Kentucky Lake Patterns 2-5
While VanDam Went With Sexy, Others Were Fat Free

Photo: ESPN Outdoors Runner-up Tim Horton said his vast experience fishing around mussel beds was a key for him.

Fourth-place finisher Mike McClelland was the lone non-cranker in the group – understandable since he's one of the best deep-jig anglers on the planet, and the Kentucky fish were susceptible to football-heads, too.

2nd: Tim Horton

> Day 1: 5, 21-01
> Day 2: 5, 14-11
> Day 3: 5, 23-05
> Day 4: 5, 24-11
> Total = 20, 83-12

Alabama's Tim Horton finished just 1-01 behind KVD. He had three phenomenal days, but was doomed by a major stumble on day 2 when he couldn't pin down his best fish.

He had an excellent practice and avoided locales where he'd caught fish in tournaments past.

"The places I fished were all new places for me, and it just hit me (Monday) morning, I think one of the keys was I didn't get any waypoints from anybody," he said. "I think some guys were getting so much information that it ended up actually hurting them.

"Five or 10 guys would end up fishing the same places and they'd turn into community holes."

He started with seven or eight good ledges, and each of them had a few different specific areas that he targeted. He'd cut that number in half by the time the weekend rolled around.

"(Mussel) shells was a big deal, and I think my experience on Pickwick was a key because I know the kind of places where the mussels will go and set up. They're not just sporadic, and understanding that was a big help."

He caught about 2/3 of his weigh-in fish on a Fat Free Shads with shaved sides to soften their action, and the other 1/3 on standard models. He said the modified versions will be available through Bass Pro Shops later this year.

He said the modified baits run 12 to 14 feet deep, compared to 14 to 16 for the standard.

"Modifying them gives the bait more of a rolling action instead of a thumping feel. It comes into the strike zone more quietly and allows fish to react to it. It doesn't alarm them as much."

> Cranking gear: 7' medium-action Pflueger cranking rod, Pflueger Trion casting reel (5.3:1 ratio), 10-pound Bass Pro Shops XPS fluorocarbon line, modified or unmodified Bomber Fat Free Shad (citrus shad of foxy shad).

> Main factor in his success – "That's one of my favorite ways to fish and it's what I grew up doing."

> Performance edge – "I'd give it to my ProCraft Super Pro 210 boat and my Mercury Optimax engine. I ran all over the place and I never had a glitch."

Photo: ESPN Outdoors Terry Butcher was the only Top-5 finisher who fished Lake Barkley.

> Day 1: 5, 17-15
> Day 2: 5, 17-03
> Day 3: 5, 20-06
> Day 4: 5, 22-11
> Total = 20, 78-03

Oklahoma's Terry Butcher, who equaled his best-ever finish in a tour event, was the only Top-5 finisher who opted to fish Barkley rather than the main lake. Three others who made the Top 12 (Rick Clunn, Bradley Hallman and Jami Fralick) also made that move.

He wishes he'd hammered his primary spot a little harder over the first 2 days.

"I didn't realize how many fish that one spot had on it," he said. "On the first 2 days I only fished it for about 30 minutes, and then pulled off.

"I thought I had other spots where I could catch 4- and 5-pounders, and it just didn't work out. I was able to upgrade a little bit over the first 2 days, but not as much as I needed."

A half-hour spree on late on the final day, after he relocated the school in his primary area, propelled him into the Top 5. "I only had about 15 pounds before that."

A Fat Free Shad accounted for the vast majority of his weigh-in fish, and he caught a couple on a Yum Big Show Paddletail worm.

> Crankbait gear: 7' medium-action American Eagle rod, Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier casting reel (5:1 ratio), 14-pound Silver Thread fluorocarbon line, Bomber Fat Free Shad (chartreuse sparkle).

> Worm gear: 7'4" American Eagle Fred Roumbanis signature series rod, Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier casting reel (6:1 ratio), same line, 3/8-ounce XCalibur tungsten weight, unnamed 4/0 hook, Yum Big Show Paddletail worm (red shad).

> Main factor in his success – "The decision to fish Barkley rather than the main lake. I was able to stay away from the crowds."

