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No Surprise: VanDam Takes Early Lead on Kentucky Lake at Bassmaster Elite Series Event

Category: press release

 Jun 9th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Jun 9th, 2010 at 12:00 AM

It was more a question of when, not if, five-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam was going to make a late-season charge.  Heading into the Tennessee Triumph this week, the planet’s best angler was in 26th in the Angler of the Year standings.  Respectable for mere mortals, yes, but for VanDam, it wasn’t good enough.

But this week looked like an obvious springboard.  VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., has posted first-, second- and third-place finishes on Kentucky Lake in the three previous Bassmaster competitions here.  A Wednesday limit of 25 pounds, 0 ounces, on the fish factory has him in the catbird seat to start the week.  Just ounces off the pace, Rick Morris of Lake Gaston, Va., registered 24-15 and sits in second.

Unlike in years past on Kentucky, things have been a struggle thus far, VanDam said.  The current didn’t run until late in the day and the bass aren’t schooling up and prone to quick flurries, most likely due to the recent flooding.

“It’s not easy out there,” said VanDam, a three-time Bassmaster Classic champion.  “The areas that I typically go to have been beat to pieces.  The biggest thing that has changed is everyone has the equipment to find fish out here.  And it shows.  But you still have to know what to throw and how to throw it to get the big bites.”

VanDam didn’t say much about his pattern – the typical VanDam formula is a crankbait over shell beds – but left little to the imagination when he said, “I’m fishing my style.”

Despite the lead, VanDam was hardly all smiles after weigh-in.  He missed on a handful of opportunities to upgrade his weight and cull out a 3-pounder that dragged down his total.  He is battling local pressure – something that has become constant for VanDam – but said it isn’t hindering his fishing.

“I wanted to have a better day than I had today,” lamented VanDam, 42.  “But I wanted to be in the lead and at least I accomplished that.  I knew, coming in, I had a great shot at doing well here.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, July 4, at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

Bassmaster.com will follow the Tennessee Triumph each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com.

With the lead, VanDam will accumulate a five-point bonus in the AOY standings and while it might seem minimal, the 20-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier is starved for any points he can get.  Facing a virtual unknown next week at the Arkansas River, VanDam said he hopes he can build enough points to put himself in Postseason contention – the top in the AOY standings qualify – heading into the regular-season finale.

“Next week worries me,” said VanDam of the Arkansas River stretch out of Muskogee, Okla.  “But most importantly, I need to take care of business this week.  I had a good practice and I feel really confident.”

While VanDam wasn’t satisfied, Morris was ecstatic.  His weight of 24-15 included the day’s largest bass, an 8-15.  The brute came on a 14-inch Prowler worm in plum.  If not for an 8-ounce expired fish penalty, VanDam would be trailing Morris heading into the second day of competition.

Like VanDam, Morris has produced on Kentucky.  He scored a fifth-place finish here last year and he is an adept crankbait angler.  Morris spent most of his day running a pattern where he rotated between a slew of areas, then repeated.

He worked two different crankbaits to areas filled with shellbeds.  The key to enticing the biggest bass was long casts, which allowed the crankbait to get to the bottom. Morris isn’t getting a lot of bites but is making it count when he puts one in the boat.

“It’s scary fishing,” said Morris, a four-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier.  “I’m not on a massive school.  But what a day.  I’m going for the gusto and today it really paid off.”

In third with 23-12 was Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala.  It has been a struggle this season for Horton, the 2000 Angler of the Year, but a trip to Kentucky Lake, where he posted a second in 2008, was just what the Doctor ordered.

In fourth was Kotaro Kiriyama of Moody, Ala., with 22-10.  Rounding out the top five was Chad Griffin of Cresson, Texas, with 22-0.

With the race for qualifying berths in the Postseason (top 12) and the Bassmaster Classic (top 37) heating on, anglers are beginning to feel the pressure.  Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., stumbled to a 48th-place finish, opening the door yet again in the Angler of the Year race.  With a stout lead of 170-plus points heading into this week, Reese had a nice cushion but his closest competitor, Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., is in 13th here and charging fast.

Kentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which then-Elite Series sophomore pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days.  Lane was 23rd Wednesday and 2006 Kentucky Lake champion Morizo Shimizu of Japan was 18th.

Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley adds another 80,000 surface acres.

The top prize of the Tennessee Triumph is $100,000.

The public is invited to attend the daily launches (6 a.m. CT) through Saturday and weigh-ins (3:30 p.m.) at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Hwy. 79 N., Buchanan, Tenn. After Day 2’s competition Thursday, the field will be cut to the top 47 anglers for Day 3. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Saturday’s Day 4.

