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Asleep at the Wheel: Florida’s Bobby Lane on Verge of First BASS Win at Kentucky Lake Elite Series Event

Category: press release

 Jun 5th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Jun 5th, 2009 at 12:00 AM

PARIS, Tenn. – Inching closer to the biggest win of his career, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bobby Lane was so excited he fell asleep. Twice. For the third straight day, the Lakeland, Fla., pro relied on a unique approach Friday at the SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph on Kentucky Lake, capitalizing on a productive morning bite and then spending the majority of his competition day defending his spot.

	Yamaha Pro Bobby Lane looking for his first BASS Victory (Photo Courtesy of BASS)

It’s an interesting scenario indeed, and one that has played out perfectly for the 35-year-old pro to the tune of 80 pounds, 10 ounces, good enough for a near 9-pound advantage over 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., heading into the final day of competition.

“I took two naps for about an hour total. I was so bored playing the waiting game I couldn’t stay awake,” said Lane, who has been preserving the spot in hopes of making it a factor throughout the competition. “If I heard another engine coming close by I figured that would serve as my alarm clock.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, June 13, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, while a wealth of unique content will also be available at Bassmaster.com.

Finally, Lane will have the opportunity to fully exploit his special spot Saturday. For the past three days, he fished his area for just more than an hour each morning and left more than 20 hours of competition time on the table. He has known all along that he is running the risk of other anglers finding the area and cashing in on it. But there will be no need to manage his fish Saturday, the final day of the SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph.

Friday played out much like the previous two days. Lane accumulated all of his weight – a 26-pound, 3-ounce limit – before 8 a.m. He spent the rest of the day protecting the location. He said he was so anxious at 1 p.m. that he went against his better judgment and threw three casts, landing three fish: a 2-, 3- and 5-pounder.

“Everything has been going my way this week,” said Lane, who in high school was an accomplished soccer player. “As long as I can make a clean shot to my area Saturday, I should be able to catch what I need. I just can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.”

For Lane, a two-time Classic qualifier, it would be validation for a career that has produced a lot of top-notch finishes but few victories. Furthermore, the win would be the result of a fishing style that isn’t one of Lane’s strengths: targeting ledges. A shallow-water specialist, Lane would score his first BASS victory and put himself in prime position to qualify for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 19-21 on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala.

Heading into Kentucky Lake, Lane was 31st in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. A top finish here would propel him toward the top 15, a position that would put him in serious contention for the Bassmaster Elite Series inaugural postseason, the Toyota Trucks Championship Week, which will play out Sept. 10-18 on Alabama’s Lake Jordan and Alabama River featuring the top 12 anglers in the AOY standings.

Although Lane is feeling a certain degree of comfort, he knows that closing the victory will be tough, especially considering Reese and four-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., are his closest competitors.

Reese, who jumped over VanDam into second place Friday, continued his impressive run with a three-day total of 71-14. He’s looking at a similar situation to what occurred at the last Elite event, on Lake Guntersville. There, Reese was trailing by a wide margin going into the final day and was able to make a charge, but eventual champion Aaron Martens to narrowly escape with victory.

With little to lose, Reese is hoping to again put some pressure on a heavy favorite.

“I’m certainly not optimistic,” said Reese, the 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “But I will be happy if I can make Bobby sweat.”

The 39-year-old Reese has been running and gunning around Kentucky this week, visiting nearly 20 spots. He is primarily throwing a crankbait and mixing in a new Berkley bait, a 12-inch power worm, to considerable success.

With Reese and VanDam again neck and neck in this week’s tournament standings, the two will stretch their lead on the rest of the field in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Basssmaster Angler of the Year standings. And, if they hold their places through the conclusion of the tournament, they will enter into a tie in the AOY standings with just two regular-season events remaining.

As for Kentucky Lake, VanDam was third Friday with 71-7 overall; Russ Lane of Prattville, Ala., moved up one spot to fourth with 67-15 and Byron Velvick of Del Rio, Texas, fell to fifth with 67-15.

The field was cut to the top 12 anglers for the final day and included Britt Myers of Lake Wylie, S.C. (sixth) and Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Okla. (ninth).

Kentucky Lake has hosted 10 previous BASS events. Straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border, Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley, a navigable canal, adds another 80,000 surface acres.

In the 2008 event on Kentucky Lake, VanDam totaled 84 pounds, 13 ounces, courtesy of a variety of lures, including jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. His most productive lure was what would become the trademark in his march to the 2008 Angler of the Year title: a Strike King Series 6 in sexy shad color.

