FORT WORTH, Texas - Two weeks ago, Dave Wolak wasn't even aware he had qualified for the lucrative Bassmaster Majors. After Thursday, the Warrior Run, Pa., angler led the decorated field at the Bassmaster Memorial in the chase for the $250,000 top prize after catching a 16-pound, 14-ounce limit.
Right behind Wolak was Arkansas' Mike McClelland, trailing the leader by only five ounces.
Wolak qualified for all three Majors because he was the 2005 Rookie of the Year but he simply did not know that his status gave him automatic entry.
"I was ecstatic when I found out at Clarks Hill," Wolak said. "Now, to be leading the tournament with a shot at all that money is a great feeling. There are not many occupations when you have a chance at winning that kind of cash without an investment." The $250,000 top prize would more than double Wolak's career BASS earnings to date.
The key to success for Wolak was capitalizing on an early topwater bite, and then moving deeper later in the day. The 29-year-old angler caught fish in water of up to 30 feet deep.
He has three spots that he has confidence in and plans to sporadically visit all three on Friday. With a "touchy" bite at Eagle Mountain Lake, Wolak said, the key to boating the fish is to imitate the shad, which are the main forage for bass on the smallish fishery.
"The shad are really concentrated in certain spots and if you find one of those, you have to be patient and sit on it," Wolak said.
McClelland, who qualified for the Majors through the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, boated seven of his eight keeper bites on his way to a 16-pound, 9-ounce limit with a Jewel jig in very shallow water - 2 to 5 feet deep.
"I am in my comfort zone at this time of year at this type of lake," McClelland said. "These fish are shallow and I would be very surprised if someone wasn't catching them shallow."
The Jewel jig that the Bella Vista, Ark. angler threw is the same bait that helped McClelland win the 2005 Bassmaster Open Championship.
Rounding out the top five were Mineola, Texas, resident Kelly Jordon (15-6), Little Rock, Ark., angler Scott Rook (15-0) and Auburn, Calif., angler Skeet Reese (14-6).
The full field will fish on Friday on Eagle Mountain Lake. Only the top 12 will fish on Saturday and the top six on Sunday at Benbrook Lake.
2006 Bassmaster Memorial 05/18-05/21
Eagle Mountain Lake, Ft. Worth Texas
(PRO Division) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Dave Wolak Warrior Run, Pa. 5 16-14 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-14
2. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 5 16-09 0
Day 1: 5 16-09
3. Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 3 15-06 0
Day 1: 3 15-06
4. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 5 15-00 0
Day 1: 5 15-00
5. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 5 14-06 0
Day 1: 5 14-06
6. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 5 13-15 0
Day 1: 5 13-15
7. Lee Bailey Boaz, Ala. 5 13-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-08
8. Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 5 13-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-03
9. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 5 12-08 0
Day 1: 5 12-08
10. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, Ark. 5 12-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-06
10. Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas 5 12-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-06
12. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 3 12-03 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 12-03
13. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 5 11-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-12
14. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 5 11-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-07
15. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 5 11-06 0
Day 1: 5 11-06
16. Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala. 5 11-02 0
Day 1: 5 11-02
17. Yusuke Miyazaki Mineola, Texas 5 10-15 0
Day 1: 5 10-15
18. Paul Elias Laurel, Miss. 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-12
19. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, Kan. 5 10-10 0
Day 1: 5 10-10
20. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J. 5 10-08 0
Day 1: 5 10-08
21. Ishama Monroe Hughson, Calif. 5 9-04 0
Day 1: 5 9-04
22. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 5 9-01 0
Day 1: 5 9-01
23. Terry Scroggins Palatka, Fla. 4 9-00 0
Day 1: 4 9-00
24. Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 5 8-14 0
Day 1: 5 8-14
25. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla. 4 8-07 0
Day 1: 4 8-07
26. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 5 8-03 0
Day 1: 5 8-03
27. Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 4 8-02 0
Day 1: 4 8-02
28. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 4 7-15 0
Day 1: 4 7-15
29. Kenyon Hill Norman, Okla. 4 7-13 0
Day 1: 4 7-13
29. Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 3 7-13 0
Day 1: 3 7-13
31. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 4 7-07 0
Day 1: 4 7-07
32. Rick Clunn Ava, Mo. 5 7-03 0
Day 1: 5 7-03
33. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, Mo. 3 6-14 0
Day 1: 3 6-14
34. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, Okla. 4 6-12 0
Day 1: 4 6-12
35. John Crews Salem, Va. 2 6-10 0
Day 1: 2 6-10
36. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu, Ariz. 2 6-09 0
Day 1: 2 6-09
37. Marty Stone Linden, N.C. 3 6-04 0
Day 1: 3 6-04
38. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, S.C. 3 5-14 0
Day 1: 3 5-14
38. Mike Reynolds Modesto, Calif. 3 5-14 0
Day 1: 3 5-14
40. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 2 5-10 0
Day 1: 2 5-10
41. Morizo Shimizu Murrieta, Calif. 3 5-05 0
Day 1: 3 5-05
42. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 3 5-02 0
Day 1: 3 5-02
42. Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 3 5-02 0
Day 1: 3 5-02
44. Aaron Martens Leeds, Ala. 3 5-01 0
Day 1: 3 5-01
44. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 2 5-01 0
Day 1: 2 5-01
46. Davy Hite Ninety Six, S.C. 2 4-03 0
Day 1: 2 4-03
47. Mark Tyler Scottsdale, Ariz. 2 3-05 0
Day 1: 2 3-05
48. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 5 2-15 0
Day 1: 5 2-15
49. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 2 2-12 0
Day 1: 2 2-12
50. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 2 2-10 0
Day 1: 2 2-10
51. Guy Eaker Cherryville, N.C. 2 2-08 0
Day 1: 2 2-08
52. Brooks Rogers Quitman, Texas 1 2-06 0
Day 1: 1 2-06
53. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 1 1-13 0
Day 1: 1 1-13
54. Chad Brauer Osage Beach, Mo. 1 1-03 0
Day 1: 1 1-03
55. Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 0 0-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 7-01 $1,000.00
Day
1 David Wolak Warrior Run, Pa. 16-14 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 23 201 455-11
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23 201 455-11