps was not as beneficial as what he did before his first cast of the tournament. Thliveros used a portion of his practice day to ride Onondaga Lake and locate productive areas, which is permissible under BASS rules.
"That was the best decision I made all week," he said. "I felt very good about this tournament coming in, and after practicing at Oneida the first two days, I knew I had a chance to make the finals."
Calling his pattern a "patience deal," Thliveros caught every fish he weighed on a Zoom superfluke. He credited his Florida roots in helping him slow down and entice the biggest bass.
Despite his disappointment, Kennedy, who posted a two-day total of 38 pounds, 14 ounces, continues a superb season in which he has notched one Bassmaster Elite Series victory and set the BASS record at California's Clear Lake for heaviest four-day weight in a tournament.
For the majority of his fishing day, Kennedy worked a swimbait to big structure and targeted bigger bites. Using a jig, the 2006 Toyota Rookie of the Year nearly boated a fish he estimated at more than 5 pounds, but was unable to land it.
"Unbelievable!" said Kennedy, a one-time BASS winner. "This one hurts. It really does. But there is nothing I can do about it now."
Finishing third and fourth were two Arizona anglers. Moving up one spot to third was John Murray of Phoenix, with 37 pounds, 10 ounces. In fourth was Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, with 36 pounds, 0 ounces.
Day 3 leader Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C., slipped to fifth with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 15 ounces. Finishing sixth was Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, Calif., with 34 pounds, 12 ounces.
The next stop on the series is the Capitol Clash on Aug. 9-12 at the Potomac River. The next and final Bassmaster Major of the season is scheduled for Aug. 23-26 on the Arkansas River.
With only two events left in the season, the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, unaffected by the Bassmaster Majors, remains a tight race. Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., leads two-time Bassmaster Classic champion Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., by 21 points.
2007 Bassmaster Memorial 7/26-7/29
Oneida Lake, Syracuse NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 10 39-00 0 $250,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 20-13 Day 4: 5 18-03
2. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 38-14 0 $35,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 20-03 Day 4: 5 18-11
3. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 10 37-10 0 $30,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-10 Day 4: 5 19-00
4. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu, AZ 10 36-00 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 18-07 Day 4: 5 17-09
5. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 10 35-15 0 $29,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 12-14 Day 3: 5 22-00 Day 4: 5 13-15
6. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 10 34-12 0 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-08 Day 4: 5 16-04
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Big Bass
Day
1 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 05-01 $1,000.00
2 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 05-00 $1,000.00
3 John Murray Phoenix, AZ 05-12 $1,000.00
4 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 04-08 $1,000.00
John Murray Phoenix, AZ 05-12 $1,000.00
Day
1 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 17-12 $1,000.00
2 Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 17-09 $1,000.00
3 Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 22-00 $1,000.00
4 John Murray Phoenix, AZ 19-00 $1,000.00
Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 22-00 $8,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 51 255 677-09
2 51 255 671-07
3 12 60 212-10
4 6 30 103-10
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120 600 1665-04