Classic News | KVD Back On Top — Again

Kevin VanDam, often described as the best angler in the world, said
he simply got lucky Saturday when he hauled 22 1/2 pounds out of the

Louisiana Delta on a day when other Bassmaster Classic anglers fishing

beside him fell behind.

“I don’t think that I’m doing anything different than anybody else

there,†said VanDam, the defending Classic champ and reigning Toyota

Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year from Kalamazoo, Mich. “I got lucky

and made a couple of right casts and had my

bait go by a bass that was in the right mood.â€

By good fortune or by talent, he pulled in front with a two-day

total of 41-11. VanDam was 3 pounds, 11 ounces ahead of Brent Chapman,

in second after two days with 38-1.

VanDam said he had to work hard, “grind out†his limit.
Like the first day, Saturday was a short fishing day. Fog kept

anglers on the bank for almost three hours before the fog lifted and

tournament officials sent them on their way.

First-day leader Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., fell behind Saturday

with a 12-11 catch from the same area. He ended the day in third with

33-2. Other anglers working alongside VanDam were Brandon Palaniuk of

Rathdrum, Idaho, who was fourth with 32-8, and

Scott Rook, fifth with 31-11.

The field was cut to the top 25 for Sunday’s finale. The winner’s prize is $500,000 and bass fishing’s top trophy.
Chapman, the only angler in the top five not fishing the area of

the Delta’s Lake Cataouatche, said he’d repeat his long run to Venice

for his spot, which he hasn’t had time to properly work over because of

fog-shortened fishing time.

Chapman knew exactly how much fishing time that strategy left him Saturday.
“One hour and 10 minutes,†Chapman said. “Not very long.â€
Speed-fishing, he secured a five-fish limit in the first 45 minutes

flipping a Tightline UV Beaver into the canes. In the last 20 minutes

of his short fishing time, he upgraded with three that he estimated went

4 pounds each.

“My alarm on my phone went off not two minutes after I caught that last one, and I had to go,†Chapman said.
He had a rough trip home, too. His route crossed the Mississippi River, in the fog.
“Luckily I was able to still keep pace, but there were boats, and I was pushing it.â€
First-day leader Martens came off the Delta a frustrated man.
“I missed a bunch, I got probably 20 percent of the fish that bit.

They’d hit my bait, but I couldn’t get them. When you get bit on

something, you keep throwing it, but it never happened for me,†he said.

Fourth-place holder Palaniuk, the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation champ

of 2010, is a 23-year-old rookie in his first pro tournament. He pulled

up from 11th place. He’s also fishing Cataouatche.

“Some struggled there today,†he said. “It got better there for me

today. I’m not saying what I’m doing, but it’s working for me.

“I’m excited to be here. I came here to win. I know I’m going

against the best, but somebody’s going to win, and it might as well be

me.â€

Full Standings

1. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, Mich.       10 41-11   0

Day 1: 5   19-03   Day 2: 5   22-08

2. Brent Chapman         Lake Quivira, Kan.     10 38-01   0

Day 1: 5   18-00   Day 2: 5   20-01

3. Aaron Martens         Leeds, Ala.           10 33-02   0

Day 1: 5   20-07   Day 2: 5   12-11

4. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, Idaho       10 32-08   0

Day 1: 5   14-10   Day 2: 5   17-14

5. Scott Rook             Little Rock, Ark.     10 31-11   0

Day 1: 5   19-06   Day 2: 5   12-05

6. Derek Remitz           Grant, Ala.           10 30-03   0

Day 1: 5   12-15   Day 2: 5   17-04

7. Gary Klein             Weatherford, Texas     10 29-07   0

Day 1: 5   12-07   Day 2: 5   17-00

8. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, Texas         10 29-00   0

Day 1: 5   15-02   Day 2: 5   13-14

9. Skeet Reese           Auburn, Calif.         10 28-11   0

Day 1: 5   15-01   Day 2: 5   13-10

10. Bobby Lane             Lakeland, Fla.         10 27-07   0

Day 1: 5   16-12   Day 2: 5   10-11

11. Kevin Wirth           Crestwood, Ky.         10 27-03   0

Day 1: 5   14-02   Day 2: 5   13-01

12. Cliff Pace             Petal, Miss.           10 27-01   0

Day 1: 5   15-07   Day 2: 5   11-10

13. Dale Hightower         Sand Springs, Okla.   10 26-14   0

Day 1: 5   15-09   Day 2: 5   11-05

14. Paul Elias             Laurel, Miss.         10 26-03   0

Day 1: 5   14-13   Day 2: 5   11-06

15. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, Okla.         9 26-02   0

