June 17, 2008 – bassfan.com
Kevin VanDam was a man with a plan at the Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series. He executed that plan superbly, but it was the blueprint itself that might have been the most important factor in his wire-to-wire victory.
The No. 1 angler in the BassFan World Rankings and the new leader in the Elite Series Angler of the Year (AOY) race was still ticked that he didn’t win at the giant impoundment on the Kentucky-Tennessee border in 2006. He felt that he was on the fish to come out on top, but did an inadequate job of planning for the effects of the weekend crowds.
This time he pinpointed about a dozen schools of ledge-fish during practice and was judicious about how he exploited them during the tournament. He had fresh water to work each day, and his stockpile of locations proved to be just enough to get him through the event.
He averaged 23 pounds over the first 3 days to build a comfortable cushion, and then caught exactly a pound more than he needed to hold off a rampaging Tim Horton on day 4. The win was his second this season and the 14th of his career.
Pattern Notes
VanDam caught fish at depths that varied from 10 to 20 feet. The crankbait was most effective for fish that were sitting on top of the ledge, and the spoon and jig worked best on the ones that were hanging out below it.
“Every spot was different,” he said. “The depth wasn’t that important – what mattered a lot more was just where the fish were at. There are so many ledges and when you catch a bass off one, you know they’re there for a reason. They aren’t just roaming.
“They were feeding on shad, and in most cases they were grouped up where there was a lot of mussels. I couldn’t see (the mussels), but I could feel them with the crankbait or the jig.”
With the crankbait, the key was to make contact with the bottom, and throw repeated casts to the same location each time he caught a fish.
His technique with the spoon was to let it sink to the bottom, then snap it up and let it flutter back down. The majority of the strikes came on the return trip to the bottom.
He occasionally hopped or stroked the jig, but he said the fish preferred that it be dragged most of the time.
Here’s how he did it.
Practice
As he did 2 years ago, VanDam concentrated his practice time on the southern end of Kentucky Lake (competitors were also free to fish adjoining Lake Barkley). All of his primary locations were on the other side of Paris Landing from the launch at Gilbertsville.
“Those fish on the south end go to the ledges earlier, and the ledges are shallower to begin with,” he said. “At this time of year, there’s just more fish there.”
Most of his spots were off the main channel – either up creeks, or right around the mouths. One of the keys was a rough bottom formed by mussel shells.
He had a smattering of areas on the main stem, but said those generally harbored smaller fish than those that were off the beaten path.
Once the schools were pinned down, catching the fish wasn’t terribly difficult. He could entice them with a variety of offerings, but his go-to baits ended up being a Strike King Series 5 or Series 6 crankbait, a Sexy Spoon and a 3/4-ounce jig with a Rage Craw trailer.
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=2931June 15, 2008 – bassmaster.com
ILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — One week ago Sunday, Kevin VanDam wiped the sweat from his brow, carefully looking at the scales as Jeremy Starks weighed in his five bass at the conclusion of Alabama’s Southern Challenge Elite Series event.
And that’s when Starks did a huge fist pump, dislodging momentarily the king of bass fishing from his throne by a mere eight ounces, leaving VanDam in a position that he doesn’t enjoy occupying at a final weigh-in.
Afterward, a disappointed VanDam, when reminded about the gains he had made in the 2008 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, said “I try to win every time I go out there. I’m not fishing for points and I’m not fishing for a check.”
He then added “You know, against these guys you’ve got to take a few chances and look for patterns that are going to produce winning size stringers for the body of water, that’s what you look at.”
Loosely translated, that’s swing for the fences trying to win and things like winning an Angler of the Year title will take care of itself.
What a difference a week can make.
This time, during the final round weigh-in on Kentucky Lake for the “Elite 12” anglers fishing in this week’s Bluegrass Brawl presented by DieHard Platinum Marine Batteries, it was Timmy Horton sitting on the hot-seat as KVD came to the scales last.
As the numbers settled, VanDam did his own fist pump into the air, claiming the championship trophy and a check for more than $100,000.
Not a bad way to celebrate Father’s Day, huh?
While KVD by his own admission fishes for wins and not paychecks or AOY points, VanDam’s surge up the Angler of the Year leaderboard with four “Top 10” finishes in a row culminated this week with him officially wrestling the lead away from Todd Faircloth.
