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Michigan’s Kevin VanDam Maintains Lead at Bassmaster Elite Event on Smith Mountain Lake

Category: press release

 Apr 25th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Apr 25th, 2009 at 12:00 AM

MONETA, Va. – Bassmaster Elite Series anglers beware. If there was a technique Kevin VanDam hasn’t quite mastered, most would agree that sight-fishing would be it. VanDam, the current and four-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, is closer to dispelling that notion as he successfully sight-fished his way Saturday to a three-day total of 47 pounds, 15 ounces – enough to take the lead heading into the final day of competition at the Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl.

	Kevin Van Dam with one of his fish that got him into the top ten(Photo Courtesy of BASS)

Plagued by another slow start on picturesque Smith Mountain Lake, VanDam persevered to boat 15 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday while most at the top of the leaderboard struggled. He holds a modest 3-plus pound margin over Elite rookie Matt Herren (44-7) of Trussville, Ala. Day One leader Kelly Jordon of Mineola, Texas, held on in third place with 44-5, followed by skilled sight-fisherman Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., in fourth with 43-7 and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 41-14.

While sight-fishing has been a popular technique this weekend for most in the field, VanDam is executing it a bit differently. Primarily targeting smallmouths – a favorite of VanDam’s – he has been finding fish by sight while using his customary fast-paced style to fish for them. Mixing in as much as patience as possible, VanDam’s style is a bit of a departure from the textbook sight-fishing technique employed by Dean Rojas and others.

“I’m really proud of the way I have been fishing this week,” said VanDam, a two-time Bassmaster Classic champion. “I have made solid decisions and the right adjustments. But it has been a grind.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Blue Ridge Brawl on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, May 9, 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.

With a solid tournament at Smith Mountain, VanDam should take the lead in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, who led the standings heading into this tournament, failed to make the top-50 cut, and others in the top echelon struggled, which left the door wide open for perhaps the most dangerous man in the field.

Searching for his 15th BASS victory, VanDam said he was confident that he could end up taking home the $100,000 top prize.

“Sometimes when you put your fish on the scale and you have a good day, it looks pretty easy,” said VanDam, 41. “But it has not been easy. Still, I’ve got a solid pattern and my record is pretty good when I have a lead.”

Herren jumped from seventh to second. The Alabama pro managed 15 pounds, 0 ounces, Saturday but still lost ground to VanDam. With other competitors struggling, Herren is closer to notching the best Elite finish of his rookie season.

Like VanDam, Herren has been sight-fishing, but in the more traditional sense. He was targeting the banks with a variety of lures, including a swimbait and a skinny dipper. He said he felt that finding kicker fish would be the key to the tournament.

“All these anglers know how to catch them, so it could be just a matter of who finds the right-sized fish tomorrow,” said Herren, 46. “There is just a ton of 2-pounders here and I’m pretty confident I can catch my fair share of those.”

Jordon are Rojas could be dangerous Sunday, as the lake has been experiencing a warming trend, making for a likelihood of larger, bedding bass to be visible. Hackney is looking to turn around what has been a disappointing season and still has to be considered a threat.

The field will cut to the top 12 for Sunday and will include Matthew Sphar (6th) of Pavilion, N.Y.; 2007 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Skeet Reese (11th) and 2005 AOY Aaron Martens (12th). Reese is one of the hottest anglers in the field right now and, like VanDam, has his eye on the AOY title. A solid finish on Smith Mountain Lake will put him in prime position behind VanDam.

The Blue Ridge Brawl includes a top prize of $100,000 and awards valuable points in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title race. The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the two-event postseason, during which the Angler of the Year will be determined.

Fans are encouraged to attend the Blue Ridge Brawl’s daily launches (7:15 a.m. ET) and weigh-ins (4 p.m.) through Sunday at Parkway Marina, 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Parkway, Huddleston, Va. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Sunday’s Day Four.

Other activities Sunday at the Blue Ridge Brawl will begin at 1 p.m. ET at Parkway Marina, featuring the popular Dog Training & Retriever Demonstrations Brought To You By SportDog. The fun Sunday also includes Skeeter boat demos; cooking demonstrations; and a beer garden from 1-4:15 p.m.

