Follow Kevin’s touring and appearances schedule.
the 2010 Bassmaster Classic will return in February to Lay Lake in Shelby County, Ala., site of three previous Classic competitions — 1996, 2002 and 2007.
The massive California Delta was the site of the biggest catch in BASS tournament history. It’s where Mark Tyler hauled in a 14-pound, 9-ounce largemouth in April 1999 during a Western Invitational, and it’s where most of the competitors expect the winner to bag more than 100 pounds of largemouth bass.
In 2007, bass fans everywhere looked to the California Delta to set new catch records for the Bassmaster Elite Series. But it was Clear Lake that came through with the biggest catches, topped by Steve Kennedy’s 122 pounds, 14 ounces. Kennedy was a novice with swimbaits going into that event, but left a believer. He set a four-day tournament record with his catch that lasted only a year but that opened the eyes of the bass fishing public everywhere.
Smith Mountain Lake offers more than 500 miles of winding shoreline along its 40-mile length. That means it’s full of coves, cuts and drainages along both the Roanoke and Blackwater river arms, and along with the coves are laydowns, stumps and other shallow cover largemouth love.
In late April and early May, some largemouths should still be spawning, so the sight fishermen will have some good targets. Those who opt for smallies will go deeper.
Michael Iaconelli and Kevin VanDam won the last two Elite Series events here. In a 2004 Tour event, it took just under 100 pounds to win. That tournament was in February — before the spawn. By May, many of the bass will be done spawning, but there should be a real mix of spawning and postspawn bass brought to the scales.
The key words to remember about Clarks Hill are hydrilla, points and blueback herring. Chances are one or all will play a major role in the outcome of the tournament.
With more than 184 miles of reservoir covering better than 160,000 surface acres, Kentucky Lake will give the pros plenty of options.
The Arkansas River Navigation project, begun in the 1960s, made the river safe for navigation from the Mississippi River all the way to the head of navigation at Catoosa, near Tulsa, Okla. In 1971, the Port of Muskogee was dedicated by Oklahoma’s governor. Today, it’s not just a site of commercial barge traffic, but also of outstanding bass fishing.
Red River is more than just a John Wayne western. It’s also one of the premier bass fisheries in the South. Louisiana’s stretch of the river has been the site of six professional level BASS events, including Opens in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Most recently, in 2008, it took 54 pounds over three days to claim the top prize.
In February, the Red River could present a real challenge for the best bass anglers in the world. It could be cold and muddy, two conditions that spell tough fishing. That could benefit the pitchers and flippers who move to shallower, cleaner water and patiently work a jig through dense cover. If conditions are challenging, look for low weights and a close finish.
The Elite series kicks off in Texas, with the Battle on the Border, an event that has yielded record sized catches in the past.
Returning to Lake Dardanelle after a year off, the Elite Series anglers are looking forward to this early spring stop. Often meaning large bags and lots of hits.
At the third Elite Series event of the 2008 season, the pros will have a chance to catch some big smallmouth bass. Wheeler Lake is not only a solid largemouth fishery, but a strong bronzeback site, as well. Wheeler first came to national prominence in 1974 as the site of the fourth Bassmaster Classic. Since then, BASS has visited the lake for six other professional tournaments, including the 2008 Southern Challenge in which Jeremy Starks edged out Kevin VanDam for top honors with a four-day catch weighing 78-10.
As a fishery, Smith Mountain Lake may be better known for its giant stripers than for its healthy largemouth population, but this 20,600-acre Roanoke River reservoir is one of Virginia’s finest bass lakes.
Guntersville is Alabama’s largest lake, covering some 69,000 acres. Having hosted nearly 20 previous professional-level BASS events, Guntersville is also one of the most popular tournament destinations in the country.
When it comes to versatile bass waters, Kentucky Lake takes a backseat to nowhere else. Big largemouth, giant smallmouth and solid spotted bass are all found here.
High waters on Big Muddy flooded much of the weigh-in area in Fort Madison, Iowa, in 2008, delaying the appearance of the Elite Series for about 12 months.
Oneida Lake is a smallmouth paradise, but it was the largemouth bite that led Tommy Biffle to an Elite Series victory here in the summer of 2006. On a lake known for big bronzebacks, Biffle used topwater frogs to catch even bigger largemouths and bring 63-10 to the scales over four days while the second- and third-place finishers targeted smallmouth.
