Early Career
After Iaconelli won a Ranger 374, he began to tackle the Red Man and Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) Federation trails. In 1997, Iaconelli fished a B.A.S.S. Invitational Tournament on Buggs Island, also known as Kerr Lake. The first day, he was paired with the four-time Bassmaster Classic champion, Kevin VanDam. One of Iaconelli's earliest tournament victories came on New Jersey's Lake Hopatcong. In this Federation tournament, he broke the lake and one-day Federation record of just over 18 pounds. His official weight for that tournament was 19.58 lbs.
In 1999, Iaconelli qualified for the Bassmaster Federation Nationals on the Red River. He would go on the win the event as he qualified for the 1999 Bassmaster Classic berth after the victory. The 1999 Bassmaster Classic was held on the Louisiana Delta in Shreveport, Louisiana. At the 1999 Bassmaster Classic, Classic rookie Iaconelli caught a three-day total of 39 lbs and 12 oz. That total netted him a sixth place finish. The great finish at the Bassmaster Classic culminated in Dick's Sporting Goods and Daiwa becoming major sponsors for Iaconelli. In September of the same year, Iaconelli collected his first victory in the professional ranks by winning the Bassmaster Vermont Top 150 on Lake Champlain. Michael Iaconelli bagged over 61 lbs of bass and a $100,000 check. In 2000, Iaconelli made the leap to the professional ranks. He began fishing the B.A.S.S Tour. Again, Iaconelli qualified for the Bassmaster Classic. The 2000 Bassmaster Classic was held on Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. He was able to net a top finish with a three-day weight total of 20 lbs 1 oz.
In 2002, Iaconelli started the season with a victory on Lake Seminole. The victory on Lake Seminole was the first Tour level victory for Iaconelli. He qualified for the 2003 Bassmaster Classic after a ninth-place victory at the B.A.S.S. Invitational on Lake Ontario.
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