A triumphant Kevin VanDam after winning the Tennesee Triumph Bass tournament

The victory, VanDam’s 17^th – which inches him closer to the BASS all-time mark of 19 – was accomplished in wire-to-wire fashion and the 20-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier was locked in from the first day of practice. Most importantly, VanDam accumulated a stout number of Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and bumped his standing there up to eighth, which puts him safely in the cutline for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason with one qualifying event remaining.

Kevin VanDam with the Tennessee Triumph Trophy

While his weight steadily decreased each day of competition, VanDam, who earned $100,000 for the victory, brought in four consecutive limits that weighed more than 20 pounds. His Kentucky Lake ledger includes two firsts, a second and a third-place finish in the previous four times the Bassmaster Elite Series has visited the fishery.

“I kept hearing people say, “Is there something wrong with VanDam,” and it kind of made me laugh,” said VanDam, a five-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I mean, I had a pretty good start to the year winning the Classic. There have been a few scenarios this year where key bites just didn’t go my way and that happens. Sometimes you are on a roll and sometimes you aren’t.

“This lake is so special to me and I knew I had a good shot here. It really suits my style. It just feels great.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

It was a typical VanDam setup that propelled him to victory. He primarily worked two Strike King crankbaits, a Series 6 XD and a silent stalker in chartreuse sexy shad, which boated the majority of his weighed bass. He mixed in other lures but as in years past, the crankbaits were the main weapon of choice.

While he stuck with an old friend in his presentation method, it was a new toy that VanDam labeled as “key”. VanDam’s side-imaging unit –he recently inked a deal with Humminbird – gave him the ability to expand on his areas and locate the sweet spots where the bass were holding. In fact, his three best spots were found using the equipment.

A view of the Sidescan & Downimaging feature available from Humminbird

Once he found the schools of bass, it was a matter of long, precise casts that were able to hit bottom. If his cast was right, VanDam said, that the bass were so wadded up in the defined areas, that he couldn’t work his lure without bumping a bass.

“The technology that is available to us nowadays, it’s almost like magic,” said VanDam, a three-time Bassmaster Classic champion. “You can see the schools of bass and I’m not sure why they were relating to the areas they were in, but they were certainly there.”

While VanDam hasn’t struggled by any stretch of the imagination – he will have won more than $600,000 this year with plenty to remain – he has been disappointed. In particular, the previous Elite event on Clarks Hill Lake was the first time VanDam felt he left something on the table. Apparently, he does his best when he’s angry.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“I was really disappointed after the last event,” said VanDam, 42. “So I wanted to come in here and do everything I could to have a shot at the Angler of the Year. That has been my goal when I started the season and it will still be my goal when it ends.”

Edwin Evers of Talala, OK. on Day 4 of the Tennessee Triumph Tournament (BASS Communicaitons/Seigo Saito)

In a distant second was Edwin Evers of Talala, OK. Evers totaled 85-12, nearly 7 pounds off of VanDam’s torrid pace. While Evers lamented some of the bites he failed to put in the boat, the five-time Bassmaster winner took solace in his second-place position in the Angler of the Year standings.

“It’s an eight-event season and you have to perform throughout,” said Evers. “I like where I’m at and I can’t wait to get back to fishing next week.”

Right behind Evers was his brother-in-law Terry Butcher, also of Talala. Butcher amassed 80-4 and moved up to sixth in the Angler of the Year standings with the stellar performance. Sticking to fourth was Jason Quinn of York, SC, with 78-15 while Derek Remitz of Grant, AL, snagged fifth with 78-9. Remitz moved up to third in the AOY standings, which can be found below.

Kentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which Lane of Lakeland, FL, won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days. Lane finished a disappointing 52^nd.

Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley adds another 80,000 surface acres.

The top prize of the Tennessee Triumph is $100,000.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

Photo Gallery

View photos of the 2010 Tennessee Triumph Bass Tournament in our Photo Gallery:

http://www.paristn.net/photogallery/events/2010/tennessee-triumph/

Be sure to catch all the action!