Other activities Friday and Saturday at the Tennessee Triumph will begin at noon CT at Paris Landing State Park. All events are free and open to the public.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

Up next for the Elite Series is the regular-season finale, the June 17-20 AutoZone Sooner Run on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason, Toyota Trucks Championship Week, is set for July 24-31 and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24-25 Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30-31 on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Yamaha and Bass Pro Shops.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats and Ramada.

 

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

 

The Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

 

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

 

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

 

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DAY 1 TENNESSEE TRIUMPH STANDINGS

 

2010 Paris, TN 6/9-6/12

Kentucky Lake, Paris  TN.

(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

 

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

 

1.  Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI            5  25-00  305

  Day 1: 5   25-00 

2.  Rick Morris            Virginia Beach, VA       5  24-15  295

  Day 1: 5   24-15 

3.  Timmy Horton           Muscle Shoals, AL        5  23-12  290

  Day 1: 5   23-12 

4.  Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                5  22-10  285

  Day 1: 5   22-10 

5.  Chad Griffin           Cresson, TX              5  22-00  280

  Day 1: 5   22-00 

6.  Jeremy Starks          Charleston, WV           5  21-03  276

  Day 1: 5   21-03 

7.  Bradley Hallman        Norman, OK               5  20-15  272

  Day 1: 5   20-15 

8.  Jason Quinn            Lake Wylie, SC           5  20-13  268

  Day 1: 5   20-13 

9.  Bill Lowen             North Bend, OH           5  20-02  264

  Day 1: 5   20-02 

10. Keith Poche            Troy, AL                 5  20-01  260

  Day 1: 5   20-01 

11. Matt Greenblatt        Palm Beach Gardens, FL   5  20-00  257

  Day 1: 5   20-00 

12. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC           5  19-15  254

  Day 1: 5   19-15 

13. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK               5  19-14  251

  Day 1: 5   19-14 

14. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX                5  19-09  248

  Day 1: 5   19-09 

15. Pete Ponds             Madison, MS              5  19-07  245

  Day 1: 5   19-07 

16. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL                5  19-06  243

  Day 1: 5   19-06 

17. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  19-05  241

  Day 1: 5   19-05 

18. Morizo Shimizu         Osaka JAPAN              5  19-04  239

  Day 1: 5   19-04 

19. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL             5  18-14  237

  Day 1: 5   18-14 

20. Matt Herren            Trussville, AL           5  18-13  235

  Day 1: 5   18-13 

21. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS         5  18-12  233

  Day 1: 5   18-12 

22. Derek Remitz           Grant, AL                5  18-11  231

  Day 1: 5   18-11 

23. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          5  18-10  229

  Day 1: 5   18-10 

23. Bobby Lane             Lakeland, FL             5  18-10  229

  Day 1: 5   18-10 

25. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC                5  18-06  225

  Day 1: 5   18-06 

26. Mark Tucker            Saint Louis, MO          5  17-09  223

  Day 1: 5   17-09 

27. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               5  17-02  221

  Day 1: 5   17-02 

28. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA        5  17-01  219

  Day 1: 5   17-01 

29. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX               5  16-14  217

  Day 1: 5   16-14 

30. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              5  16-09  215

  Day 1: 5   16-09 

30. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  16-09  215

  Day 1: 5   16-09 

32. Kelly Jordon           Mineola, TX              5  16-06  211

  Day 1: 5   16-06 

33. Boyd Duckett           Demopolis, AL            5  16-04  209

  Day 1: 5   16-04 

34. Terry Butcher          Talala, OK               5  15-15  207

  Day 1: 5   15-15 

34. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC           5  15-15  207

  Day 1: 5   15-15 

36. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  15-12  203

  Day 1: 5   15-12 

36. Matt Reed              Madisonville, TX         5  15-12  203

  Day 1: 5   15-12 

36. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL              5  15-12  203

  Day 1: 5   15-12 

39. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  15-05  197

  Day 1: 5   15-05 

40. Byron Velvick          Del Rio, TX              5  15-04  195

  Day 1: 5   15-04 

41. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR          5  15-02  193

  Day 1: 5   15-02 

42. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  15-01  191

  Day 1: 5   15-01 

43. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           5  14-15  189

  Day 1: 5   14-15 

44. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS                5  14-14  187

