Mike Iaconelli (credit: Alan McGuckin via CBS 3 Philadelphia)
From river testing to Bassmaster – the Delaware River is in the spotlight. Starting last Thursday, Philadelphia welcomed Bassmaster Elite to the banks of the Delaware. This nation-wide tournament, spanning four days, started off with 107 competitors – all competing for the grand prize check worth $100,000. By Saturday the competition cut down to 50, and finally, by Sunday only the top 12 remained.
PWD joins our fellow Philadelphians in sending our congratulations to this year’s winner Michael Laconelli. A Philly native, Laconelli has taken part in almost 200 tournaments in the last few years and has earned more than two million dollars in winnings.
“Bass fishing, professional and recreational, isn’t limited to rural areas or to places where true giant bass live. Philly is about as metropolitan as it gets. And yet, look at the crowds. At the same time, this tournament shows that metropolitan waters produce bass. Nine out of the 12 anglers caught limits today”, wrote Iaconelli on a blog.
Did you know that the Water Department monitors fish species in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers? Click here to learn more about how PWD studies water quality by tracking the numerous aquatic species in our waterways.
