Kevin Van Dam

Classic goes to Greenville, S.C.

May 31, 2007 – espnoutdoors.com

CELEBRATION, Fla. — Recently named as one of Southern Living’s three favorite cities, Greenville, S.C., will host the 2008 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 22-24, in its downtown region.

This marks the second time that bass fishing’s premier event will be staged in South Carolina, with the first held in 1973 in McCormick on Clarks Hill Lake, site of a 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series event.

VanDam Build Lead on win at G’Ville

May 23, 2007 – basszone.com

After the Southern swing, Kevin VanDam showed the world why he is the number one angler in the universe. The Michigan pro captured his first Elite Series win at Lake Guntersville. After not making the first cut at Clarks Hill, KVD was on a mission. Guess what, mission accomplished..

VanDam received 11 first place votes and 295 out of a possible 300 points.

A Star is Born

May 21, 2007 – espnoutdoors.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. — In the end, Fred Roumbanis proved that playing it safe with a 5-pound, 10-ounce lead and $250,000 on the line was only move to make. With the remaining field trying to play catch up, the California native employed some classic western finesse fishing and “that whole baby thing” on Lake Townsend to comfortably win the Bassmaster American.

“I knew if I just fished smart and fished methodically with a tiny worm, I’d get bites,” said Roumbanis, who will welcome a son into the world within the next few days. “Who’d a thought that I’d win a Major and never catch a limit!”

ROUMBANIS “TOWN-SENDS” A MESSAGE

May 19, 2007 – basszone.com

Greensboro, N.C – This week’s Bassmaster American started with a bang at storied High Rock Lake. After two day’s fishing, the top 12 angers were loaded up and moved to Lake Townsend – an unseen 1,500-acre mystery lake to all he were head there Saturday.

For those 12 anglers who were fortunate enough to make it to the municipal goose pond called Lake Townsend, everything that they’d learned at High Rock went straight out the window. Along with any prevailing patterns they had developed went the total weight they had accrued. Saturday was a clean slate for each man in the field – it all boiled down to which man could develop a pattern the fastest…or at least managed to catch the most however they came about.

Unlike a regular season event where the top 12 battle it out Sunday, in The American (like all other Majors), only six advance to fish the hole course on the final day. Once again, as it was a High Rock each day, it was a catch all you can catch styled day of fishing – saving fish for Sunday would do you no good at all.

Top 12 head into unknown of Lake Townsend

May 19, 2007 – espnoutdoors.com

LAKE TOWNSEND — Another chilly start greeted the dozen qualifying anglers at Lake Townsend on Saturday morning as the Bassmaster American headed into the final two days. The competitors, who have one hour, 10 minutes in each of six holes on the 1,500-acre impoundment, will battle it out to see which six will fish Sunday for a shot at the first prize of $250,000.

“It’s a good looking little lake from what I saw yesterday,” said Brian Snowden, who bullied his way into the lead at High Rock Lake on the strength of a shallow flipping bite.

Front could kick bite back up

May 17, 2007 – espnoutdoors.com

HIGH ROCK LAKE, N.C. — The first day of the Bassmaster American presented by Advance Auto Parts dawned notably different than the previous three allotted practice days — and that’s just fine with most of the field who have struggled with the moody bass population.

A cool front pushed through Wednesday night, bringing rain and wind to the area. The wind shifted to the north, which could improve things a bit.

Still, it’ll likely be a relative “deck chair off of the Queen Mary.”

Scroggins wins Southern Open

May 7, 2007 – espnoutdoors.com

MANNING, S.C. — Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla., took 18 pounds, 3 ounces of largemouth bass from Santee Cooper Reservoir on Saturday, boosting his three-day total to 50-11 for a come-from-behind win in the second event of the Bassmaster Southern Open circuit.

The Bassmaster Elite Series pro bested fellow Elite Series pro Charlie Hartley of Grove City, Ohio, who secured second place with a three-day total of 47-4.