  Day 1: 5   14-14 

45. Shaw E Grigsby         Gainesville, FL          5  14-13  185

  Day 1: 5   14-13 

46. Kevin Short            Mayflower, AR            5  14-09  183

  Day 1: 5   14-09 

47. John Crews             Salem, VA                5  14-08  181

  Day 1: 5   14-08 

48. Jami Fralick           Martin, SD               5  14-03  179

  Day 1: 5   14-03 

48. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA               5  14-03  179

  Day 1: 5   14-03 

50. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL            5  14-02  175

  Day 1: 5   14-02 

51. Randy Howell           Springville, AL          5  14-01  173

  Day 1: 5   14-01 

52. Denny Brauer           Camdenton, MO            5  13-10  171

  Day 1: 5   13-10 

53. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY            5  13-08  169

  Day 1: 5   13-08 

54. Peter E Thliveros      St Augustine, FL         5  13-05  167

  Day 1: 5   13-05 

55. David Smith            Del City, OK             5  13-04  165

  Day 1: 5   13-04 

56. Kevin Wirth            Crestwood, KY            5  13-03  163

  Day 1: 5   13-03 

57. Byron Haseotes         Centerville, MA          5  13-02  161

  Day 1: 5   13-02 

57. Clark Reehm            Russellville, AR         5  13-02  161

  Day 1: 5   13-02 

59. Jeff Connella          Bentley, LA              5  13-01  157

  Day 1: 5   13-01 

60. Kenyon Hill            Norman, OK               5  13-00  155

  Day 1: 5   13-00 

60. J Todd Tucker          Moultrie, GA             5  13-00  155

  Day 1: 5   13-00 

62. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC                5  13-00  151

  Day 1: 5   13-00 

63. Marty Stone            Fayetteville, NC         5  12-15  149

  Day 1: 5   12-15 

64. Dave Wolak             Wake Forest, NC          5  12-12  147

  Day 1: 5   12-12 

65. Scott Ashmore          Broken Arrow, OK         5  12-09  145

  Day 1: 5   12-09 

66. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK              5  12-08  143

  Day 1: 5   12-08 

67. Grant Goldbeck         Gaithersburg, MD         5  12-06  141

  Day 1: 5   12-06 

68. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          5  12-05  139

  Day 1: 5   12-05 

69. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA          5  12-03  137

  Day 1: 5   12-03 

69. Pat Golden             High Point, NC           5  12-03  137

  Day 1: 5   12-03 

71. Dustin Wilks           Rocky Mount, NC          5  12-01  133

  Day 1: 5   12-01 

72. Billy McCaghren        Mayflower, AR            5  12-00  131

  Day 1: 5   12-00 

73. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ          5  11-14  129

  Day 1: 5   11-14 

74. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           5  11-13  127

  Day 1: 5   11-13 

75. Mark Davis             Mount Ida, AR            5  11-10  125

  Day 1: 5   11-10 

75. Gary Klein             Weatherford, TX          5  11-10  125

  Day 1: 5   11-10 

77. Mark Tyler             Vian, OK                 5  11-04  121

  Day 1: 5   11-04 

78. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  11-01  119

  Day 1: 5   11-01 

79. Alton Jones            Waco, TX                 5  10-08  117

  Day 1: 5   10-08 

80. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR          4  10-07  115

  Day 1: 4   10-07 

81. John Murray            Phoenix, AZ              5  10-06  113

  Day 1: 5   10-06 

82. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA              5  10-05  111

  Day 1: 5   10-05 

83. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  5  10-01  109

  Day 1: 5   10-01 

84. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ     5  09-05  107

  Day 1: 5   09-05 

85. Wade Grooms            Bonneau, SC              3  09-02  105

  Day 1: 3   09-02 

86. Dennis Tietje          Roanoke, LA              5  09-01  103

  Day 1: 5   09-01 

87. Vince Fulks            Purcell, OK              3  08-01  101

  Day 1: 3   08-01 

88. Paul Elias             Laurel, MS               4  07-15   99

  Day 1: 4   07-15 

89. Fred Roumbanis         Bixby, OK                4  07-09   97

  Day 1: 4   07-09 

90. Mark Burgess           Norton, MA               4  07-04   95

  Day 1: 4   07-04 

91. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL         4  06-14   93

  Day 1: 4   06-14 

92. Zell Rowland           Austin, TX               2  04-04   91

  Day 1: 2   04-04 

93. Guy Eaker              Cherryville, NC          1  01-11   89

  Day 1: 1   01-11 

———————————————————————–

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

 1        84       449      1374-09

———————————-

          84       449      1374-09

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