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HomeSportsVanDam wins 17th BASS Victory at Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series Event

VanDam wins 17th BASS Victory at Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series Event

Paris, TN – Kevin VanDam has set the bar so high that when the Kalamazoo, MI, veteran goes a few tournaments without a victory, bass fishing fans are left to ponder if he has lost the magic. But VanDam is undoubtedly on top of his game and Saturday, he laid waste to rumors of a struggle, extending his Kentucky Lake domination at the Tennessee Triumph with a four-day total of 92 pounds, 5 ounces.

A triumphant Kevin VanDam after winning the Tennesee Triumph Bass tournament

The victory, VanDam’s 17th – which inches him closer to the BASS all-time mark of 19 – was accomplished in wire-to-wire fashion and the 20-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier was locked in from the first day of practice. Most importantly, VanDam accumulated a stout number of Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and bumped his standing there up to eighth, which puts him safely in the cutline for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason with one qualifying event remaining.


Kevin VanDam with the Tennessee Triumph Trophy
Kevin VanDam with the Tennessee Triumph Trophy

While his weight steadily decreased each day of competition, VanDam, who earned $100,000 for the victory, brought in four consecutive limits that weighed more than 20 pounds. His Kentucky Lake ledger includes two firsts, a second and a third-place finish in the previous four times the Bassmaster Elite Series has visited the fishery.

“I kept hearing people say, “Is there something wrong with VanDam,” and it kind of made me laugh,” said VanDam, a five-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I mean, I had a pretty good start to the year winning the Classic. There have been a few scenarios this year where key bites just didn’t go my way and that happens. Sometimes you are on a roll and sometimes you aren’t.

“This lake is so special to me and I knew I had a good shot here. It really suits my style. It just feels great.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTSD28AH5ZU[/youtube]

It was a typical VanDam setup that propelled him to victory. He primarily worked two Strike King crankbaits, a Series 6 XD and a silent stalker in chartreuse sexy shad, which boated the majority of his weighed bass. He mixed in other lures but as in years past, the crankbaits were the main weapon of choice.

While he stuck with an old friend in his presentation method, it was a new toy that VanDam labeled as “key”. VanDam’s side-imaging unit –he recently inked a deal with Humminbird – gave him the ability to expand on his areas and locate the sweet spots where the bass were holding. In fact, his three best spots were found using the equipment.

A view of the Sidescan & Downimaging feature available from Humminbird
A view of the Sidescan & Downimaging feature available from Humminbird

Once he found the schools of bass, it was a matter of long, precise casts that were able to hit bottom. If his cast was right, VanDam said, that the bass were so wadded up in the defined areas, that he couldn’t work his lure without bumping a bass.

“The technology that is available to us nowadays, it’s almost like magic,” said VanDam, a three-time Bassmaster Classic champion. “You can see the schools of bass and I’m not sure why they were relating to the areas they were in, but they were certainly there.”

While VanDam hasn’t struggled by any stretch of the imagination – he will have won more than $600,000 this year with plenty to remain – he has been disappointed. In particular, the previous Elite event on Clarks Hill Lake was the first time VanDam felt he left something on the table. Apparently, he does his best when he’s angry.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R2gz3dsqrA[/youtube]

“I was really disappointed after the last event,” said VanDam, 42. “So I wanted to come in here and do everything I could to have a shot at the Angler of the Year. That has been my goal when I started the season and it will still be my goal when it ends.”

Edwin Evers of Talala, OK. on Day 4 of the Tennessee Triumph Tournament (BASS Communicaitons/Seigo Saito)
Edwin Evers of Talala, OK. on Day 4 of the Tennessee Triumph Tournament (BASS Communicaitons/Seigo Saito)

In a distant second was Edwin Evers of Talala, OK. Evers totaled 85-12, nearly 7 pounds off of VanDam’s torrid pace. While Evers lamented some of the bites he failed to put in the boat, the five-time Bassmaster winner took solace in his second-place position in the Angler of the Year standings.

“It’s an eight-event season and you have to perform throughout,” said Evers. “I like where I’m at and I can’t wait to get back to fishing next week.”

