Martens holds on for win at Guntersville...

5/10/2009 7:16:49 PM

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By Alan Clemons
Wired2Fish Special Contributor

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – About five years ago Aaron Martens’ first major tournament win on the “east coast” away from his California stomping grounds came in an FLW Tour event amid final-day controversy about receiving a citation for a fishing license.

Then there were the three runner-up finishes in the Bassmaster Classic, and an Angler of the Year title, and then last year’s infamous collapse with a 7-pound lead on the final day at Lake Amistad to open the Bassmaster Elite Series season.

So to say his victory Sunday in the Sta-Bil Marine Southern Challenge on Guntersville Lake was an expulsion of demons might be an understatement. After three straight days of consistency in the 28- to 29-pound range and a 7-pound lead, Martens stumbled a bit but didn’t fall to record his first Elite Series victory.

It is his fourth career Bassmaster win and first since 2002 when he won on the Bassmaster Western Open circuit. Martens total of 20 bass weighing 107 pounds, 8 ounces, was about three better than a hard-charging Skeet Reese of California and Kevin Wirth of Kentucky.

Reese finished with 104-4 while Wirth had 102-3. Mike Iaconelli of New Jersey was fourth with 101-1.

“I’ve never won one on the East Coast and have wanted to pretty badly,” Martens said. “I’ve got goose bumps.”

Friday afternoon, Martens said he had “been blessed by the good Lord all week with everything going perfectly. The only thing I’d want for the weekend is severe weather to keep away other people and make the fish bite.”

It rained, but not hard enough to keep away other anglers enjoying Guntersville’s bounty. The lake produced 5,318 pounds 5 ounces of bass in four days, with three 30-pound catches and an ungodly number of 25-pound bags.

“Unreal,” said veteran pro Harold Allen of Texas. “I’ve never seen a lake this consistent like this. Skeet said he probably threw back five 25-pound limits … five of them. That’s just amazing.”

But Martens stuck to his guns with four or five spots in the midlake area, working a Lucky Craft RC 2.5 deep diver in two colors – shad, and one with a green back, peach sides and orange belly that Martens called “tomato.” He also threw brown-camo jigs and some topwater, but the crankbaits were the key.

He said no other pros hit his spots during the week, a rarity, and he massaged them Sunday for his final-day catch of 19-15. That was about 10 pounds off his average from the first three days but enough to hold off Reese, the defending Bassmaster Classic champion who brought in his best limit of 27-11.

“Yeah, I was scared,” Martens said of returning with a light bag. “I knew Skeet needed 30 to do it and he didn’t have that, but I was still nervous.”

Martens has exhibited great maturity in the last five or six years. After winning the 2005 Angler of the Year title, it was a bit of validation after the license flap, the runner-up finishes in the 2002, 2004 and 2005 Classics and last year’s disaster on Amistad.

“It’s nice to win one with nothing else happening,” he said, grinning broadly.

Now the tour has a few weeks off before the June 3-6 event on Kentucky Lake, which may shape up almost identical to Guntersville. Bass will be on main channel ledges and in the grass, putting a premium on finding sweet spots and managing them for four days.

“This definitely gives me some drive to fish harder,” Martens said. “I always fish hard, but any time you win you have a little boost. Moving up in the Angler of the Year standings puts me in position to do something the rest of the season, too. I’m stoked.”

For the complete standings click here.