Kevin Van Dam

Bass or no bass, Hill will enjoy the day

May 4, 2008 – bassmaster.com

EVANS, Ga. — Sundays on the Bassmaster Elite Series tour have provided some big surprises so far this season: They began in the first tournament of the year, when Mike McClelland came from 10 pounds behind to top Brian Snowden on the last day of the Sunshine Showdown at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes. Three weeks ago, Todd Faircloth moved from eighth place to first on Sunday to win the Battle on the Border at Texas’ Lake Amistad.

So no matter what happens in today’s Pride of Georgia tournament presented by Evan Williams Bourbon, it shouldn’t be unexpected.

However, one thing is certain to happen during today’s finale — Kenyon Hill will be wearing a smile.

“I’m going to go out, first and foremost, and have some fun,” said the 43-year-old Norman, Okla., pro. “I’m going to enjoy the day for what it is.”

Hill has a shot at making it a special day. He’s in second place, just 1 pound, 3 ounces behind leader Edwin Evers’ three-day total of 51 pounds, 1 ounce. And Hill thinks he left some actively feeding fish near the end of Saturday’s session on Clarks Hill Lake.

“My gosh, I jacked ‘em there yesterday,” Hill said Sunday morning, just prior to the 6:30 a.m. ET takeoff. “I left ‘em biting. I found a couple of new areas yesterday afternoon, and that one was pretty awesome.

“I’m going to start there (Sunday). If they are biting at all, it’s possible to win the tournament in 20 minutes.”

Evers Still Out Front, Hill Narrows Gap

May 3, 2008 – bassfan.com

The wind blew, the clouds assembled and the mercury pushed just a little higher up the thermometer today at the Clarks Hill Bassmaster Elite Series event. All those factors seemed to work together to urge the lake’s lethargic largemouths into a mood that made them slightly more catchable than they were 24 hours ago.

The 20-pound-sack that showed itself on day 1 is proving to be more of an anomaly with every ‘teener’ limit that crosses the scales, but all-in-all, it seems the Elite Series competitors have made it through the valley that was day 2 and are moving towards a promising crescendo for Sunday.

Edwin Evers proved his big bag on day 2 was no fluke when he brought in another stout limit that totaled up to 17-03 today. Evers still holds on to the top spot, but the 2-01 lead he brought into day 3 was slimmed down to a pound thanks to another big limit from Kenyon Hill.

After turning in 14-03 yesterday, Hill sacked his best five of the tournament for a day 3 total of 18-01.

Clarks Hill expert Davy Hite fell to 10th place on day 2 after weighing only 9-02, but his 18-14 bag today gives him a little better than a 15-pound-per-day average, and that’s good enough for 3rd.

Final 12 at Clarks Hill is star-studded

May 3, 2008 – bassmaser.com

EVANS, Ga. — If you were going to select a 12-angler BASS all-star team to compete against each other for one day, it wouldn’t be much different from the Sunday finalists in the Bassmaster Elite Series Pride of Georgia tournament presented by Evan Williams Bourbon.

“I’ve looked around a lot of times when I’m up there on stage and thought, ‘Dang, this is a pretty stout group up here,’” said three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam, after being introduced as one of the 12 Sunday finalists on Clark’s Hill Lake. “But this is really a pretty stout group.”

Included in the accomplishments of these 12 anglers are: five Bassmaster Classic titles, eight BASS Angler of the Year titles, 108 Bassmaster Classic appearances and 11 of the 32 Elite Series titles since the circuit began in 2006.

“Our (Elite Series) field is full of great anglers,” VanDam said, “and I guess the cream rises to the top.”

Sunday’s “all-star bass tournament” includes VanDam and Denny Brauer, who have both earned more than $2 million in BASS winnings in addition to Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year titles.

Alton Jones, the 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion, and Todd Faircloth, who won the last Elite Series event April 15th on Lake Amistad, shared 10th place among Sunday’s qualifiers.

OVER THE HILL? NOT DENNY

May 2, 2008 – basszone.com

Augusta, GA – What would happen if you put 108 of the best bass fishermen in the world on a legendary Georgia reservoir? You would get a reflection of this week’s Pride of Georgia at Clarks Hill Reservoir in Augusta.

The lake is lower – by around seven feet – than it has been in any of the previous four years that the Bassmasters have been here, but there are still some 20-pound stringers to be pulled from the famed waters at Clarks.

Early in the week, the bite was red hot and the temperatures were what one would expect for this part of the country at this time of the year. However, a strong cold-front pushed through Tuesday forcing the air-temps down into the low 40s. In fact, anglers were sporting their Gortex suits at launch on the first day to fend off the morning’s chill.

By late afternoon though, the chilly morning had given way to a beautiful 70-degree day, and the field took full advantage, but the scattered fish – and stingy big-bite – were still apparent.

Veterans come up big at Clarks Hill

May 2, 2008 – bassmaster.com

EVANS, Ga. — Professional bass fishing is increasingly a young man’s game. The last two Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Anglers of the Year — Skeet Reese and Mike Iaconelli — are both in their 30s.

But Thursday’s opener of the Pride of Georgia tournament presented by Evan Williams Bourbon was a good day for old men on Clarks Hill Lake. Denny Brauer, 59, took the lead with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, and 62-year-old Dave Smith took Purolator Big Bass honors with a 7-1. He is fourth overall with 17-4.

And while he’s only 42 years old, Davy Hite is considered one of the veterans of the Elite Series tour. The South Carolina native is in second place with 18-15.

However, none of the three sounded confident about repeating his performance as the tournament moves into its second day, after which the 108-angler field will be cut to the top 50 Friday.

“I’d pull up to a point, throw out in the middle of nowhere and a good one would get it,” Brauer said. “Stuff like that is tough to duplicate. It was one of those days where I felt like I kept myself in the right type of water.

“But whether I can duplicate that or not, I don’t have a clue.”

Elite Series pros prepare for cool, calm Day One

May 1, 2008 – bassmaster.com

EVANS, Ga. — As his boat floated away from its trailer, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Todd Faircloth stood upon his deck wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Three seconds later, the Texas angler’s 100-mph suit came on, even before he dropped the trolling motor into the water to scoop his dockside co-angler.

On Day One’s launch of the Pride of Georgia presented by Evan Williams Bourbon, anglers sported several layers of clothes to prevent the nip of the morning air from invasion. The field must be ready to shed, since temperatures in the high-40s at launch will quickly give way to comfortable afternoon highs in the mid-70s.

“I never thought we’d have the coldest weather on the first day of May,” said Elite Series pro Timmy Horton, after blowing into his hands.

Previous stops on the Elite Series in Florida and Texas meant much warmer morning weather for those preparing for their day.

A late spring across the Southeast, has left bass scattered across Clarks Hill Lake and in every stage of the spawning cycle. The resulting conditions mean anglers must prepare for every option as well.

“I have seven rods on my deck,” pro angler John Crews said. “And I will probably pull out two or three more. I’m fishing two different patterns.”