VanDam Bolts To Front With 25-Pound Sack

By his own lofty standards, Kevin VanDam has had a sub-par season to this point. It appears, however, that he's bent on maintaining his superb record of success at Kentucky Lake.

The five-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) caught a 25-pound bag to grab the early lead as the seventh stop on the eight-event Elite Series got under way on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. He's competed here three times previously since 2006 and has a victory, a runner-up showing and a 3rd-place finish on his ledger.

He has a 1-ounce lead over Virginian Rick Morris, who would've claimed the top spot had he not incurred a half-pound penalty for a dead fish. The fish that expired was a 9-pounder – the biggest of the day.

In 3rd was Alabama's Tim Horton, another longtime stalwart who's made just one Top-47 cut in six outings. He weighed 23-12.

Kota Kiryama, an Alabamian by way of Japan, grabbed the No. 4 slot with 22-10. In 5th with 22-00 was Texan Chad Griffin, who won last year's regular-season finale at Oneida but has fared no better than 46th this year.

Here's a look at the initial Top 12, with distance from leader denoted by red numbers in parentheses:

1. Kevin VanDam: 25-00
2. Rick Morris: 24-15 (0-01)
3. Tim Horton: 23-12 (1-04)
4. Kota Kiriyama: 22-10 (2-06)
5. Chad Griffin: 22-00 (3-00)
6. Jeremy Starks: 21-03 (3-13)
7. Bradley Hallman: 20-15 (4-01)
8. Jason Quinn: 20-13 (4-03)
9. Bill Lowen: 20-02 (4-14)
10. Keith Poche: 20-01 (4-15)
11. Matt Greenblatt: 20-00 (5-00)
12. Britt Myers: 19-15 (5-01)

Overall weights were a bit light for this place as the median bag (47th place) came in at 14 1/2 pounds. Many attributed that to the dearth of current that was pulled for power generation and the idea that many of the offshore schools have yet to regroup in the wake of this spring's high-water event.

A fairly stiff wind (10 mph sustained with stronger gusts) also hampered the offshore action, as boat position and casting angles are often critical when plying ledges. The thunderstorms that hit periodically seemingly had little effect on the deep bite.

Tomorrow's forecast for the Paris, Tenn. area again calls for scattered thunderstorms, with a high temperature of 86 degrees and a south/southwesterly wind to 7 mph.

Runaway AOY leader Skeet Reese, who opened the season with five consecutive Top-5s before finishing 59th at Clarks Hill 3 weeks ago, sat just outside the cut in 48th with 14-03. His closest pursuer, Edwin Evers, was 13th with 19-14.

The field will be cut to the Top 47 after tomorrow's weigh-in, and only the Top 12 will advance to day 4. The winner will be determined by highest 4-day weight.

VanDam Taking Nothing for Granted

Despite his stellar record here, VanDam was quick to point out that a strong day 1 was no guarantee of another high finish.

"I was glad to have a day like today, but you've got to do it for 4 days and that's a hard thing to do," he said. "You do what you can when you're out there.

"I love Kentucky Lake and it's one that's fun to fish from a standpoint of quality, but the amount of pressure it gets makes it a challenge. To me, it's a lot tougher right now that it's been in years past, for sure."

He revealed that he spent the day offshore, but declined to divulge any pattern details. He said he had some company in his areas.

His bag consisted of all largemouths and the biggest was a 5 1/2-pounder.

"I just went out and caught them. Guys said they weren't pulling much water, but I thought the water was moving some. I know it worked out good for me.

"It's hard to duplicate what you catch here every day, but I'm going to try. I'll go out and work my tail off and see what I can do."

2nd: Morris Sought Big Ones

Morris, who finished 5th here last year, had a mediocre practice and decided to devote day 1 to the pursuit of big bites. He got one really big one.

"I thought that fish was a 10-pounder, and if it hadn't died I'd be leading the tournament," he said. "It just spent itself out jumping around."

He caught that one on an 11-inch Prowler worm. He also threw two different crankbaits – a Bomber Fat Free Shad and a Strike King 6 XD.

He boated about nine keepers (15 inches or longer) on the day and caught about 30 short fish.

"It was just basically worms and cranks off the ledges. I was moving around and fishing some subtle stuff that wasn't real obvious because a lot of the places here are community holes.

"I didn't have a lot of company, but I didn't get a lot of bites. The ones I had, I caught them and landed them."

He'll go out with the same gameplan tomorrow.

