Kevin VanDam

IKE WINS…...SKEET LEADS

September 14, 2009
(basszone.com, September 14, 2009)

Wetumpka, AL – With one of the most coveted titles among bass fishing professionals up for grabs, the Top 12 anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series who left Lake Jordan Marina Sunday morning each had a common goal. With each bass boated, the more realistic ones chances of ultimately being crowned Angler of the Year.

Lake Jordan might not have coughed up the 17-pound stringer many thought possible this weekend, but it certainly created all the drama the inaugural Elite Series Postseason could’ve hoped for. With conditions on the Coosa River impoundment changing by the day, it seemed likely that the title was truly available to any in the 12-man field.
Mike Iaconelli – having tasted AOY success in 2006 – came into the postseason with no preconceived notions of how he would fish. Instead, he opted to fish entirely in the moment. Sunday, his in-the-moment style amounted to a 14-pound, 3-ounce limit that gave him first-place honors and a combined weight of 28-15 heading into next week’s finale.

Skeet Reese, who secured the points lead Saturday, showed no signs of going quietly into the night as he brought the weekend’s second-heaviest limit to the scales weighing 15-3. His 27-9 in combined weight was enough to edge into second place by an ounce and maintain the lead heading to the Alabama River.

Oklahoma veteran Tommy Biffle jumped out to an early lead, but saw his momentum shrink Sunday, thanks largely to a damaging early-morning culling mistake that cost him a prized three-pound spotted bass. He recovered from the mistake for a five-fish bag weighing 12-8, but his two-day combined weight of 27-8 put him in third place by the end of the day.

Alabama pro Randy Howell, rebounded on Sunday and ended the weekend in fourth place after weighing 15-10 Sunday, the heaviest limit of the first round. After starting the day in 8th place in points, Howell’s combined weight of 26-15 will go a long ways towards getting him in contention for a crown.

Fellow Alabamian Gerald Swindle, who’s said repeatedly this week that he’s fishing without pressure and with nothing to lose, ended the day in fifth place. Swindle boated 12-13 on the day, which pushed his combined weight to 25-7 and another step closer to the all-important AOY title – which would be the second in his career.

Lurking in sixth place was Kevin VanDam, who entered the postseason with a one point lead over Skeet Reese. Kevin ended the postseason’s first round with a two-day combined weight of 25-6 by putting on his rally cap and bagging 14-8 Sunday after a self-confessed mediocre day on Saturday.

Now it’s on to the Alabama River for the final fish-off, and with only a scant few points separating first from fifth it’s truly anyone’s ballgame next weekend as the slightest misstep by one of the leaders will be exploited by someone further down the leader board.

http://www.basszone.com/2009eliteseries/alabama/jordanday2/story.htm

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