Fans are encouraged to attend the final-day launch (6 a.m. CT) and weigh-in (4 p.m.) at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Hwy. 79 N., Buchanan, Tenn.

Other activities Saturday at the Tennessee Triumph will begin at 1 p.m. CT at Paris Landing State Park, featuring the popular Dog Training & Retriever Demonstrations Brought To You By SportDog, and the live taping of Hooked Up, hosted by ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. The show, which will air live at 3:30 p.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, will preview Sunday’s final weigh-in.

All events at the SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph are free and open to the public. Up next for the Elite Series is the June 11-14 Genuity River Rumble on the Mississippi River out of Fort Madison, Iowa.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNOutdoorsmedia.com for BASS’ latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos and more.

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

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multimedia platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive Web properties in ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content – from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage – to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS annually sanctions more than 20,000 events.

BASS also 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, Fla.

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Media Contact: Doug Grassian; (407) 566-2216 or [email protected]

DAY 3 STANDINGS- SPONGETECH TENNESEE TRIUMPH- KENTUCKY LAKE
2009 SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph 6/3-6/6
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 15 80-10 315
Day 1: 5 29-14 Day 2: 5 24-09 Day 3: 5 26-03
2. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 15 71-14 295
Day 1: 5 25-15 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 23-05
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 71-07 290
Day 1: 5 28-11 Day 2: 5 21-09 Day 3: 5 21-03
4. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 15 67-15 285
Day 1: 5 26-02 Day 2: 5 21-02 Day 3: 5 20-11
5. Byron Velvick Del Rio, TX 15 66-10 280
Day 1: 5 27-06 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 19-13
6. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 15 66-06 276
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 5 24-07
7. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 15 65-13 272
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 23-01 Day 3: 5 19-05
8. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 15 65-11 268
Day 1: 5 26-00 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 23-01
9. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 15 65-05 264
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 24-14 Day 3: 5 17-00
10. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 15 65-02 260
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 22-01 Day 3: 5 22-01
11. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 15 64-04 257
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 26-05 Day 3: 5 19-12
12. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 63-06 254
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 26-14 Day 3: 5 18-15
13. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 15 63-02 251 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-12 Day 3: 5 17-14
14. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 15 62-06 248 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 20-00
15. Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, AR 15 61-07 245 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 22-06
16. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 15 60-15 243 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 20-10
17. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 60-14 241 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 18-13
18. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 15 60-05 239 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 22-03 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 5 16-02
19. Alton Jones Waco, TX 15 58-13 237 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 21-05 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 20-04
20. Jason Quinn York, SC 15 58-11 235 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 22-08
21. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 15 57-02 233 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 20-05 Day 3: 5 13-12
22. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 15 57-01 231 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 21-04 Day 3: 5 18-01
23. Grant Goldbeck Gaithersburg, MD 15 57-01 229 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 20-08 Day 3: 5 17-05
24. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 15 56-06 227 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 21-00 Day 3: 5 13-00
25. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 15 56-00 225 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 5 17-07
26. Randy Howell Springville, AL 15 55-14 223 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 16-07
27. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 15 55-13 221 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 24-04 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 14-04
28. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 15 55-10 219 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 17-07
29. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 15 55-03 217 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 23-05 Day 3: 5 13-13
30. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 15 55-02 215 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 17-11
31. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 15 53-14 213 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 17-13
32. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 15 53-12 211 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 16-01
33. John Crews Salem, VA 15 53-04 209 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 23-00 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 17-05
34. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 15 53-01 207 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 17-11
35. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 15 52-09 205 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 18-02
36. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 15 52-03 203 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 5 15-09
37. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 15 51-14 201 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 17-10
38. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 15 51-04 199 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 14-10
39. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 15 50-05 197 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 15-10
40. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 15 50-05 195 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 12-05
41. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 50-02 193 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 13-07
42. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 15 49-04 191 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 15-04 Day 3: 5 14-15
43. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 15 48-15 189 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 20-10 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 14-09
44. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 48-13 187 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 14-05
45. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 15 47-02 185 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 12-10
46. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 13 46-13 183 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 3 07-07
47. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 14 45-13 181 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 4 11-06
48. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 14 45-04 179 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 24-03 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 4 10-00
49. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 13 45-00 177 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 3 09-13
50. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 13 43-11 175 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 23-11 Day 3: 3 06-11
———————————————————————–

BIG BASS
Day
1 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 07-15 $0.00
2 Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 08-04 $0.00
3 Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 06-10 $0.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 93 479 1720-14
2 86 465 1565-02
3 45 242 851-07
———————————-
224 1186 4137-07