McClelland wins Sooner Run

By Ed Godfrey

Published: June 5, 2006

GROVE - Mike McClelland stole all the drama from the Sooner Run.

The Arkansas angler led from start to finish as he outclassed the rest of the field to easily win the BASS Elite Series tournament on Grand Lake.

Q&A with Mike Iaconelli, Runnemede, N.J.
Bass fishing notes at Grand Lake in Grove

The victory -- the biggest of his professional fishing career -- earned the 38-year-old angler from Bella Vista, Ark., $100,000 on Sunday. His four-day total of weight was 79 pounds, 7 ounces.

McClelland finished more than 15 pounds ahead of runner-up Matt Reed of Madisonville, Texas.

McClelland was so dominant during the four-day tournament that he would have won it even if he had not caught a fish on Sunday. Even McClelland seemed impressed by that.

"That's pretty phenomenal against this group of anglers," he said.

Edwin Evers of Talala finished fourth (57-7), while Ken Cook of Meers placed eighth (56-8). Both tipped their caps to McClelland for the win.

"Anytime you finish in the top five, you had a good tournament," Evers said. "It would have been difficult to catch Mike McClelland (coming into Sunday). He fished a phenomenal tournament. He obviously knows the lake real well."

Cook said it is unusual for one angler to dominate a tournament like McClelland did the Sooner Run.

"He just really had the best thing figured out," Cook said. "He really did his homework. It's really been amazing."

McClelland admitted to a "home- court" advantage. When BASS released its Elite Series' schedule for 2006 and Grand Lake was one of the stops, McClelland couldn't have been happier.

He lives only an hour, 10 minutes away from the northeastern Oklahoma reservoir.

"The first day I saw the schedule, I had a feeling in the back of my mind that if I am ever going to win one of these Elite Series events, this is going to be the one," he said. "I've spent more time on Table Rock (Mo.), but I have always felt more confident on Grand.

"I have spent a lot of time here over the years learning structure and finding brush piles, and I have got a lot of places out there that I have been able to catch fish this week."

Fishing for big bites in the deeper, lower end of the lake throughout the tournament, McClelland said the key was being patient in his spots and in his fishing. The bass were wanting a slow presentation of the baits, he said.

"The best thing I have done all week is slowing down and milking an area for all it's worth," he said. "Just about any place that I really made myself fish thoroughly, I could get a good bite if I worked the area long enough."

For Cook, it was his best finish of the season on the Elite Series' tour, but he was still disappointed with how he ended the Sooner Run.

"I kind of faded the last couple of days," he said. "I had been fishing around where I think big fish were going. I don't know why I didn't catch more big ones. I was disappointed in the size of the fish the last couple of days, but I caught plenty."

Cook was having success cranking on the first day of the tournament, but he had to abandon that after day one.

"I fished slower for the four days than I really like to fish," he said. "You had to slow down with a jig or a worm to catch them. I just wasn't around enough big ones, I suppose."

Cook earned $14,500 for finishing eighth. Evers won $18,000 for fourth.

More coverage online at NewsOK.com.