With the introduction of the new postseason format, a detailed schedule has been created for the Toyota Trucks Championship Week, beginning with two practice days, Sept. 10-11, followed by two competition days, Sept. 12-13, on Jordan, titled the Berkley Powerbait Trophy Chase. The 12 qualifying anglers will then take a one-day break Sept. 14 for media and sponsor activities. Anglers will then move to Montgomery for the final competition, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph.
A two-day practice period, Sept. 15-16, on the Alabama River will be followed by the season’s final two days of competition on the spacious fishery Sept. 17-18. This will determine the BASS Angler of the Year!
The 2008 Bassmaster Classic marks just the second time that fishing’s most prestigious championship has been held in South Carolina. The 1973 Classic was contested on Clarks Hill Reservoir, another Savannah River impoundment, just downstream from Hartwell.
The 2008 Elite Series season opens in Central Florida with the Sunshine Showdown on the Harris Chain of Lakes, March 6-9, hosted by the City of Leesburg and the Lake County Department of Tourism. With 9 lakes in the chain covering approximately 76,000 surface acres, there will be plenty of water to go around.
BASS has not held a professional level tournament on the Kissimmee Chain since the 2006 Bassmaster Classic, but that’s where the Citrus Slam will be fished in 2008.
Two years ago, BASS and the Elite Series traveled to the Texas-Mexico border and Lake Amistad for the first time. The results were fantastic. In two Elite Series events, it has taken better than 100 pounds to win on Amistad, and Falcon Lake has the reputation of being even better.
BASS’ history on Lake Amistad is a short but glorious one. Elite Series pros will be looking forward to the Battle on the Border, April 10-13.
Seventy-eight thousand acre Clarks Hill Lake has become one of BASS’ favorite destinations in recent years. The 2008 Elite Series tournament, May 1-4, will mark the fourth straight year that BASS has brought its premier tournament series to the reservoir on the Georgia-South Carolina border.
It’s been a few years since BASS brought a professional tournament to South Carolina’s Lake Murray, but the 2008 Carolina Clash (May 15-18) will change that. Murray’s 52,000 surface acres will play host to the best fishermen in the world at one of the very best times to be there.
With the seventh Elite Series event of the 2008 season, the pros will finally have a chance to catch some big smallmouth bass. Wheeler Lake, site of the Southern Challenge (June 5-8) hosted by Decatur-Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau, is not only a great largemouth fishery, but a strong bronzeback site, as well.
When it comes to versatile bass waters, Kentucky Lake takes a backseat to nowhere else. Big largemouth, giant smallmouth and solid spotted bass are all found here. During the Bluegrass Brawl (June 12-15), postspawn bass will be out on the ledges in 10 to 25 feet of water.
Old Hickory Lake is a popular waters which BASS has visited seven times in its 40-year history.
To call Lake Erie “big water” would be a major understatement. Covering nearly 10,000 square miles, Erie is far and away the largest body of water on the Elite Series schedule for 2008. It’s not only one of the Great Lakes, it’s also one of the great bass lakes in the world, especially if you’re a fan of smallmouth bass.
Oneida Lake is another smallmouth paradise.
This is the grand daddy of them all.
The 37th Annual Classic!
The first event this year in the BASSMASTER Elite series 2007.
The potential in the California Delta is nearly limitless, as the Elite Series anglers hit this venue at the right time of the year to see big results.
One of the best bass havens in the world.
The Toyota Texas Bass Classic will host the top anglers and entertainers in the country fishing in this 4 day tournament. A 4 person team format will be used. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
The Elite Series heads back East to Georgia from the previous stops on the West Coast.
The Elite Series stays at home in the South, moving back to Alabama as the season gets rolling.
The second BASSMASTER Major series event of 2007 returns to the home of the 1994, 1995 and 1998 BASSMASTER Classic’s.
The Elite series heads to the mountains of Virginia and a lake with 26,000 surface acres.
The Elite Series pulls into Oklahoma, and the Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
The Elite Series Northern Run starts on Lake Champlain. Arguably the best bass fishery in the country.
This event actually takes place on both Lake Erie and the Niagara River. The last event on Lake Erie was the Northern Open in 2005.
The 2nd Major event of the 2007 season swings through Syracuse, New York.
The Final Charge pushes forward through the Nations Capital. The historic Potomac River will see the Elite series begin the final push here.
A former home of the Bassmaster Classic, Lake Toho is hosting the final stop of the 2007 Elite Series.