With three Elite Series tournaments to go, VanDam now leads Faircloth with 2,043 points to 1,978 points.
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3445706June 15, 2008 – bassmaster.com
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — When Kevin VanDam stepped to the weigh-in stage with his five-bass limit Sunday, he wasn’t a confident man. For the first time in the four-day tournament, he hadn’t sacked 20-plus pounds.
And Timmy Horton had taken the lead with 24 pounds, 11 ounces in the Bassmaster Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl presented by Diehard Platinum Marine Batteries. Needing at least 15-9 to win, the legend of Kevin VanDam grew larger with his 16-9 day — enough to make him the only four-time Elite Series tournament champion, with 16 ounces to spare.
Kentucky Lake provided a fitting comeback for the 40-year-old three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, who finished second by 8 ounces last Sunday at Alabama’s Lake Wheeler.
“Man, what a relief,” VanDam said after coming backstage with the championship trophy in hand. “It probably means more to me than any event in awhile because two years ago here, I gave up that event. I ended up finishing third, and I should have won that one.
“I learned from it though. I learned from the pressure we were going to have out there. I planned for it, and I didn’t slow down even on day one (this week).”
It was on Day One — Thursday — when VanDam caught 24-13, which would turn out to be the Berkley Big Bag of the tournament — by 2 ounces over what Horton bagged Sunday.
Even though Horton had the fish hooked to win this event, the 35-year-old Muscle Shoals, Ala., pro seemed as satisfied as any second-place finisher has ever been.
“I’m tickled to death,” said Horton, who started the day in third place, 9-3 behind VanDam. “I had no idea it would be that exciting. I’m thinking out there I’m fishing for second all day.
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3445532June 15, 2008 – bassfan.com
The margin of victory might have been a littler closer than anticipated, but nobody will remember that for long. All that matters is that Kevin VanDam caught enough today to close out a wire-to-wire victory at the Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series, and he had a pound to spare.
The fishin’ magician from Michigan sacked 16-09 to finish with an 84-13 total. The latter number gave him his second victory of 2008, his fourth in the 3-year history of the Elite Series and the 14th tour-level triumph of his illustrious career. He held off a furious charge by Alabama’s Tim Horton, who walloped a day-best 24-11 to finish 2nd with 83-12. Oklahoma’s Terry Butcher had a huge day as well, as he caught a 22-11 stringer that pushed him to 3rd with a 78-03 total.
Arkansas’ Mike McClelland rebounded from back-to-back mediocre days with a 21-11 bag that secured him some valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points. He ended up 4th with 77-01.
Mississippi veteran Paul Elias sacked 17 pounds even today, and he rounded out the Top 5 with 75-14.
Here’s a how the leaderboard looked after the last fish had been weighed:
1. Kevin VanDam: 84-13
2. Tim Horton: 83-12
3. Terry Butcher: 78-03
4. Mike McClelland: 77-01
5. Paul Elias: 75-14
6. Terry Scroggins: 73-00
7. (tie) Wade Grooms: 72-12
7. (tie) Kenyon Hill: 72-12
9. Rick Clunn: 72-04
10. Bradley Hallman: 70-11
11. Jame Fralick: 69-08
12. Edwin Evers: 68-05
The going got considerably tougher today for VanDam, who’d had a rather easy time racking up a near 23-pound average over the first 3 days. His bag was the lightest of the event by 5 pounds and topped those of only three other competitors.
Horton started the day with 9 pounds to make up, and he nearly pulled it off. Rick Clunn, who began the day in 2nd with a deficit of a little less than 7 pounds, managed just 10-13 and dropped to 9th.
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=2930June 15, 2008 – bassmaster.com
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — Four-time Bassmaster Classic champion Rick Clunn can reduce to football terminology what his game plan has to be today in the 12-man final of the Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl presented by Diehard Platinum Marine Batteries.
Clunn and the other 10 anglers trying to catch leader Kevin VanDam can’t play any prevent defense today: It’s strictly two-minute offense time.
“We’ve got to play a lot of prevent defense in this game,” said Clunn, who is in second place, 6 pounds, 13 ounces behind VanDam’s three-day total of 68-4. “I’ve done that a little bit every day to try to protect my area.
“But the problem with a prevent defense is it’s not about winning. It’s about not losing. You’ve got to understand the difference in those two mindsets.
