THE LATEST NEWS
The Iaconelli’s – The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far Vegas Iaconelli’s 1st Tournament
Getting kids fishing is one of the things Team Toyota pro Mike Iaconelli is most passionate about in life. If you’ve ever seen (or heard) Ike fish, you already know about his own untamable excitement for fishing, which spills over when it comes to getting youngsters involved in the sport. Unsurprisingly, Iaconelli’s children have absorbed his infectious enthusiasm for the outdoors.
On Saturday, May 18th Mike’s son Vegas Iaconelli fished in his very first tournament at the ripe age of 8-years old. Mike was competing on Table Rock Lake for Stage 6 of the Bass Pro Tour, so bass fishing super wife Becky Iaconelli stepped up and had her very first boat captain experience. To put icing on the cake, Vegas caught two bass and finished in 2nd place with his mom cheering him on.
If that doesn’t make you smile, you might be in the wrong place.
Vegas competed in a New Jersey BASS Nation Youth Tournament, which was held on small Assunpink Lake. This particular event was a “paper tournament”, which means the fish were measured on an official bump board, photographed, and released immediately. For safety, boats could be powered by trolling motor only and the Iaconelli’s were proud to say they believe they had the smallest boat in the tournament!
Vegas fished out of Mike’s original 12-foot Coleman Crawdad Jon Boat, which is no less than 30 years old. That little Jon Boat holds a lot of memories for Mike, as it was his first fishing boat and he’s had it since he was 18 years old.
Mike recently rebuilt the vessel for Vegas to fish out of. The old Jon Boat is now equipped with everything an angler could nee. Working live-wells, a Lowrance unit, extra storage compartments, a HydroWave, and a special two trolling motor system. The trolling motors came in handy, as Becky thinks they were the fastest boat on the water, along with being the smallest.
Vegas was already ate up with fishing before this tournament, thanks largely to the support of his parents and spending days on the water with dad. But Vegas is officially “hooked” on tournament fishing after Saturday.
“I caught one on a ribbontail (worm) and one on a Berkley General,” Vegas “the Hammer” shared. “It was tough fishing but I had a really good time. It was awesome to have my mom in the boat with me the whole time… she helped a lot!”
Becky was the first to admit Mike is typically the one who takes the kids fishing whenever they want to go, as there is never a shortage of household tasks or work for their many side projects to check off the “to-do” list. So it took Vegas a little while to get used to listening to Mom’s input. While Becky may not fish regularly anymore, don’t think for a minute she doesn’t know a thing or two about bass fishing.
“He had to fish extremely slow, which isn’t the easiest thing for an 8-year old to do,” Becky joked. “It was tough, post-spawn fishing. I was using snacks and music to incentivize patience, cause he was only getting bites when he would let his worm sit still. I’d tell him, ‘okay we’ll reel in the senko after this song gets over’ haha. He did such a great job!”
Each time they caught a fish, Vegas and Becky would FaceTime Mike, who was out on Lake Taneycomo with a few sponsors during his day off from Major League Fishing competition. So Mike was able to “be in the boat” for Vegas’s big catches and all was right in the world… Plain and simply, it was a special day.
“It was such an awesome deal,” Mike Iaconelli proudly beamed. “Of course I would have loved to be there, but having Becky in the boat might have been even better. 6:45 am to 2:45 pm is a long day for an 8-year old and Becky definitely has more patience than I do. And I’m sure I would have been freaking out every time he hooked up! I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The Iaconelli’s manage The Ike Foundation and get youths involved in fishing / the outdoors all over the country, especially in urban settings where opportunities aren’t readily available. Mike also helped start The Bass University. I can say from experience the classes typically have a plethora of avid high school and college anglers attend.
While “Ike’s” antics on the water can sometimes be a bit polarizing, his work off the water is worthy of admiration. Iaconelli’s passion for fishing and eagerness to get the youth involved is unparalleled… and, obviously, it’s working! Who knows, maybe in another 15 years we’ll have another Iaconelli breakdancing on the front deck of a bass boat while growing the sport in the process.
Kevin VanDam’s Other Favorite Sport
Most people consider Kevin VanDam the greatest professional bass angler of all time. But beyond fishing, and aside from cheering for his home state Detroit Lions each autumn, there’s not another sport on the planet he tracks with as much passion throughout the year as NASCAR®.
We sat down with the highly decorated, class act of a bass pro from Southwest Michigan to learn more about his love of racing. And it became clear VanDam’s constant attention to the sport centered on 3,400 pound cars traveling at 200 mph definitely equals his intense approach to bass fishing.
Q: How did your love of NASCAR begin?
