Stiles in 45th after opening day
Stiles, competing in the Classic for the first time of his career, came in with two bass totalling 2 pounds, 13 ounces at Friday night’s weigh-in at the Louisiana Superdome.
Kentucky angler Mark Menendez led the tournament after the first day, turning in a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces, including the biggest bass of the day — a 6 pound, 2 ounce lunker that came on his fifth cast of the morning.
BASS is the world’s largest fishing organization, sanctioning more than 20,000 tournaments world wide, including the Bassmaster Classic, which is now in its 33rd year.
The tournament, which pays out $200,000 to the winner and $700,000 overall, concludes today.