“You’ll see it a lot when one team goes into a prevent defense, the other team starts to catch up and sometimes beats them because they’re not being aggressive.”
VanDam, the 40-year-old three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, has built his lead by being aggressive, for the most part. He has come in early every day, but only after he’s caught a five-bass limit weighing 20-plus pounds. VanDam is the only angler that has topped the 20-pound mark all three days.
“I’d love to catch 20 pounds again today,” VanDam said. “It’s not that easy though.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3444659June 14, 2008 – bassfan.com
Kevin VanDam took a lead of about a pound and a half into the final day last week at Wheeler and ended up 2nd. He’ll have a much bigger cushion tomorrow when he attempts to nail down his second victory of the season.
The greatest angler of the current generation caught a 21-14 bag today to give himself a 3-day total of 68-04 at the Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series. The Michigander is nearly 7 pounds clear of the field and will be awfully difficult to beat tomorrow.
Missouri legend Rick Clunn, the 61-year-old kingpin of the previous generation, is still VanDam’s closest pursuer. He caught 17-11 today and boosted his total to 61-07.
Alabama’s Tim Horton brought in the day’s best bag (23-05) and jumped five places to 3rd with a 59-01 total. Mississippi veteran Paul Elias boxed 21-10 today, but gained just one spot – he’s 4th with 58-14.
South Carolina rookie Wade Grooms continued his impressively consistent week by catching 20 pounds even today. He completed the Top 5 with 57-00.
Here’s a look at the Top 12 who’ll fish the final day (red numbers in parentheses indicate deficit margin from leader):
1. Kevin VanDam: 68-04
2. Rick Clunn: 61-07 (6-13)
3. Tim Horton: 59-01 (9-03)
4. Paul Elias: 58-14 (9-06)
5. Wade Grooms: 57-00 (11-04)
6. Terry Butcher: 55-08 (12-12)
7. Mike McClelland: 55-06 (12-14)
8. Bradley Hallman: 53-05 (14-11)
9. Kenyon Hill: 53-02 (15-02)
10. Edwin Evers: 53-01 (15-03)
11. Jami Fralick: 52-10 (15-10)
12. Terry Scroggins: 52-01 (16-03)
VanDam surrendered the spots he’d fished the first 2 days to the competitors in the BFL and the large-scale local tournaments that launched before the Elite anglers got on the water at 8:00 today. His “other” stuff turned out to be nearly as good as his daily average fell just a hair below the 23-pound mark he’d established prior to the cut.
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=2929June 14, 2008 – basszone.com
Gilbertsville, KY – Saturday on the Elite Series is moving day. If you’re not safely in the Top 12 at the start the day, you’re intent on hitting every spot and swing on every bite in an attempt to be there by day’s end. This week at Kentucky Lake, site of the eighth stop on the 2008 Elite Series tour, moving day had even more symbolism.
On moving day, it’s customary to have plenty of water to roam. At the Bluegrass Brawl, however, there is even more competition – for both the fish and the fishermen – on the water. As a result, this moving day is symbolic given that making moves has more than one meaning.
Kentucky and Barkley lakes are two of the hottest local and regional tournament venues in the nation, and Saturday saw two of them – in addition to the Elite Series – launch at 6:00 (versus the 8:00 Elite Series launch). Prior to Saturday, eager regional pros enviously eyed the Elites to learn a little more about how they’re catching them.
The weather Friday was brutal, as thunderstorms dropped in on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with one very serious storm raging by the time weigh-in started. Saturday, the weather gods were much more favorable with overcast skies giving way to sunshine by the end of the day.
Though prime spots were scarce, with a wad of money and critical points on the line, anglers moved all over both Kentucky and Barkley lakes Saturday trying to net a Top 12 finish.
At the morning’s launch, it seemed to be a clash of greatness featuring KVD and Rick Clunn. For the second straight week, VanDam has the lead on Saturday, but Clunn, the “Zen Master”, has shown no signs of weakness, bringing the heaviest bag of the day to the scales Friday to move within striking distance.
Saturday, as with every day of the event, VanDam was the man and crossed the scales with 21-14, enough to give him a three-day total combined weight of 68-4 and the lead for the third straight day. Unlike last week at Wheeler, where VanDam was locked in a two-horse race, it looks as though his lead is nearly insurmountable.
http://www.basszone.com/2008eliteseries/kentucky/day3/story.htmJune 14, 2008 – bassmaster.com
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — As was highly anticipated, bass fishing legends Kevin VanDam and Rick Clunn remained atop the leaderboard going into Sunday’s final of the Bluegrass Brawl presented by Diehard Platinum Marine Batteries.
