Frozen Fish? Bassmaster Classic anglers face icy temps

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — The anglers competing in the Bassmaster Classic are among the people in the South whose lives have been disrupted by the unusual winter weather that has engulfed the region.

Fifty-six of the sport’s top fishermen will square off in the series’ Super Bowl. The start of the three-day tournament has been delayed about 90 minutes, pushing first launch to about 8:30 a.m. Friday when temperatures are forecast to be 17 degrees.

Still, the competitors will cast their lines amid finger-chilling temperatures when they head out on sprawling Lake Hartwell, located along the border of South Carolina and Georgia.

Former Bassmaster Classic champion Mike Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, New Jersey, says he has long fished in below freezing conditions and believes he’s better equipped than other competitors to handle the icy conditions.