VanDam Leads Clunn

Bassmaster Elite Series anglers are learning that it’s not a wise idea to fire up Kevin VanDam. After narrowly missing out on his 14th BASS victory by 8 ounces on Alabama’s Wheeler Lake last week and absorbing considerable trash talk from eventual winner Jeremy Starks of Charleston, W. Va., the three-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year has dominated the Bassmaster Elite Series’ Bluegrass Brawl presented by DieHard® Platinum Marine Batteries on Kentucky Lake, taking a three-day total of 68 pounds, 4 ounces, and a near 7-pound advantage into the final day of competition.

“I’m fired up, man,” said VanDam, 40. “I was very disappointed last week but more times than not, I’m going to come back strong. I just wish Jeremy was in the field for this one.”

In addition to closing on a victory, VanDam is piling up the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. A wire-to-wire victory would earn him 320 points and with previous leader Todd Faircloth finishing in a tie for 18th, VanDam will take hold of the lead in the season-long points standings with only three events remaining.

If VanDam is the top performer in the AOY points race, he will take home $250,000. The standings also will determine the brunt of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers. The Classic is set for Feb. 20-22 out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., on the Red River.

Fishing fans can catch all of the action on The Bassmasters on Saturday, June 21, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. As always, live, streaming video of the final day weigh-in and real-time leaderboards can be accessed on http://www.Bassmaster.com.

If VanDam is able to hang on at Kentucky, he will earn $100,000, which would push his career BASS earnings to nearly $3 million. Additionally, a victory would also mark his fourth in Elite Series competition, the most for any angler since the format was created in 2006.

VanDam said his day was much like he expected. He had to contend with boat pressure from other tournament circuits. He “mixed it up” with a variety of lures, including his most productive bait, a Strike King sexy shad.

“I planned very well for today,” said VanDam, a two-time Bassmaster Classic champion. “I knew I would get hit hard by the boat traffic so I stayed away from some of my stuff. I still have a good many spots that I haven’t even touched yet.”

Falling behind VanDam further was four-time Bassmaster Classic Rick Clunn. His credentials are as impressive as VanDam but he has not been in contention for a tournament victory for more than two years. Still, with a productive crankbait bite on Kentucky Lake, Clunn, 61, remains dangerous.

He boated 17 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday and has been fishing areas far away from the launch site where little boat traffic exists. He said that he feels most comfortable when he has his own water and will continue to look for those areas Sunday.

“After 35 years, I have run out of excuses,” said Clunn, who has a three-day total of 61 pounds, 7 ounces. “My spots just didn’t pan out today but tomorrow is a new day.”

Moving from eighth to third was Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., with 59 pounds, 1 ounce. In fourth was all-time BASS four-day heavyweight record hold Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss., with 58 pounds, 14 ounces and fifth was Elite rookie Wade Grooms of Bonneau, S.C., with 57 pounds, 0 ounces.

Only the top 12 anglers will fish Sunday including Mike McClelland (seventh) of Bella Vista, Ark., who is in the top five in the Angler of the Year standings. Others in the cut line include Oklahoma’s Bradley Hallman (eighth), Kenyon Hill (ninth) and Edwin Evers (10th).

In the co-angler division, Michael Bass of Austin, Texas, took home the top prize of $25,000 with a three-day total of 45 pounds, 0 ounces. Bass outlasted Jason Seaton of Martinsville, Ind., with 44 pounds, 1 ounce, and Brian Hickey of Cadiz, Ky., with 43 pounds, 14 ounces. Hickey finished in second place in the co-angler competition in last week’s Elite Series event on Alabama’s Wheeler Lake.

Straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border, Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Barkley, a navigable canal, adds another 80,000 surface acres. The Bassmaster Elite Series made its last stop at Kentucky Lake in June 2006, when the top seven pros each caught more than 60 pounds through four days. Winner Morizo Shimizu weighed in 66 pounds, 9 ounces.

Daily weigh-ins and launches at the Bluegrass Brawl will take place at Kentucky Dam Marina, 1300 Administration Drive through Sunday. Launches begin at 8 a.m. CT and weigh-ins begin at 5 p.m.

Activities at the Bluegrass Brawl include a musical performance Sunday afternoon by country artists Nashville Songwriters. There will be a Berkley Beginner fishing class at 3:30 p.m. and a “Boat Performance with Skeeter” class daily at 4 p.m. both days, as well as Skeeter boat demo rides from noon to 2 p.m.

Sunday’s activities include the live taping at 4:30 p.m. CT of Hooked Up, hosted by BASS emcee Keith Alan and ESPN Outdoors personalities Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona. The show, which airs on Bassmaster.com, will preview the final weigh-in. Live, streaming video of the daily weigh-ins begins at 5 p.m. CT on Bassmaster.com.

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.

The local sponsor of the Bluegrass Brawl is the Kentucky Sports Authority.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

Location and Field
Bluegrass Brawl presented by DieHard Platinum Marine Batteries®
Kentucky Lake
Gilbertsville, Ky.
June 12-15, 2008

Field
107 pros, 107 co-anglers
Cut to top-50 pros and co-anglers after Day 2
Cut to top 12 pro anglers after Day 3

Launch/Weigh-in
Kentucky Dam Marina
1300 Administration Drive
Gilbertsville, Ky.
8 a.m./ 5 p.m. CT

2008 Bassmaster Elite Series Event Tournament Locations/Dates

March 6-9 Sunshine Showdown Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
March 13-16 Citrus Slam Kissimmee Chain Lake Wales, Fla.

April 3-6 Lone Star Shootout Falcon Lake Zapata, Texas

April 10-13 Battle on the Border Lake Amistad Del Rio, Texas

May 1-4 Pride of Georgia Clarks Hill Lake Evans, Ga.

May 15-18 Carolina Clash Lake Murray Columbia, S.C.

June 5-8 Southern Challenge Wheeler Lake Decatur, Ala.

June 12-15 Bluegrass Brawl Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky.

June 26-29 Tennessee Triumph Old Hickory Lake Hendersonville, Tenn.

July 31- Aug. 3 Empire Chase Lake Erie/Niagara River Buffalo, N.Y.

Aug. 7-10 Champion’s Choice Oneida Lake Syracuse, N.Y

About BASS

For 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multi-media 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 Bassmaster.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, Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic, the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS sanctions more than 20,000 events annually.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 525,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.