VanDam Does it Again: Dominates on Kentucky Lake for 6-Pound Lead at Bassmaster Elite Series Elite Event
Category: press release
Jun 10th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jun 10th, 2010 at 12:00 AM
PARIS, Tenn. – Kevin VanDam’s Kentucky Lake domination is beginning to get a bit ridiculous. Despite a rough start – VanDam failed to connect on consecutive 5-pounders on his first two bites – the five-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year opened up a 6-pound lead at the Tennessee Triumph Friday.
After scoring a first-, second- and third-place finish in the previous three Elite events here, VanDam is closing in on adding another victory to his Kentucky Lake ledger. He ended up toting 24 pounds, 2 ounces, to the scales Thursday, which upgraded his two-day total to 49 pounds, 2 ounces. His consistency was rare as he was only angler to remain in the top five from Wednesday.
VanDam capitalized on a fast-and-furious early-morning bite, which allowed him to vacate his primary areas by 9:30 a.m. and hunt for new water. The search wasn’t fruitless and VanDam feels that he has a number of areas at his disposal that could produce. Still, VanDam was worried about boat pressure – from locals and competitors – with the impending weekend. Last year, perhaps the most lasting image from Bobby Lane’s victory here was the armada of 100-plus spectator boats that crowded his area.
Still, if anyone is used to boat pressure, it’s VanDam. And he’s certainly in a comfort zone on Kentucky, so all things considered, he likes where he is at.
“You have to catch them all four days here to have a chance,” said VanDam, who is looking for his 18th BASS win. “Each day, guys are figuring out how to catch them and I just have to keep at it. With the boat traffic, I have had to be very selective about what areas I can fish. And that is hurting me a little bit. But it is what it is.”
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.
VanDam played it close to the vest on details of his pattern but given his responses (“I like the way I’m fishing”) and his past choices here, it’s probable VanDam is working a crankbait around the numerous ledges that are so vital to Kentucky Lake tournament fishing.
VanDam said the evolution of side-imaging equipment – VanDam uses a Humminbird – has been key to his success. It has allowed VanDam to explore expanded areas and though it has evened the playing field in terms of finding the subtle areas on ledges where the bass are schooling, VanDam said anglers still have to find a way to put the fish in the boat.
With the lead, and perhaps of most importance to VanDam, he collects another five-point bonus in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. VanDam has moved into Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason position – only the top 12 in the AOY standings qualify – and is closing the tremendous gap that Skeet Reese had opened up heading into this week. After a white-hot start to the season, Reese is experiencing how the other half lives, as he missed his second consecutive cut with a 48th-place showing.
“My focus is on trying to get in that Postseason,” said VanDam, who scored the AOY last year in come-from-behind fashion. “Anything can happen there.”
Moving up from 32nd into second was Kelly Jordon of Mineola, Texas. Jordon brought 26-14 to the scales Thursday, which stands as the biggest limit thus far of the tournament. His banner day was anchored by a 10-1 behemoth, the biggest of the tournament. His two-day total was 43-2.
A perennial Bassmaster Classic contender, Jordon came into this week out of the Classic qualifying cutline, but a strong performance here would put him right back in the mix. The 10-1 fell for a Lake Fork Tackle 10-inch worm in red.
“It was a heck of a day,” said Jordon, an eight-time Classic qualifier. “I was really disappointed after Wednesday. I had a great practice and found some serious schools but I just couldn’t get the right bites. Today (Thursday), that all changed.”
Moving up from eighth to third was Jason Quinn of York, S.C., with 41-14. In fourth was Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., with 41-10. Evers was Reese’s closest competitor in the AOY standings heading into this week and has steadily closed the gap on Skeet Reese’s once 250-point lead in the standings. If he can keep the pace, Reese will have to perform well on the season finale on the Arkansas River to maintain a comfortable margin heading into the Postseason.
Rounding out the top five was Elite rookie Keith Poche of Troy, Ala., with 41-8.
Only the top 47 qualified to fish Friday. Along with Reese, defending Kentucky Lake champion Bobby Lane missed the cut. Notables in the cutline include 2006 Kentucky Lake winner Morizo Shimizu of Japan (ninth), 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett (15th) and 19-year-old Bradley Roy (43rd). Full standings can be found below.
Kentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which Lane of Lakeland, Fla., won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days.
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.
