SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Aided by his knowledge of New York fisheries, Dave Wolak, a Pennsylvania native, mastered New York's Onondaga Lake, catching a 22-pound, 0-ounce limit Saturday at the Bassmaster Memorial bass fishing tournament. Wolak, who now resides in Wake Forest, N.C., opened up a more than 1-pound advantage over Peter Thliveros of Jacksonville, Fla.
With a number of New York fisheries at his disposal, Wolak, who moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina just last year, had never visited Onondaga before Saturday but had nothing but praise.
"Onondaga was off my radar but I probably should have been coming here every day," said Wolak, the 2005 Toyota Rookie of the Year. "My experience on lakes similar to this did put me in the right mind-set today. I have logged enough hours on these types of places that I know where the big fish should be and I know the correct way to catch them."
Wolak's 22-pound limit, the heaviest thus far, included a 5-8 brute caught at noon ET on a jig. His lone BASS victory came in one of three Bassmaster Majors last year - the Bassmaster American on South Carolina's Lake Wylie.
With the experience he gained from last year's Major, Wolak was able to "calm his nerves" Saturday and catch fish in all of the six holes in the course format, upgrading his weight throughout the day.
"I'm trying to concentrate but as I process what this victory would mean to me and my family, I am having a tough time," said Wolak. "I'm so pumped for tomorrow."
The defending Bassmaster Memorial champion, Thliveros, totaled 20 pounds, 13 ounces, and lurks close behind Wolak. Perhaps Thliveros was better prepared for Onondaga than the rest of the qualifying anglers, as he used a portion of his practice day to ride the course, locating areas he might want to fish, which is allowable under BASS rules.
He feels that he will need to catch more than 20 pounds Sunday to have a chance at overtaking Wolak. He, like Wolak, caught fish all day on a variety of patterns and was able to upgrade his weight throughout the day.
"It seemed like I could do nothing wrong out there," the 47-year-old said. "I didn't want to burn up my areas for Sunday but I don't think that is possible on this lake."
Referring to Sunday as "just another day on the water", Thliveros, who has amassed more than $1 million in BASS career earnings, will look to nab his sixth BASS victory.
Trailing Thliveros by ounces was Day 1 leader Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., in third with 20 pounds, 3 ounces. Rounding out the top six who qualify for the final round of action were John Murray of Phoenix in fourth with 18 pounds, 10 ounces; Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, Calif., in fifth with 18 pounds, 8 ounces, and Day 2 leader Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., in sixth with 18 pounds, 7 ounces.
Sitting outside the cut line by two ounces in seventh was Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif. Reese earned $16,500 for his performance at the Memorial and now sits within $1,000 of earning more than $1 million in BASS career earnings. With his next check in a tournament, Reese will become the 20th angler to earn BASS millionaire status.
The first two days of the Memorial were held on New York's Oneida Lake. Saturday, weights were zeroed for the top 12 qualifiers and anglers fished a rotating six-hole course. Sunday, the top six will fish the same six-hole course with starting positions determined based on the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
2007 Bassmaster Memorial 7/26-7/29
Oneida Lake, Syracuse NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 5 22-00 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 12-14 Day 3: 5 22-00
2. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 5 20-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 20-13
3. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 20-03 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 20-03
4. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 5 18-10 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-10
5. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 5 18-08 0
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-08
6. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 5 18-07 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 18-07
7. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 18-05 0 $16,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 18-05
8. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 5 18-01 0 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 15-01 Day 3: 5 18-01
9. Randy Howell Springville, AL 5 16-13 0 $15,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 13-14 Day 3: 5 16-13
10. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 5 16-11 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 16-11
11. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 5 14-15 0 $13,100.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 14-15
12. John Crews Salem, VA 5 09-04 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 09-04
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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
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
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 51 255 677-09
2 51 255 671-07
3 12 60 212-10
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114 570 1561-10