Sunday’s activities include 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 http://www.bassmaster.com, will preview Sunday’s final weigh-in. All events at the Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl are free and open to the public. Up next in the Elite Series is the May 7-10 Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge on Lake Guntersville out of Guntersville, Ala.

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

Local sponsors of the Blue Ridge Brawl are Franklin and Bedford counties.

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- ADVANCE AUTO PARTS BLUE RIDGE BRAWL

2009 Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl 4/23-4/26
Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta VA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 47-15 310
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 15-06
2. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 15 44-07 295
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 11-12 Day 3: 5 15-00
3. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 15 44-05 295
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 12-11
4. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 43-07 285
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 5 13-07
5. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 41-14 280
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 14-01
6. Matthew Sphar Pavilion, NY 15 41-09 276
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 12-13 Day 3: 5 10-15
7. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 15 41-08 272
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 13-15 Day 3: 5 12-07
8. Byron Velvick Del Rio, TX 15 41-08 268
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 13-05
9. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 15 41-01 264
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 16-05
10. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 15 41-00 260
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 15-04
11. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 15 40-04 257
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 5 15-13
12. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 40-00 254
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 09-03
13. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 39-08 251 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 13-11
14. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 15 39-05 248 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-08 Day 3: 5 14-11
15. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 15 39-05 245 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 11-03
16. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 15 39-02 243 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day 3: 5 10-09
17. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 15 39-02 241 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 5 10-03
18. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 15 38-10 239 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 13-10
19. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 15 38-08 237 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 5 11-09
20. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 14 38-06 235 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 4 06-11
21. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 15 38-04 233 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 5 09-08
22. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 15 37-14 231 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 11-12 Day 3: 5 11-00
23. Randy Howell Springville, AL 15 37-12 229 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 11-05
24. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 15 37-09 227 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 13-09 Day 3: 5 09-09
25. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 15 37-05 225 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 10-08
26. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 15 36-15 223 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 12-03 Day 3: 5 10-00
27. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 15 36-14 221 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 11-03
28. Scott Campbell Springfield, MO 15 36-09 219 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 5 13-05
29. Pat Golden High Point, NC 15 36-09 217 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 5 12-08
30. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 15 36-08 215 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 10-04 Day 3: 5 09-15
31. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 15 36-00 213 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 13-15 Day 3: 5 09-02
32. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 35-15 211 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 08-14 Day 3: 5 12-05
33. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 15 35-15 209 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 5 08-04
34. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 15 35-14 207 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 5 10-14
35. Billy Mccaghren Mayflower, AR 14 35-13 205 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 4 10-03 Day 3: 5 10-12
36. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 15 35-03 203 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 09-11
37. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 14 35-01 201 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 4 10-07 Day 3: 5 09-06
38. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 14 34-11 199 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 12-09 Day 3: 4 08-00
39. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 14 34-08 197 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 4 08-02
40. Brian Clark Haltom City, TX 15 34-04 195 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 10-00
41. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 15 33-13 193 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 08-13 Day 3: 5 09-10
42. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 14 33-11 191 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 4 06-04
43. Jason Quinn York, SC 15 33-10 189 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 09-08 Day 3: 5 10-06
44. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 15 33-08 187 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 10-00 Day 3: 5 09-15
45. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 13 33-06 185 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 4 09-00 Day 3: 4 07-07
46. Chris Lane Lakeland, FL 14 33-00 183 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 10-14 Day 3: 4 09-08
47. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 14 31-14 181 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 4 07-02
48. John Crews Salem, VA 13 29-04 179 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 3 05-06
49. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 12 27-12 177 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 07-09 Day 3: 2 03-14
50. Marty Stone Fayetteville, NC 11 25-08 175 $9,506.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 08-05 Day 3: 1 01-10
———————————————————————–

BIG BASS
Day
1 Wade Grooms Bonneau, SC 06-08 $0.00
2 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 06-07 $0.00
3 James Niggemeyer Van, TX 07-02 $0.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 90 479 1244-06
2 77 447 1030-12
3 40 234 532-07
———————————-
207 1160 2807-09