DAY 2 TENNESSEE TRIUMPH STANDINGS
2010 Paris, TN 6/9-6/12
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 49-02 310
Day 1: 5 25-00 Day 2: 5 24-02
2. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 10 43-02 295
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 26-12
3. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 41-14 290
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 21-01
4. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 41-10 285
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 21-12
5. Keith Poche Troy, AL 10 41-08 280
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 21-07
6. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 10 41-03 276
Day 1: 5 22-10 Day 2: 5 18-09
7. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 41-02 272
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 26-03
8. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 41-00 268
Day 1: 5 23-12 Day 2: 5 17-04
9. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 40-15 264
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 22-03
10. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 10 39-15 260
Day 1: 5 24-15 Day 2: 5 15-00
11. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 39-10 257
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 20-01
12. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 10 38-15 254
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-11
13. Matt Greenblatt Palm Beach Gardens, FL 10 38-09 251
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 18-09
14. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 10 38-01 248
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 19-04
15. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 37-14 245
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 21-10
16. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 10 37-09 243
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 21-10
17. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 37-07 241
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 22-05
18. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 10 37-04 239
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 17-13
19. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 10 37-04 237
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 17-05
20. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 36-14 235
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-09
21. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 10 36-12 233
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 15-13
22. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 10 36-08 231
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 17-10
23. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 35-14 229
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-08
24. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 35-06 227
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 17-00
25. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 10 35-00 225
Day 1: 5 20-02 Day 2: 5 14-14
26. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 10 34-12 223
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 16-01
27. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 34-11 221
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-10
28. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 10 34-08 219
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 18-12
29. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 10 34-04 217
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 19-07
30. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 10 33-14 215
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 19-11
31. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 33-13 213
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-04
32. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 32-10 211
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 18-08
33. John Crews Salem, VA 10 32-08 209
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 18-00
34. Jeremy Starks Charleston, WV 10 32-06 207
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 11-03
35. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 31-13 205
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 14-15
36. Marty Stone Fayetteville, NC 10 31-09 203
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 18-10
37. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 10 31-06 201
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 18-05
38. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 10 31-05 199
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 16-07
39. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 10 31-05 197
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 18-05
40. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 31-03 195
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-10
41. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 30-11 193
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 14-15
42. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 9 30-11 191
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 4 08-11
43. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 10 30-06 189
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 16-14
44. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 9 30-06 187
Day 1: 4 10-07 Day 2: 5 19-15
45. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 10 30-04 185
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 12-11
46. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 10 30-04 183
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 13-02
47. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 10 30-01 181
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 14-05
48. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 29-11 179
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 15-08
49. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 10 29-07 177
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 16-02
50. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 29-03 175
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 10-09
51. Clark Reehm Russellville, AR 10 28-10 173
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 15-08
52. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 10 28-05 171
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 09-11
53. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 9 28-01 169
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 5 20-02
54. Byron Haseotes Centerville, MA 10 27-15 167
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 14-13
55. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 10 27-15 165
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 14-12
56. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 27-05 163
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 14-13
57. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 10 27-01 161
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-14
58. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 26-13 159
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-15
59. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 10 26-13 157
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 13-13
60. Byron Velvick Del Rio, TX 10 26-10 155
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
61. David Smith Del City, OK 10 26-10 153
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 13-06
62. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 9 26-10 151
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 4 14-05
63. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 10 26-07 149
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 14-06
64. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 10 26-04 147
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-08
65. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 10 26-04 145
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 13-04
66. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 10 26-00 143
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 14-06
67. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 25-14 141
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 15-13
68. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 10 25-10 139
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 11-01
69. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 10 25-06 137
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-12
70. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 25-02 135
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 11-01
71. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 10 24-08 133
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 15-03
72. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 10 24-06 131
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 14-01
73. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 23-15 129
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 12-05
74. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 9 23-15 127
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 5 17-01
75. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 10 23-14 125
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-10
76. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 7 23-13 123
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 2 07-14
77. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 9 23-12 121
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 5 16-03
78. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 10 23-11 119
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 11-02
79. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 7 23-11 117
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 2 08-06
80. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 23-10 115
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 12-09
81. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 10 22-11 113
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 10-11
82. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 10 21-14 111
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 11-08
83. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 7 21-12 109
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 2 04-11
84. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 9 21-04 107
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 09-07
85. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 20-13 105
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-05
86. Pat Golden High Point, NC 8 19-15 103
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 3 07-12
87. Vince Fulks Purcell, OK 8 19-14 101
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 5 11-13
88. Wade Grooms Bonneau, SC 7 16-11 99
Day 1: 3 09-02 Day 2: 4 07-09
89. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 6 15-08 97
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 5 13-13
90. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 7 13-02 95
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 2 04-01
91. Grant Goldbeck Gaithersburg, MD 5 12-06 93
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Mark Burgess Norton, MA 6 10-06 91
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 2 03-02
93. Zell Rowland Austin, TX 4 07-10 89
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 2 03-06
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 84 449 1374-09
2 81 436 1397-08
———————————-
165 885 2772-01