Day 1: 5   13-05   Day 2: 4   12-13

16. John Crews             Salem, Va.             10 25-05   0

Day 1: 5   13-14   Day 2: 5   11-07

17. Michael Iaconelli     Pitts Grove, N.J.     10 24-10   0

Day 1: 5   13-01   Day 2: 5   11-09

18. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, Ariz 7 24-07   0

Day 1: 2   4-04   Day 2: 5   20-03

19. Boyd Duckett           Demopolis, Ala.         9 24-05   0

Day 1: 5   13-12   Day 2: 4   10-09

20. Shaw Grigsby           Gainesville, Fla.     10 23-10   0

Day 1: 5   9-03   Day 2: 5   14-07

21. Terry Scroggins       San Mateo, Fla.       10 22-13   0

Day 1: 5   9-11   Day 2: 5   13-02

22. Morizo Shimizu         Matsugaoka, Japan     10 22-13   0

Day 1: 5   10-00   Day 2: 5   12-13

23. Keith Combs           Del Rio, Texas         10 21-10   0

Day 1: 5   13-02   Day 2: 5   8-08

24. Greg Vinson           Wetumpka, Ala.         9 21-06   0

Day 1: 5   14-03   Day 2: 4   7-03

25. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, Okla.         9 21-01   0

Day 1: 5   11-01   Day 2: 4   10-00

26. Matt Herren           Trussville, Ala.       10 20-12   0

Day 1: 5   12-15   Day 2: 5   7-13

27. Mark Davis             Mount Ida, Ark.       10 20-09   0

Day 1: 5   7-00   Day 2: 5   13-09

28. Edwin Evers           Talala, Okla.           8 20-09   0

Day 1: 5   14-02   Day 2: 3   6-07

29. Dave Wolak             Wake Forest, N.C.     10 20-06   0

Day 1: 5   13-02   Day 2: 5   7-04

30. Brian Snowden         Reeds Spring, Mo.     10 19-14   0

Day 1: 5   10-08   Day 2: 5   9-06

31. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, Ala.         10 19-13   0

Day 1: 5   10-10   Day 2: 5   9-03

32. George Crain           Cropwell, Ala.         7 19-05   0

Day 1: 2   3-12   Day 2: 5   15-09

33. Terry Butcher         Talala, Okla.         10 19-01   0

Day 1: 5   9-09   Day 2: 5   9-08

34. Mike McClelland       Bella Vista, Ark.       9 18-11   0

Day 1: 4   9-05   Day 2: 5   9-06

35. Randall Tharp         Gardendale, Ala.       8 18-08   0

Day 1: 5   11-12   Day 2: 3   6-12

36. Andy Montgomery       Blacksburg, S.C.       9 18-06   0

Day 1: 4   9-02   Day 2: 5   9-04

37. Kelly Jordon           Palestine, Texas       7 17-02   0

Day 1: 5   14-03   Day 2: 2   2-15

38. Brian La Clair         Denton, Md.             8 16-05   0

Day 1: 5   10-03   Day 2: 3   6-02

39. Bill Lowen             Brookville, Ind.       10 16-00   0

Day 1: 5   7-11   Day 2: 5   8-05

40. Ryan Said             Wixom, Mich.           8 15-08   0

Day 1: 3   4-15   Day 2: 5   10-09

41. Dave Watson           Sullivan, Ind.         7 15-05   0

Day 1: 5   11-04   Day 2: 2   4-01

42. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, La.           8 15-01   0

Day 1: 3   4-03   Day 2: 5   10-14

43. Ryan Mcmurtury         Abbeville, S.C.       10 14-14   0

Day 1: 5   10-09   Day 2: 5   4-05

44. Sean Alvarez           Rutland, Vt.           8 14-14   0

Day 1: 5   8-00   Day 2: 3   6-14

45. Russ Lane             Prattville, Ala.       5 14-14   0

Day 1: 0   0-00   Day 2: 5   14-14

46. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, Ark.       7 14-02   0

Day 1: 5   8-12   Day 2: 2   5-06

47. Jason Williamson       Aiken, S.C.             8 13-10   0

Day 1: 5   7-01   Day 2: 3   6-09

48. Steve Kennedy         Auburn, Ala.           3   6-10   0

Day 1: 2   2-06   Day 2: 1   4-04

49. Tracy Adams           Wilkesboro, N.C.       2   5-02   0

Day 1: 2   5-02   Day 2: 0   0-00

50. Clark Reehm           Lufkin, Texas           4   0-11   0

Day 1: 0   0-00   Day 2: 4   0-11