"I'm just fishing the moment," Iaconelli said. "That means pulling up to an area, dropping the trolling motor and deciding what you have to do to catch fish.
"I haven't been sight fishing at all. I have a spot in the canal where I can get a limit of bucks (male bass) early, and once I have a good limit, I move to Big Harris where they are staging ...That's where I caught my big one today."
Iaconelli, of Runnemede, N.J., used a Mann's Baby Four Minus Saturday and had a limit of bass by 9:30 a.m. His patterns will likely stay the same for the final day, unless they don't work as they have the last two days.
"I'm gong to launch that boat tomorrow and just play it by ear," he said. "I'm going to let the fish talk to me and let the day talk to me and fish the moment."
Texas angler Bud Pruitt had a great third day of competition, rising from seventh spot to take second going into the final day of competition. His Saturday catch of 13 pounds, 10 ounces brought his total up to 41-8 and also brought him a $1,000 check for the Busch Heavyweight catch of the day. His limit included a 6-3 lunker, earning him another $1,000 for the Purolator Big Bass award. Pruitt didn't quite believe his sack won it.
"I know I took the big bass, but I took the big sack too?" Pruitt said. "Cool. I'll take an extra grand on a bad day."
Although other anglers have targeted spawning bass throughout the first three tournament days, Pruitt used a Berkley Power Flipping Tube flipping kissimmee grass in 3 feet of water, a pattern that he doesn't expect to alter Sunday.
"I haven't caught one fish on a bed," Pruitt said. "I was on one for an hour today and Alton Jones pulled in to the area. I pretty much left. ...I saw him later and he told me he lost a 10-pounder. I know exactly where it's at and I'm going to go get her tomorrow. And that'll be the way the cookie crumbles."
Arkansas' Scott Rook ended day three in the third position and was fairly happy fishing a 6-inch Zoom Trick Worm slowly in a big canal. His three-day weight of 47-12 brought him up three spots from sixth.
"I have no Plan B, so I'm going to stick with Plan A, which is what I've been doing. I haven't caught any on pads the whole tournament."
Kansas' Brent Chapman (46-1), North Carolina's Marty Stone (45-15) and Texas' Tommy Martin (44-0) round out the Super Six for Sunday's Tournament. Day 1 leader Alton Jones and Day 2 leader Jason Quinn both plummeted in the standings, finishing seventh and eighth, just short of the cut. Although Jones is out of competition, if his Day 1 Purolator Big Bass of 10-13 remains unbeaten, he will pick up an additional $1,000 on Sunday for winning the Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament.
Competition concluded for the amateurs fishing the Harris Chain of Lakes Saturday with Bill Poirier of Riverview, Fla., taking home the $36,000 first prize, including a fully rigged boat and motor. Poirier also picked up the final Purolator Big Bass for the amateurs, earning him an additional $500. The amateur winner also earned a year's worth of free gasoline from CITGO.
"It was a struggle all three days," Poirier said, "I missed a good fish today. With the way these guys are fishing...it's hard to get a bite from the back of the boat."
The final day at the Harris Chain gets under way Sunday with launch at 7:30 a.m. from the Venetian Gardens boat ramp. Sunday's weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. at the Pat Thomas Ball Field.
You can catch a telecast of the Harris Chain tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
The CITGO Bassmaster Tour events this season feature the highly interactive and family friendly BASS Sponsor Expo area. Sponsors present interactive exhibits and provide a fun family experience for all ages. The Expo will take place from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Pat Thomas Ball Field.
The CastingKids program, presented by CITGO, was held in conjunction with the BASS Sponsor Expo Saturday, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Pat Thomas Ball Field. The winners, Blaine Brownsberger, 8, and Billy Anderson, 12, will be going to the state championship event in Tampa, March 5-7.
The event and instruction to youngsters were facilitated by the Lakeland Hawg Hunters & Seminole Bass Anglers.
Sponsors of the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail presented by Busch Beer include CITGO Petroleum Corp., Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops, and BankOne.
Associate Sponsors include G3 Boats and Bryant Heating and Air Conditioning.
Local Sponsors are: Lake County, Fla.; City of Leesburg; Lake County Water Authority; Leesburg Chamber of Commerce
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (334) 551-2375 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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