> Performance edge – "The Fat Free Shad – on a couple of those spots, it was the only bait they wanted."

Photo: ESPN Outdoors A decision to stay active on the final day helped Mike McClelland move up several places in the standings.

> Day 1: 5, 23-06
> Day 2: 5, 16-01
> Day 3: 5, 15-15
> Day 4: 5, 21-11
> Total = 20, 77-01

Arkansas' Mike McClelland looked like he'd be a threat to win his second tournament of the season after day 1, but he dropped off of VanDam's pace over the next 2 days before rallying back on day 4.

His primary ledges consisted of three in a creek channel and four on the main river.

"They were all the same kind of deal, where drains came into the creek or river," he said. "The bottom was definitely a lot rockier there – it wasn't just the same old slick river bottom – and a couple of them had isolated stumps.

"When we had wind or current, or those two things combined, the fish would get pretty aggressive."

He caught 19 of his weigh-in fish on a jig – he lone straggler was enticed by a swimbait. He used two different rods and line sizes, depending on the severity of the wind.

> Jig gear: 7'4" medium-heavy Falcon Mike McClelland signature series or 7'6" heavy-action Falcon one-piece rod, Quantum PT Burner casting reel, 15- or 20-pound Seaguar InvisX fluorocarbon line, 3/4-ounce Jewel football jig (gourd green), Zoom Brush Hog trailer (green-pumpkin or watermelon candy, both with tails dyed chartreuse).

> Main factor in his success – "Probably the decision to keep moving on the final day instead hanging around and waiting for the fish to bite. I kept rotating through those six spots and I moved about every 45 minutes."

> Performance Edge – "I'd have to say the GPS and Navionics chip on the Lowrance x37 (fish-finder). That was probably as key as anything."

Photo: ESPN Outdoors Veteran Paul Elias overcame a rookie-like mistake on day 1 to notch a Top-5 finish.

> Day 1: 5, 21-04
> Day 2: 5, 16-00
> Day 3: 5, 21-10
> Day 4: 5, 17-00
> Total = 20, 75-14

Mississippi veteran Paul Elias found eight schools of quality fish during practice, but only worked three of them during the tournament due to the presence of other boats. Fellow Elite Series competitors found some of the same fish, and some areas were occupied by anglers practicing for or participating in weekend tournaments.

"On the first day (of practice) I went down on the south end near the dam, where I never used to fish," he said. "I found one key spot down there, and that's where I got most of my weight."

One problem he encountered was the three spots he worked were a long distance apart.

"After my first stop, I had to go almost to Paris before I had another one. It was about a 35-minute run."

He concentrated on a depth of 10 to 12 feet and caught some fishes off the tops of ledges, and others from the sides. A spoon produced most of his weigh-in fish, but a crankbait and a worm also contributed to his haul.

He caught two 6-pounders on day 1, but had to forfeit one – a smallmouth – when he somehow miscounted and returned to the launch with six fish in his livewell.

> Spoon gear: 7'11' medium-heavy Quantum Greg Hackney signature series flipping stick, Quantum Tour Edition 1170 casting reel (7:1 ratio), 17-pound Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon line, unnamed 3/4-ounce jigging spoon (silver).

> Cranking gear: 7'6" Quantum Paul Elias signature series cranking rod, Quantum Tour Edition 750 casting reel, 12-pound Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon, Mann's 20-Plus crankbait (ol' Homer).

> The ol' Homer color is a shade of chartreuse with a bright green back. It's the color he used to help him set the all-time 4-day weight record earlier this year at Texas' Lake Falcon.

> Worm gear: Same rod as spoon, Quantum Tour Edition 1160 casting reel, 15-pound Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon, 1/2-ounce Gambler tungsten weight, 6/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook, 9-inch Mann's Jelly Worm or Mann's HardNose worm (tequila green).

> Main factor in his success – "I think I really used my practice time well and built a lot of confidence in what I was doing and stuck with it. I have to pat myself on the back a little bit because I didn't let that six-fish blunder total me. I shook it off the best I could and went on."

> Performance edge – "The 7:1 gear-ratio reel I used with the spoon. I'd snatch it up off the bottom and they'd want to take it on a slack line while it was falling, and I could take pick slack up really quick."

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