"The chances that I'll catch another 9-pounder aren't that great, but I'd like to get 17 to 20 pounds and keep moving forward."

3rd: Horton had to Run

Horton's bag was compiled from several different locales.

"Today was the best day I've had since I've been here," he said. "It's really tough – the fish just aren't grouped up like they normally are. You just have to catch one here and one there."

He went through about 20 keepers and his bag contained a 6-pounder. He also caught a few smallmouths, but didn't weigh any.

"I'm just out fishing the drops like everybody else. I found a few new places today and that's what you've got to do here – keep expanding a little bit all the time. There's a part of the lake where I found some that I didn't go today, so I'll probably do that tomorrow."

He said crowding wasn't an issue for him.

"I was pretty fortunate in that regard – that's usually an issue here, but it wasn't too bad at all. I'm just hoping we'll have some decent weather because that wind can be a little bit of a booger.

"When you get that 10- to 15-mph wind, boat control can be really tough."

4th: Kiriyama's Spots Flip-Flopped

Kiriyama found two spots in practice that gave him some confidence, but the quality they produced today was the opposite of what he expected.

"Today was wonderful," he said. "I didn't have many areas, but I had a couple where I had decent bites. The spot where I caught the best fish (in practice) didn't work this morning, and the one where I'd caught smaller ones became a better spot."

He had the place to himself and caught about nine keepers, along with dozens of short fish. His bag was topped by a 6-pounder. He threw two Jackall baits – the I-Shad finesse bait that was introduced in Japan in March, along with a prototype.

"Even though I caught them really good today, you never know about tomorrow. I'll go out with a positive attitude and try to catch them again."

5th: Griffin Nearly Doubled Expectations

Griffin struggled during practice and figured that 12 or 13 pounds was the best he could do today. He seriously underestimated his potential as he got nearly two-thirds of that on a single bite.

"I picked up on a little bit of a Carolina-rig bite during practice and I had one spot near New Johnsonville where I had some confidence," he said. "I got there this morning and on about seven casts, I had about 15 pounds.

"Later in the day I made a bad cast, I overshot what I was aiming at by about 20 feet, and I found another shellbed by accident. That one was loaded – that's where I caught the 8-pounder and lost two 5s, and I had one on that I think might've been bigger than the biggest one."

He threw a 3/4-ounce Ezee Jigs shakey-head with a 6 1/2-inch Hag's Tornado worm, dragging it across the bottom. He didn't see another tournament boat.

"I fished five places and caught fish off three of them, and I think I missed the rotation on the other two. I think I figured out what the larger fish are doing – everybody thought they went deeper after that Triton Owners Tournament (two weekends ago), but I think they went shallower.

"I caught that big one out of 5 feet of water."

78th: Kennedy's Fish Moved

Steve Kennedy, who has two FLW Tour wins here and numerous high finishes across various circuits to his credit, weighed just 11-01 today.

"I had one spot that I was really excited about – in practice I thought I could've caught 20 pounds in five casts," he said. "Terry Scroggins and I both started there and neither one of us caught a keeper off it. Over the last 2 days, they've moved.

"Now I need to go find some other schools that nobody else is on. I did the same thing last year – I had a bad first day and then I went back to the same places and caught like 26 pounds."

Like many in the field, he'd like to see a stronger current tomorrow.

"You've just got to pull up on these places at the right time and you can catch five as fast as you can throw your bait in there. But you can also go all day and never get them."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 93 anglers, 84 limits, 5 fours, 2 threes, 1 two, 1 one.

> Morris said capitalizing on every bite is the biggest key for him at Kentucky Lake. "I didn't lose any today and I didn't lose any last year. But it's not like the old days when you'd hook a fish on a crankbait with a glass rod and then have to chase it all around the boat. We've got better line, better hooks and better rods and you can hook them pretty darn good."

> Kennedy said he saw a fish jump right next to his boat that had a bluegill in its mouth, and right behind it was a 5- to 6-pounder that appeared to be frantically hunting the bluegill. "Then it saw me and it just disappeared."

Weather Forecast

Here's the weather forecast for the remaining tournament days.

