Photo by Seigo Saito / BASS Communications
Kevin Van Dam has looked like a soldier this week at the Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series event. He's had a very determined, mission-like expression on his face all week. He litterally looked disgusted on day one back stage after posting the biggest limit of the day with 25 pounds. He was happy to be leading but upset that he lost a few key fish that would have given him a larger lead. He's not wanting to just win this event but put himself emphatically back into the Angler of the Year race with only one event left to go.
Today Van Dam added 24-2 to his day one limit. His 49-2 is exactly 6 pounds more than second place angler Kelly Jordon. Jordon was in the middle of the pack on day one but vaulted up the leader board thanks to his 26-pound, 12-ounce limit on day two, anchored by the big bass of the tournament thus far, a 10-pound, 1-ounce goliath Kentucky Lake bass.
Wired2Fish pro Jason Quinn sits in third with 41 pounds, 14 ounces for two days, followed by Edwin Evers with 41-10 and Keith Poche with 41-8. In fact there are six pros in that 41 pound range. The weights are very tight from third to ninth which should make an interesting day three with a field of just 47 pros looking to make the top 12 with more room to move about on the lake.
The first man out of the cut was Skeet Reese, who after amassing what seemed to be an unsurmountable lead on the Angler of the Year title has missed the last two cuts. Reese has had a season for the story books. Not only did he win two events but had the weather not interfered and a bass cough up a bit of lunch in the livewell, he might have won two more. He was as close to winning four events in a single season as any pro has ever been on any tour level circuit. But Edwin Evers closed the gap at this event in the Angler of the Year Race.
We'll update more details later this evening with releases from BASS Communications. Be sure to check out all the great coverage of the event on
Bassmaster.com and
Basszone.com.