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, July 4th, at 10:00am ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

About the Elite Series

Up next for the Elite Series is the regular-season finale, the June 17th-20th AutoZone Sooner Run on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla. There, much will be at stake as qualifying positions in the Postseason (top 12), the Bassmaster Classic (top 37) and next year’s Elite Series will be determined.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason, Toyota Trucks Championship Week, is set for July 24th-31st and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24th-25th Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30th-31st on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Yamaha and Bass Pro Shops.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats and Ramada.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, FL.

FINAL STANDINGS- TENNESSEE TRIUMPH

2010 Paris, TN 6/9-6/12
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

2010 Tennessee Triumph – Paris, TN Pro Points After Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tenn. Ending 06-12-2010, Day 4

Kentucky Lake guru VanDam – he has posted a second-, third and first-place finish in the past three BASS events here – amassed a three-day total of 70-13 (Jordon has 67-2) but has seen his weight decline each of three competition days. Much of that can be attributed to the tremendous boat pressure VanDam is coping with and the bad news for KVD is that the impending weekend should only bring increased traffic.

Day 3 Leader Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, MI. 70lb13oz. (BASS Communications/Seigo Saito)

It’s nothing new for VanDam, a prohibitive favorite for fans to follow on the water, but Kentucky Lake always poses a unique scenario due to the local anglers and the abundance of tournaments that occur on the weekends. “I tried to do anything I could do to get away from the pressure,” said VanDam, a 16-time Bassmaster winner. “But I knew it was going to be a frustrating day and affect the way I was fishing, so you just have to deal with it and try to piece together the best day you can.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, July 4th, at 10:00am ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

Bassmaster.com will follow the Tennessee Triumph each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com.

Kevin VanDam. (BASS Communications/Seigo Saito)

As the conditions change, VanDam said the fish are moving but he has a number of spots that hold quality fish. It is a matter of timing and changing up the presentations in order to entice the right bites. He is primarily working a crankbait over shell beds but is mixing in a number of other different lures.

“I’m throwing everything at them that I can,” said VanDam, a three-time Bassmaster Classic winner. “Today, I threw more variety than I have in the past two days. It’s definitely not easy out there.”

VanDam predicted that on Saturday he would need to grind out at least 8-10 good-sized bites to secure a win. The unpredictability of boating a bass – with the boat pressure and changing conditions – is increasing, VanDam said.

Regardless of the result Saturday, VanDam will have picked up valuable points in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. By leading three days, he accumulates 15 points and if he is able to maintain the pace, VanDam will move into the top-8 in the Angler of the Standings, which will put him in qualifying position for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason.

In contrast to VanDam, Jordon had a subpar first day but found the grove Thursday and carried the momentum into Friday. His 10-1 on Thursday remains the biggest bass of the tournament and Friday, he was able to land a 6- and 7-pounder. Jordon is a big-bass specialist and the Mineola, TX, pro made the decision early in the week to live or die with the big bite.

Similar to VanDam, Jordon has had serious success of Kentucky Lake, posting eighth, 15th and 11th-place finishes in the past three BASS competitions. Despite his stellar record, Jordon eschewed his customary Kentucky Lake spots, heading south instead.

Kelly Jordon. (BASS Communications/Seigo Saito)

After Jordon’s first day, he almost abandoned the Southern end of the lake.

“I though long and hard about punting,” said Jordon. “Heck, I almost did today (Friday). But I know the big ones live there.”

Despite the location change, Jordon is attacking Kentucky in typical fashion with a 10-inch Lake Fork Tackle Worm – which has produced most of the bigger bites – while mixing in a variety of crankbaits.

Edwin Evers. (BASS Communications/Seigo Saito)

Behind Jordon in third was Edwin Evers of Talala, OK, with 65-6. Heading into this event, Evers was a distant second in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year to Skeet Reese of Auburn, CA. But Evers keeps putting on the pressure and Reese has stumbled lately, which has allowed Evers to close the AOY gap to less than 70 points.