Right behind Evers was his brother-in-law Terry Butcher, also of Talala. Butcher amassed 80-4 and moved up to sixth in the Angler of the Year standings with the stellar performance. Sticking to fourth was Jason Quinn of York, SC, with 78-15 while Derek Remitz of Grant, AL, snagged fifth with 78-9. Remitz moved up to third in the AOY standings, which can be found below.

Kentucky LakeKentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which Lane of Lakeland, FL, won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days. Lane finished a disappointing 52nd.

Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley adds another 80,000 surface acres.

The top prize of the Tennessee Triumph is $100,000.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

Photo Gallery

The final day of the Tennessee Triumph Tournament

Be sure to catch all the action!

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, July 4th, at 10:00am ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

About the Elite Series

Up next for the Elite Series is the regular-season finale, the June 17th-20th AutoZone Sooner Run on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, OK. There, much will be at stake as qualifying positions in the Postseason (top 12), the Bassmaster Classic (top 37) and next year’s Elite Series will be determined.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason, Toyota Trucks Championship Week, is set for July 24th-31st and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24th-25th Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30th-31st on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Yamaha and Bass Pro Shops.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats and Ramada.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, FL.

FINAL STANDINGS- TENNESSEE TRIUMPH

2010 Paris, TN 6/9-6/12
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

Place Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
 





1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 20 92-05 320 $100,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 25-00      
  Day 2 5 24-02      
  Day 3 5 21-11      
  Day 4 5 21-08      
             
             
2 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 20 85-12 295 $25,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 19-14      
  Day 2 5 21-12      
  Day 3 5 23-12      
  Day 4 5 20-06      
             
             
3 Terry Butcher Talala, OK 20 80-04 290 $20,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 15-15      
  Day 2 5 21-10      
  Day 3 5 19-10      
  Day 4 5 23-01      
             
             
4 Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 20 78-15 285 $15,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 20-13      
  Day 2 5 21-01      
  Day 3 5 21-00      
  Day 4 5 16-01      
             
             
5 Derek Remitz Grant, AL 20 78-09 280 $14,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 18-11      
  Day 2 5 16-01      
  Day 3 5 21-15      
  Day 4 5 21-14      
             
             
6 John Crews Salem, VA 20 77-11 276 $13,500
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 14-08      
  Day 2 5 18-00      
  Day 3 5 25-00      
  Day 4 5 20-03      
             
             
7 Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 20 77-10 272 $14,500
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 16-06      
  Day 2 5 26-12      
  Day 3 5 24-00      
  Day 4 5 10-18      
             
             
8 Matt Herren Trussville, AL 20 75-05 268 $12,500
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 18-13      
  Day 2 5 19-04      
  Day 3 5 18-01      
  Day 4 5 19-03      
             
             
9 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 20 71-13 264 $12,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 15-01      
  Day 2 5 19-10      
  Day 3 5 22-01      
  Day 4 5 15-01      
             
             
10 Matt Greenblatt Palm Beach Gardens, FL 20 69-08 260 $11,500
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 20-00      
  Day 2 5 18-09      
  Day 3 5 19-01      
  Day 4 5 11-14      
             
             
11 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 20 67-02 257 $11,000
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 15-02      
  Day 2 5 22-05      
  Day 3 5 16-11      
  Day 4 5 13-00      
             
             
             
12 Keith Poche Troy, AL 19 65-11 254 $10,500
             
  Day Number of Fish Weight      
  Day 1 5 20-01      
  Day 2 5 21-07      
  Day 3 5 14-06      
  Day 4 4 09-13      
             
Overall Tournament Totals
  Day #Limits #Fish Weight    
  Day 1 84 449 1374-09    
  Day 2 81 436 1397-08    
  Day 3 42 225 727-04    
  Day 4 11 59 202-08    
             
    218 1169` 3701-13    
             
Big Bass of Tournament
  Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 10-01 $1,000.00    
             
Berkley Heavyweight of Tournament
  Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 26-12 $500.00    

Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

2010 Tennessee Triumph – Paris, TN Pro Points After Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tenn. Ending 06-12-2010, Day 4

Place Name State Points
1 Skeet Reese Calif. 1821
2 Edwin Evers Okla. 1759
3 Derek Remitz Ala. 1673
4 Brian Snowden Mo. 1617
5 John Crews Va. 1609
6 Terry Butcher Okla. 1606
7 Cliff Pace Miss. 1596
8 Kevin VanDam Mich. 1549
9 Aaron Martens Ala. 1539
10 Greg Hackney La. 1528
11 Bill Lowen Ohio 1512
12 Gary Klein Texas 1511
13 Dave Wolak N.C. 1508
14 Jeff Kriet Okla. 1499
15 Russ Lane Ala. 1498
16 Morizo Shimizu Japan 1489
17 Michael Iaconelli N.J. 1481
17 Mark Davis Ark. 1481
17 Todd Faircloth Texas 1481
17 Tommy Biffle Okla. 1481
21 Jason Williamson S.C. 1470
22 Dean Rojas Ariz. 1467
23 Mike McClelland Ark. 1459
24 Scott Rook Ark. 1457
25 Shaw Grigsby Fla. 1451
26 Bobby Lane Fla. 1435
27 Stephen Browning Ark. 1434
28 Greg Vinson Ala. 1431
29 Gerald Swindle Ala. 1426
30 Matt Herren Ala. 1401
30 Terry Scroggins Fla. 1401
32 Steve Kennedy Ala. 1380
33 Kevin Wirth Ky. 1377
34 Boyd Duckett Ala. 1364
35 Clark Reehm Ark. 1361
36 Brent Chapman Kan. 1360
37 Kelly Jordon Texas 1354
38 Cliff Crochet La. 1319
39 Jared Lintner Calif. 1318
40 Denny Brauer Mo. 1306
41 Mark Tucker Mo. 1299
42 Jason Quinn S.C. 1295
43 Casey Ashley S.C. 1290
44 Paul Elias Miss. 1282
45 Mark Menendez Ky. 1280
46 Matt Reed Texas 1274
47 James Niggemeyer Texas 1272
48 Bradley Roy Ky. 1268
49 Takahiro Omori Texas 1261
50 Marty Robinson S.C. 1248
51 Ish Monroe Calif. 1243
52 Kotaro Kiriyama Ala. 1241
53 Billy McCaghren Ark. 1233
54 Timmy Horton Ala. 1225
55 Davy Hite S.C. 1218
56 Dustin Wilks N.C. 1216
57 Alton Jones Texas 1208
58 Guy Eaker N.C. 1200
59 Rick Morris Va. 1195
60 Bradley Hallman Okla. 1183
61 Randy Howell Ala. 1177
62 Pete Ponds Miss. 1169
63 Pat Golden N.C. 1163
64 Zell Rowland Texas 1162
65 J Todd Tucker Ga. 1155
66 Jeff Connella La. 1143
67 Kenyon Hill Okla. 1141
68 Marty Stone N.C. 1139
68 Kevin Short Ark. 1139
70 Peter Thliveros Fla. 1137
71 Matt Greenblatt Fla. 1132
72 Bernie Schultz Fla. 1131
73 Byron Velvick Texas 1128
74 Fred Roumbanis Okla. 1112
75 Charlie Hartley Ohio 1111
76 Rick Clunn Mo. 1098
77 Chris Lane Ala. 1077
78 Mark Tyler Okla. 1075
79 Britt Myers S.C. 1065
80 Jami Fralick S.D. 1053
81 Chad Griffin Texas 1051
82 Grant Goldbeck Md. 1045
83 Keith Poche Ala. 1035
84 John Murray Ariz. 1027
85 Yusuke Miyazaki Texas 1007
86 Dennis Tietje La. 1005
87 Wade Grooms S.C. 1001
88 Vince Fulks Okla. 947
89 Byron Haseotes Mass. 903
90 David Smith Okla. 875
91 Jeremy Starks W.Va. 867
92 Mark Burgess Mass. 837
93 Scott Ashmore Okla. 755
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