VanDam: Several years ago, CITGO® was a huge sponsor of both pro angling and NASCAR, and I got invited to participate in a “race & fish” promotion with former driver Jeff Burton at Disney in Orlando. I got to drive a car at the Richard Petty Driving School during that event, and after that I started following Jeff Burton, and watching a few races. Then Jeff invited me to be his guest at a race in Richmond – and ever since then, I’ve been totally into it.
Q: You drive about 40,000 miles in your Toyota Tundra each year towing your Nitro Boat. What percentage of the time would you say you’re listening to “NASCAR Radio” on SiriusXM?
VanDam: Oh, I’d say I listen to “NASCAR Radio” about 70% of the time I’m in my Tundra.
Q: You are sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Toyota, two companies with a generous history of sponsorship in NASCAR. Tell us how that marketing overlap has created some neat experiences for your NASCAR loving self.
VanDam: Oh, it’s been awesome. Through Bass Pro Shops and Toyota I’ve worked with drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray, and got to know Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman and others. I even got to emcee a charity bass tournament Ryan Newman hosted on Lake Norman near Charlotte.
Q: What tracks have you been to?
VanDam: At least seven that I can think of. Talladega, Bristol, Daytona, Richmond, Chicago, Michigan and Texas Motor Speedway.
Q: Lastly, Kevin, what’s the coolest, most memorable experience you’ve ever shared with a well-known driver?
VanDam: There’s two that come to mind. One was fishing with Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Newman on a private lake in Alabama. And the other was taking Johnny Morris, the owner and founder of Bass Pro Shops fishing with Martin Truex in Northern Michigan for big smallmouth. Man, that was an incredible trip!
Quantum adds Spohrer and Wiggins
TULSA, Okla. – Quantum proudly announces the addition of Gerald Spohrer and Jesse Wiggins to their decorated team of professional anglers.
Spohrer served in the military, and later worked in chemical plants and refineries near his Southern Louisiana home before starting his career as a full time pro. He recorded an impressive (3) Top 10s in just two seasons as a Bassmaster Elite Series pro, and has carried that success into Major League Fishing, where he’s tremendously excited and proud to be competing.
Northern Alabama MLF pro Jesse Wiggins traded a career as a respiratory therapist for a full time angling career that’s yielded $400,000 in prize earnings, and it’s no secret few in the world are more effective than Wiggins with a shaky head worm.
“Everybody knows I love fishing a Shaky Head, and I always throw it with a Quantum Smoke S3 reel because it’s built with a unibody construction, so the gears stay perfectly aligned and smooth. Plus, it’s got an awesome drag for fighting big fish and the size 30 that I use picks up 35” of line with each revolution of the handle,” says Wiggins.
“We selected Gerald and Jesse from the Major League Fishing tour because we identified them as strong upcoming talent in the avid bass fishing space. We feel they are both great additions to the team, and are excited to see what the future holds for Team Quantum,” explains Balay Hartman, Associate Brand Manager for The Zebco Brands
River 2 Sea “Lane Changer” (Part 2)
Suzuki Powers Dean Rojas to a First Place and a $100,000 Pay Check After Winning the (MLF) Major League Fishing
Bass Pro Tour – Stage Five on Smith Lake Cullman AL.
CULLMAN, Ala. – You have heard it before, Fish where fish are. That is sound advice and that is what you will hear from MLF pro Dean Rojas after his first place tournament win on Smith Lake. Rojas’s Stage Five win is his first MLF win and Suzuki Marine’s first win in a Major Bass Fishing Pro-Competition
Arizona native Dean Rojas stated “It’s not too often that you get into a Championship Round where the fish are biting like that and you can use multiple baits to rack up a big lead,” Rojas said. “The conditions were right: we had overcast skies, a breeze, warm temperatures, and the fish were just feeding in the area. I knew I had to catch as many fish as I could early to put some distance between me and the field.”
“At the end of the first period, that was the end of (the bite),” Rojas explained. “It was a big deal that I caught as many fish as I could to build a big lead. Period 2 and Period 3 were a matter of catching a few here and there, but I was struggling because they just wouldn’t bite.”
Rojas added additional Bass weighing 9-1 in the second and third periods to slam the door, finishing with total weight of 47-0 to keep a 6-pound lead over second place competitor Brent Chapman.
Dean Rojas fishes out of a 21’ Blazer Bass Boat powered by a Suzuki DF250SS. This combination of speed, power and reliability keeps Dean out in front of the competition and able to concentrate on Fishing and not worrying about dependability. “The Suzuki DF250SS has a great hole shot and is a strong runner across the whole power band. I can get to my Secret Fishing Spots, put fish in the boat, and get back to the launch ramp without a second thought about my engine, said Rojas.
To find out more about Suzuki Marine, check us out on the web www.suzukimarine.com or face book www.facebook.com/suzukioutboards/ . Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or (R). Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2019 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.