“It’s just really sad to know where I could have been if I would have caught the big ones,” said Evers, 35. “I could have had at least 26 pounds each day. But my focus is on the Angler of the Year now and I just have to keep plugging away.”

Slipping from third to fourth was Jason Quinn of York, SC, with 62-14. In fifth was Elite rookie Matt Greenblatt of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, with 57-10. Greenblatt made his first final-day cut as did fellow rookie Keith Poche of Troy, AL, who was 11th.

Only the top 12 qualified for Saturday. Duel on the Delta winner John Crews was sixth while Scott Rook of Little Rock, AR, was the final angler to advance with 54-2. He bested Todd Faircloth by 1 ounce for the final spot. Full standings can be found below.

Kentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which Lane of Lakeland, FL, won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days.

Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley adds another 80,000 surface acres.

The top prize of the Tennessee Triumph is $100,000.

The public is invited to attend the daily launches (6:00am CT) through Saturday and weigh-ins (3:30pm) at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Hwy. 79 N., Buchanan, Tenn. After Day 2’s competition Thursday, the field will be cut to the top 47 anglers for Day 3. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Saturday’s Day 4.

Other activities Friday and Saturday at the Tennessee Triumph will begin at noon CT at Paris Landing State Park. All events are free and open to the public.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

Be sure to catch all the action!

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, July 4th, at 10:00am ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

Bassmaster.com will follow the Tennessee Triumph each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com.

About the Elite Series

Up next for the Elite Series is the regular-season finale, the June 17th-20th AutoZone Sooner Run on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, OK.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason, Toyota Trucks Championship Week, is set for July 24th-31st and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24th-25th Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30th-31st on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Yamaha and Bass Pro Shops.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats and Ramada.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, FL.

DAY 3 TENNESSEE TRIUMPH STANDINGS

2010 Paris, TN 6/9-6/12
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 70-13 315
Day 1: 5 25-00 Day 2: 5 24-02 Day 3: 5 21-11
2. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 15 67-02 295
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 26-12 Day 3: 5 24-00
3. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 15 65-06 290
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 21-12 Day 3: 5 23-12
4. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 15 62-14 285
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 21-01 Day 3: 5 21-00
5. Matt Greenblatt Palm Beach Gardens, FL 15 57-10 280
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 19-01
6. John Crews Salem, VA 15 57-08 276
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 25-00
7. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 15 57-03 272
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 19-10
8. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 15 56-12 268
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 22-01
9. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 15 56-11 264
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 21-15
10. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 15 56-02 260
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 18-01
11. Keith Poche Troy, AL 15 55-14 257
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 14-06
12. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 15 54-02 254
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 22-05 Day 3: 5 16-11
13. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 54-01 251 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 22-04
14. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 53-12 248 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 16-14
15. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 15 52-13 245 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 26-03 Day 3: 5 11-11
16. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 15 52-13 243 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 15-09
17. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 15 52-12 241 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 18-08
18. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 15 52-12 239 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-15 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 12-13
19. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 15 52-05 237 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 14-07
20. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 15 52-03 235 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 21-08
21. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 15 51-13 233 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 15-05
22. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 51-08 231 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 5 15-10
23. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 15 51-08 229 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 16-02
24. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 15 51-00 227 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 12-01
25. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 15 50-13 225 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 14-01
26. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 15 50-12 223 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-02 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 15-12
27. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 14 50-04 221 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 4 09-05
28. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 15 49-15 219 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 17-05
29. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 13 49-09 217 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-12 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 3 08-09
30. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 15 49-07 215 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 18-02
31. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 15 49-06 213 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 09-12
32. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 15 48-12 211 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 14-14
33. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 15 47-15 209 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 10-11
34. Jeremy Starks Charleston, WV 15 47-13 207 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 11-03 Day 3: 5 15-07
35. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 12 47-07 205 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-10 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 2 06-04
36. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 14 46-04 203 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-07 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 5 15-14
37. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 46-03 201 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 12-06
38. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 15 46-00 199 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 14-11
39. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 14 45-10 197 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 4 08-11 Day 3: 5 14-15
40. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 15 45-02 195 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 5 15-01
41. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 15 44-05 193 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 13-02 Day 3: 5 14-01
42. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 15 44-02 191 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 09-10
43. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 15 43-03 189 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 11-13
44. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 15 43-00 187 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 12-11 Day 3: 5 12-12
45. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 15 41-13 185 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 10-10
46. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 13 39-05 183 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 3 08-15
47. Marty Stone Fayetteville, NC 13 37-15 181 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 18-10 Day 3: 3 06-06
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 84 449 1374-09
2 81 436 1397-08
3 42 225 727-04
———————————-
207 1110 3499-05

