Team Toyota’s Mike Iaconelli Brings Home Bassmaster Elite Win

You could say that passion is an overused word for those that love to fish, but Mike Iaconelli proved its legitimacy at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on his beloved Delaware River in his hometown of Philadelphia.

“It’s very emotional for me right now,” said Iaconelli as he accepted the blue Bassmaster Elite Series trophy and a check for $100,000.

“Three things happened here this week,” Iaconelli told thousands of rabid fans from the stage in downtown Philadelphia.  “I won on the river where I learned to fish. Secondly, we work really hard as a family, so it means so much to win with Becky and my kids here. And lastly, I didn’t win this for me, I won this for you Philly.”

Iaconelli, an original member of Team Toyota since 2006, dominated with an 8-pound margin of victory over second place.

“I caught bass out of flooded shopping carts, rusty barges, grates, drains, you name it … I caught them off of Philly cover in The Delaware this week,” punctuated Iaconelli.