However, VanDam made it highly unlikely that anyone was going to overtake him on Sunday two weeks in a row. VanDam finished second by eight ounces last Sunday at Alabama’s Lake Wheeler. But the three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year takes a 6-pound, 13-ounce lead over Clunn into the finale this week.
“I think I’m fishing for second place,” said the 61-year-old Clunn, who owns four Bassmaster Classic titles. “I could go out and catch 25 pounds tomorrow and probably not catch him.”
The 2008 Bassmaster Elite season opened with Mike McClelland overcoming a 10-pound final day deficit to win on Florida’s Harris Chain. But, while possible, it seems highly unlikely that will happen with VanDam fishing so comfortably on Kentucky Lake.
The 40-year-old Kalamazoo, Mich., native weighed-in 20-plus pounds for the third straight day. His Saturday five-bass limit of 21-14 gave him a total of 68-4. Clunn is second with 61-7.
And VanDam could have weighed more Saturday.
“I had a 3-pounder die (in the livewell) early,” VanDam said. “I was throwing back 4-pounders I could have culled with.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3444078June 13, 2008 – bassmaster.com
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — Yes, the comparisons between Kevin VanDam and Tiger Woods have grown tired.
But when you’ve got two-time Bassmaster Classic champion VanDam and four-time Bassmaster Classic champ Rick Clunn ranked one-two after two days, you can’t help but think about a Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus golf tournament.
VanDam kept the lead for the second day running, but Clunn jumped into second place at Kentucky Lake with the big bag of the day Friday in the Bassmaster Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl presented by Diehard Platinum Marine Batteries.
“They’ve got this commercial now called ‘Beer Heaven,’” said Clunn, who caught a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds on Day Two. “You can call this lake crankbait/ledge heaven.
“This is, without a doubt, the premier crankbait, ledge-fishing lake in the country.”
And, without a doubt, the two best crankbait, ledge-fishing anglers in BASS history are 40-year-old VanDam and 61-year-old Clunn. VanDam backed his Berkley Big Bag of the tournament (24-13) on Day One with 21-9 on Day Two for a 46-6 total. Clunn jumped from eighth place Thursday (19-12) to second Friday with a two-day total of 43-12.
Clunn also trumped VanDam’s 6-7 Purolator Big Bass on Thursday with a 7-2 Friday.
“I’m just doing the same thing,” Clunn said. “I’m finding more fish.
“It’s looking good right now. I think the guy who wins this tournament will be the one who manages the (boat) traffic best. If I can survive (Saturday), hopefully I’ll have a shot at winning.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3442622June 13, 2008 – bassmaster.com
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — After a nearly cloudless Day One, rain clouds could be seen in the distance over Kentucky Lake at Friday’s 9 a.m. ET launch of the Bassmaster Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl presented by Diehard Platinum Marine Batteries.
But rain or shine, it’s been raining men — fisherman — at Kentucky Lake this week, and that’s not going to change. With two other big weekend tournaments scheduled, many anglers practicing for those events followed the Elite Series anglers through Day One. And many of them were marking waypoints on their GPS units when they observed an Elite Series pro catching fish.
“What can you do?” said Skeet Reese, who is in 10th place with 19 pounds, 3 ounces. “There’s nothing you can do. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, though.
“There’s no ethics here. There’s none. Zero.
“I guess somehow it just became kosher for you to pull up next to somebody and mark a waypoint.”
Planning a strategy to adjust for the “other angler” factor may well be the key to success here this week. Kevin VanDam took the Day One lead with 24-13. Mike McClelland is second with 23-6 and four other anglers had 20-plus-pound five-bass limits Thursday.
What really complicates things for the Elite Series pros is the 8 a.m. Central Time daily launches. Most of the other tournament anglers this weekend will launch at 6 o’clock.
“I knew that (Thursday and Friday) it was going to be real important to catch big stringers,” said VanDam, who trails Todd Faircloth in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race by only 18 points after seven of the 11 events this season. “On Saturday, I’m just going to have to see what I can do. I’m trying to save some stuff.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/elite/news/story?id=3441575