Some anglers who'll compete in the 2006 Bassmaster Classic got a semi-preview of the venue recently when they participated in the 6th annual Angling Against Cancer charity tournament at Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho).



As most BassFans know, Toho underwent a massive restoration project in 2004 designed to improve the nursery and spawning areas. The lake was drained of about half of its water for much of the year, which allowed for the removal of muck in shallow areas to expose the hard sand bottom. Up to 18 inches of muck was removed in some places and desirable vegetation was planted.

"The lake looks good," 2004 Classic champion Mike Iaconelli of New Jersey said. "I thought it was important to get down here this year to get a good look at it and see what the changes have brought. Both big lakes (Toho and Kissimmee) are real healthy. Since Toho was scraped, the bass seem to be coming back to those areas, and Kissimmee has more vegetation than I've seen in years. I think we're setting ourselves up for a pretty awesome Classic."

Fishing For a Cause

The AAC tournament raises funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The foundation is the legacy of former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, who died of the disease at age 47. The tournament is part of the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau's Great Outdoor Days.

The winning team was comprised of tour pro Scott Martin, the son of recently retired and nine-time BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) Roland Martin, and BASS tournament manager Deb Wilkinson. They caught a 16-03 limit that was nearly 5 pounds heavier than the sack weighed in by the runner-up team of tour pro Kevin Wirth and Russell Garner (11-05).

"This is my third or fourth year fishing it, and it's always a great event," Iaconelli said. "The Jimmy V part is a great cause, and I've got my own charity, Anglers Pounding Out Cures, and I get a chance to raise some extra money for that."

"The tournament gives us a chance to raise money for some great causes and also elevate the sport," he added. "I mean, bass fishing is a professional sport and this is something that athletes in (conventional) sports do – they donate time and money to charities."

Lake's New Look

Chad Morgenthaler of Illinois, who'll compete in the Classic for the third time in 2006, is excited about the changes that Toho and its sister lakes have undergone. "There are so many areas that can be productive now," he said. "There'll be a lot of different patterns used because we'll be able to catch fish on a lot of different things. There's a lot of fish in this chain."

Alabama's Aaron Martens, a three-time Classic runner-up, finished third in the tournament with a limit in the 11-pound range. He agreed with Morgenthaler's assessment. "In general, it's looking good," he said. "I think (the changes) will be good in the long run and the lake will come back stronger than ever. A few weeks ago it was really muddy, but now it's looking very healthy. There's lots of hydrilla and the alligator grass is growing vigrously. That's healthy – the fish like that – but there's a lot of it."

Florida's Peter Thliveros has fished 10 Classics, but won't be in the field for 2006. He said he found some fish in the AAC tournament that had taken advantage of the formerly mucked-up locations. "The fish are already starting to use the areas that were scraped," he said. "It's going to be a real benefit to the spawn over the next couple of years with that hard bottom. It's opened up a lot more water that can be accessed by the fish and the fishermen."

Location, Location, Location

Just about everybody thinks the changes at Toho will benefit the overall fishery due to the increase in suitable habitat. So, with all the new spots opened up, will the quality fish be harder to find?

"I tried to find some areas that looked healthy for when I go back, and spending all that time on the water definitely helped," Martens said. "The key isn't going to be catching fish, but finding the right fish. I guess we're all just going to have to get better at locating them."

Alabama's Tim Horton said that won't be an insurmountable problem. "The cover hasn't changed much since we were there in February (for the Toho Bassmaster)," he said. "Those fish can move only so much, so it's just a matter of figuring out where they're going to be."

Notable

> Local Arnie Lane caught a limit that weighed more than 34 pounds in the 2-day Lake Toho Pro-Am, another tournament associated with Great Outdoor Days. His sack included a brute that was just shy of 10 pounds.

> Martens' on-the-water explorations led him to a conclusion that might surprise many. "I think some of the fish are actually spawning already, believe it or not," he said.

> The amount of money that Iaconelli devotes to his own charity is based on his performance throughout the tour season. "I donate $2 for every pound of fish I catch, then I tally that up and ask sponsors and the public if they want to contribute," he said. "A sponsor can match it or double it, and a fan can contribute a quarter of it or whatever they want."

> Iaconelli said he hooked at last one fish that was 4 pounds or better each day he was there. "That tells a lot about the fishery. We have the potential to go there in February and catch some big stringers."

> Other tour pros who participated included Terry Seagraves (host), Terry Scroggins, Steve Daniel, Preston Clark and Charlie Youngers.