> Thurs., June 10 - Scattered T-Storms - 86°/71°
- Wind: From the S/SW at 7 mph

> Fri., June 11 - Scattered T-Storms - 87°/73°
- Wind: From the S at 10 mph

> Sat., June 12 – Partly Cloudy - 90°/75°
- Wind: From the SW at 11 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 5, 25-00 -- 305
Day 1: 5, 25-00

2. Rick Morris -- Virginia Beach, VA -- 5, 24-15 -- 295
Day 1: 5, 24-15

3. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- 5, 23-12 -- 290
Day 1: 5, 23-12

4. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, AL -- 5, 22-10 -- 285
Day 1: 5, 22-10

5. Chad Griffin -- Cresson, TX -- 5, 22-00 -- 280
Day 1: 5, 22-00

6. Jeremy Starks -- Charleston, WV -- 5, 21-03 -- 276
Day 1: 5, 21-03

7. Bradley Hallman -- Norman, OK -- 5, 20-15 -- 272
Day 1: 5, 20-15

8. Jason Quinn -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 5, 20-13 -- 268
Day 1: 5, 20-13

9. Bill Lowen -- North Bend, OH -- 5, 20-02 -- 264
Day 1: 5, 20-02

10. Keith Poche -- Troy, AL -- 5, 20-01 -- 260
Day 1: 5, 20-01

11. Matt Greenblatt -- Palm Beach Gardens, FL -- 5, 20-00 -- 257
Day 1: 5, 20-00

12. Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 5, 19-15 -- 254
Day 1: 5, 19-15

13. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- 5, 19-14 -- 251
Day 1: 5, 19-14

14. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- 5, 19-09 -- 248
Day 1: 5, 19-09

15. Pete Ponds -- Madison, MS -- 5, 19-07 -- 245
Day 1: 5, 19-07

16. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, AL -- 5, 19-06 -- 243
Day 1: 5, 19-06

17. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, KY -- 5, 19-05 -- 241
Day 1: 5, 19-05

18. Morizo Shimizu -- Osaka, Japan -- 5, 19-04 -- 239
Day 1: 5, 19-04

19. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, AL -- 5, 18-14 -- 237
Day 1: 5, 18-14

20. Matt Herren -- Trussville, AL -- 5, 18-13 -- 235
Day 1: 5, 18-13

21. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- 5, 18-12 -- 233
Day 1: 5, 18-12

22. Derek Remitz -- Grant, AL -- 5, 18-11 -- 231
Day 1: 5, 18-11

23. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- 5, 18-10 -- 229
Day 1: 5, 18-10

23. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- 5, 18-10 -- 229
Day 1: 5, 18-10

25. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, SC -- 5, 18-06 -- 225
Day 1: 5, 18-06

26. Mark Tucker -- Saint Louis, MO -- 5, 17-09 -- 223
Day 1: 5, 17-09

27. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, TX -- 5, 17-02 -- 221
Day 1: 5, 17-02

28. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, CA -- 5, 17-01 -- 219
Day 1: 5, 17-01

29. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- 5, 16-14 -- 217
Day 1: 5, 16-14

30. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 5, 16-09 -- 215
Day 1: 5, 16-09

30. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 5, 16-09 -- 215
Day 1: 5, 16-09

32. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, TX -- 5, 16-06 -- 211
Day 1: 5, 16-06

33. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, AL -- 5, 16-04 -- 209
Day 1: 5, 16-04

34. Terry Butcher -- Talala, OK -- 5, 15-15 -- 207
Day 1: 5, 15-15

34. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, SC -- 5, 15-15 -- 207
Day 1: 5, 15-15

36. Casey Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- 5, 15-12 -- 203
Day 1: 5, 15-12

36. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- 5, 15-12 -- 203
Day 1: 5, 15-12

36. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, AL -- 5, 15-12 -- 203
Day 1: 5, 15-12

39. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- 5, 15-05 -- 197
Day 1: 5, 15-05

40. Byron Velvick -- Del Rio, TX -- 5, 15-04 -- 195
Day 1: 5, 15-04

41. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, AR -- 5, 15-02 -- 193
Day 1: 5, 15-02

42. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 5, 15-01 -- 191
Day 1: 5, 15-01

43. Russ Lane -- Prattville, AL -- 5, 14-15 -- 189
Day 1: 5, 14-15

44. Cliff Pace -- Petal, MS -- 5, 14-14 -- 187
Day 1: 5, 14-14

45. Shaw E Grigsby -- Gainesville, FL -- 5, 14-13 -- 185
Day 1: 5, 14-13

46. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, AR -- 5, 14-09 -- 183
Day 1: 5, 14-09

47. John Crews -- Salem, VA -- 5, 14-08 -- 181
Day 1: 5, 14-08

48. Jami Fralick -- Martin, SD -- 5, 14-03 -- 179
Day 1: 5, 14-03

48. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- 5, 14-03 -- 179
Day 1: 5, 14-03

50. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- 5, 14-02 -- 175
Day 1: 5, 14-02

51. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 5, 14-01 -- 173
Day 1: 5, 14-01

52. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, MO -- 5, 13-10 -- 171
Day 1: 5, 13-10

53. Bradley Roy -- Lancaster, KY -- 5, 13-08 -- 169
Day 1: 5, 13-08

54. Peter E Thliveros -- St Augustine, FL -- 5, 13-05 -- 167
Day 1: 5, 13-05

55. David Smith -- Del City, OK -- 5, 13-04 -- 165
Day 1: 5, 13-04

56. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, KY -- 5, 13-03 -- 163
Day 1: 5, 13-03

57. Byron Haseotes -- Centerville, MA -- 5, 13-02 -- 161
Day 1: 5, 13-02

57. Clark Reehm -- Russellville, AR -- 5, 13-02 -- 161
Day 1: 5, 13-02

59. Jeff Connella -- Bentley, LA -- 5, 13-01 -- 157
Day 1: 5, 13-01

60. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, OK -- 5, 13-00 -- 155
Day 1: 5, 13-00

60. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, GA -- 5, 13-00 -- 155
Day 1: 5, 13-00

62. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 5, 13-00 -- 151
Day 1: 5, 13-00

63. Marty Stone -- Fayetteville, NC -- 5, 12-15 -- 149
Day 1: 5, 12-15

64. Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, NC -- 5, 12-12 -- 147
Day 1: 5, 12-12

65. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, OK -- 5, 12-09 -- 145
Day 1: 5, 12-09

66. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, OK -- 5, 12-08 -- 143
Day 1: 5, 12-08

67. Grant Goldbeck -- Gaithersburg, MD -- 5, 12-06 -- 141
Day 1: 5, 12-06

68. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 5, 12-05 -- 139
Day 1: 5, 12-05

69. Cliff Crochet -- Pierre Part, LA -- 5, 12-03 -- 137
Day 1: 5, 12-03

69. Pat Golden -- High Point, NC -- 5, 12-03 -- 137
Day 1: 5, 12-03

71. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, NC -- 5, 12-01 -- 133
Day 1: 5, 12-01

72. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, AR -- 5, 12-00 -- 131
Day 1: 5, 12-00

73. Michael Iaconelli -- Pitts Grove, NJ -- 5, 11-14 -- 129
Day 1: 5, 11-14

74. Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, OH -- 5, 11-13 -- 127
Day 1: 5, 11-13

75. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, AR -- 5, 11-10 -- 125
Day 1: 5, 11-10

75. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, TX -- 5, 11-10 -- 125
Day 1: 5, 11-10

77. Mark Tyler -- Vian, OK -- 5, 11-04 -- 121
Day 1: 5, 11-04

78. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 5, 11-01 -- 119
Day 1: 5, 11-01

79. Alton Jones -- Waco, TX -- 5, 10-08 -- 117
Day 1: 5, 10-08

80. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, AR -- 4, 10-07 -- 115
Day 1: 4, 10-07

81. John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- 5, 10-06 -- 113
Day 1: 5, 10-06

82. Ish Monroe -- Hughson, CA -- 5, 10-05 -- 111
Day 1: 5, 10-05

83. James Niggemeyer -- Van, TX -- 5, 10-01 -- 109
Day 1: 5, 10-01

84. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- 5, 09-05 -- 107
Day 1: 5, 09-05

85. Wade Grooms -- Bonneau, SC -- 3, 09-02 -- 105
Day 1: 3, 09-02

86. Dennis Tietje -- Roanoke, LA -- 5, 09-01 -- 103
Day 1: 5, 09-01

87. Vince Fulks -- Purcell, OK -- 3, 08-01 -- 101
Day 1: 3, 08-01

88. Paul Elias -- Laurel, MS -- 4, 07-15 -- 99
Day 1: 4, 07-15

89. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, OK -- 4, 07-09 -- 97
Day 1: 4, 07-09

90. Mark Burgess -- Norton, MA -- 4, 07-04 -- 95
Day 1: 4, 07-04

91. Chris Lane -- Guntersville, AL -- 4, 06-14 -- 93
Day 1: 4, 06-14

92. Zell Rowland -- Austin, TX -- 2, 04-04 -- 91
Day 1: 2, 04-04

93. Guy Eaker -- Cherryville, NC -- 1, 01-11 -- 89
Day 1: 1, 01-11