Fishing

The 2019 Bassmaster Classic continued in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, and Jacob Wheeler took the lead with another stellar showing.

Here's a look at the top 10 as well as some notable results from Day 2.

       

2019 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard—Saturday

1. Jacob Wheeler: 10 fish (32-6)

2. Mark Daniels Jr.: 10 fish (31-14)

3. Chris Zaldain: 9 fish (30-12)

4. Ott DeFoe: 10 fish (30-5)

5. Michael Iaconelli: 10 fish (28-9)

6. Wesley Strader: 10 fish (28-0)

7. Roy Hawk: 10 fish (27-10)

8. Justin Lucas: 10 fish (27-0)

9. Jesse Wiggins: 10 fish (26-10)

10. Jacob Powroznik: 10 fish (26-7)

*Full leaderboard available on the official Bassmaster Classic website.

    

Saturday Action

Wheeler, who was fourth entering Saturday after catching five fish for 14 pounds and 11 ounces, caught five more fish for 17 pounds and 11 ounces to take the slight lead over Mark Daniels Jr.

Daniels is within close distance, however, as he took over the Berkley Big Bass with a six-pound, three-ounce catch. He reeled in one last fish before time wound down, per Ronnie Moore of Bassmaster.com:

Mark Daniels Jr. just came up with a clutch 5th keeper with time winding down. Solid 3-8 to 4 pounder. #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic pic.twitter.com/DlAo3IneZu

— Ronnie Moore (@RonnieMooreBass) March 16, 2019

Wheeler and Daniels are friends and roommates on the road, per Craig Lamb of Bassmaster.com.

Chris Zaldain is third on the list thanks to the Bassmaster Classic's best one-day performance of 21 pounds and 12 ounces. Home-state angler Ott DeFoe, who led after Friday, is still in contention at fourth.

Michael Iaconelli is in fifth and even took an early lead, per Bassmaster:

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1106932303253721088

Moore noted how quickly Iaconelli's success arrived on Saturday:

Iaconelli with a flurry on @BASSTrakk. Three fish in 5 minutes for 10 pounds. A 4, 4-8, 1-8 in a hurry. @mike_Iaconelli @bassmaster #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic

— Ronnie Moore (@RonnieMooreBass) March 16, 2019

Two-time defending Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee has struggled out of the gate and is just 42nd.

The Bassmaster Classic wraps up on Sunday.

The 2019 Bassmaster Classic got underway in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Friday, with Ott DeFoe coming away as the biggest winner of Day 1 as he sits atop the leaderboard. 

Below is a look at the overall standings as well as a glimpse at the latest action from Knoxville.

   

2019 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard — Friday

1. Ott DeFoe: 5 fish (20 pounds-0 ounces)

2. Roy Hawk: 5 fish (17-11)

3. Clifford Pirch: 5 fish (16-11)

4. Justin Lucas: 5 fish (16-7)

5. Jacob Wheeler: 5 fish (14-11)

T6. Brent Chapman: 5 fish (14-8)

T6. Mark Daniels Jr.: 5 fish (14-8)

8. Todd Faircloth: 5 fish (13-9)

T9. Bobby Lane Jr.: 5 fish (13-4)

T9. Jacob Powroznik: 5 fish (13-4)

*Full leaderboard available on the official website of the Bassmaster Classic

  

An impressive haul on Friday has DeFoe sitting in first place with some breathing room.

Coming off a sixth-place finish a year ago, DeFoe put himself in prime position to place even higher this time around by reeling in 20 pounds worth of fish on Day 1. That haul was highlighted by a six-pounder:

The big fish of the day so far is this 6 pounder from @OttDeFoe! The Bassmaster Classic is fired up and anglers are catching them this afternoon. #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic #bassmaster pic.twitter.com/XkxGuHnOd8

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 15, 2019

"I got five good bites all day, and I landed them. Honestly, it felt like a very tough day," DeFoe said, per Bassmaster.com. "A six-pounder here is a really big one. So to get that one and four other pretty good ones, I felt really blessed."

That helped put him more than two pounds clear of second-place Roy Hawk (17 pounds, 11 ounces).

End of Day 1 at the @bassmaster Classic.
1. Ott DeFoe - @OttDeFoe
2. Roy Hawk - @royhawkfishing
3. Clifford Pirch - @CliffordPirch #PowerPole #BassmasterClassic pic.twitter.com/tw2vy7sLzM

— Power-Pole (@Power_Pole) March 15, 2019

Hawk, meanwhile, has a one-pound lead over Clifford Pirch (16 pounds, 11 ounces)—but then the standings start to tighten up. Justin Lucas sits just four ounces back of Pirch in fourth, while the difference between fifth and ninth is just more than a pound and a half.

Of note, two-time defending champ Jordan Lee has some work to do if he is going to complete the three-peat. He sits all the way back in 33rd after managing just eight pounds and six ounces on his five fish. 

https://twitter.com/LowranceFishing/status/1103007382731452416

Last year, Lee ended Day 1 in third place with 18 pounds and 10 ounces, but he wound up finishing the tournament with 47 pounds and one ounce. He serves as proof that a lot can change over the next two days.

The 2019 Bassmaster Classic begins on Friday, when 52 anglers compete for the title of bass fishing world champion.

The competition, along with its accompanying expo, will run from Friday through to Sunday on the Tennessee River at Knoxville.

It won't be televised live, but live-streaming will be available throughout the tournament, courtesy of Bassmaster's official website, running from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET each day.

On TV, ESPN 2 will show a delayed broadcast of the Classic over the course of three Sundays. Day 1 will be shown on March 31, Day 2 on April 7 and the championship day will be shown on April 14.

Bassmaster offered a preview of the event, including what to expect from the venue, which is among the biggest to ever host the Classic:

The @GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by @DICKS will be held on March 15-17, 2019. Here's a look at what you can expect from the Tennessee River and Knoxville.#Bassmaster #BassmasterClassic #KnoxRockshttps://t.co/9BbvVWSsKe

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 10, 2019

Among the field is two-time defending champion Jordan Lee, and he's eager to add to his collection.

"Winning a Bassmaster Classic is an experience like no other," he said, per the event's official website. "That feeling of holding the trophy on stage never goes away. It's the achievement of a lifetime."

Lee believes confidence was the key to his previous victories:

https://twitter.com/LowranceFishing/status/1103007382731452416

He could face stiff competition for the crown this year, though.

Chris Johnston leads 2019's Angler of the Year standings. The Canadian has competed in just six tournaments, but he has three top-10 finishes, including second- and a third-placed finishes.

Meanwhile, Justin Lucas finished 2018 as Angler of the Year, so he's another one to watch out for. As a Knoxville native, Ott DeFoe—who came fourth behind Lucas—will also hope to have a say on home waters.