Kentucky Lake has hosted a dozen BASS events, including the 2009 Tennessee Triumph, at which then-Elite Series sophomore pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, FL, won his first BASS tournament with a total of 97 pounds, 9 ounces, after leading through all four days.

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, July 4th, at 10:00am ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on www.ESPN3.com.

Bobby Lane, Photo by BASS Communications

Bassmaster.com will follow the Tennessee Triumph each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by www.ESPN3.com.

Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley, a navigable canal, adds another 80,000 surface acres. Lane said that being a little late in the spawning season at Kentucky Lake means looking for the bass in their comfort zone – in deep water where they can ignore the trolling motors of 100 boats.

“I hope it’s exactly the same as last year,” said Lane, who learned at this event in 2009 that he had to leave his own comfort zone – fishing shallow – if he wanted to win. “They’ll be offshore – there’ll be some limits caught shallow, but offshore is the way to go. I had to learn that the hard way too many times. Every other tournament I’ve ever fished there, I’d fish the banks.”

Bobby Lane, Photo by BASS Communications

Lane added that, since his Kentucky Lake win, gaining confidence in offshore fishing has helped him improve on a lot of other fisheries.

“The huge advantage is the fish will get on certain ledges – muscle bars, grass – and giant schools will group up out there and are much easier to catch,” he said. “In the springtime, the bank can’t be beat, but when they transition deeper, you might catch one 5-pounder on shore as opposed to culling 5-pounders offshore.

“They’re out of their comfort zone when they’re shallow and have to stay there for a couple days while they have deep water around them. When they spawn, they’re up and they’re gone. They love being out in the middle where nothing’s bothering them, feed in the mornings where there’s no traffic at all. And the bait is 100 times what it is on shore.”

Lane said he guesses it will take a daily five-fish limit of 22-plus pounds to stay in the top five, and after Day 2 the cut will be at around 18 to 20 pounds a day, “as long as they do some kind of generation schedule,” he said.

“The top-12 cut will need about 20 to 22 pounds a day, because spots replenish a little, but not as much this time of year. It’ll take about 90 to 100 pounds to win, again.”

The 2009 winner said he expects to see a lot of crankbaits, Carolina rigs and football head jigs, and on the bank anglers will most likely go to chatterbait and frogs.

“Guy Eaker weighed in 27 pounds one day last year off the bank, but those guys have about 20 percent chance to win it,” Lane said. “It’s just not enough this time of year, the weights steadily decline through the tournament.”

In the 2008 event on Kentucky Lake, reigning Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam’s winning weight of 84 pounds, 13 ounces, were courtesy of a variety of lures, including jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. He keyed on rough spots on shell beds at the bottom of the lake.

Along with the top prize of $100,000, the Tennessee Triumph awards valuable points in the 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. In the heat of the chase, 2007 AOY and 2009 Bassmaster Classic winner Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., leads with 1,642 points. Edwin Evers of Talala, OK, is his closest competitor, in second place with 1,464.

Rounding out the top five in the AOY race are 2007 Rookie of the Year Derek Remitz of Grant, AL, in third with 1,393; two-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gary Klein of Weatherford, TX, in fourth with 1,382; and Cliff Pace of Petal, MS, in fifth with 1,381.

Kevin VanDam, Photo by BASS Communications

The public is invited to attend the daily launches (6:00am CT) Wednesday-Saturday and weigh-ins (3:30pm) at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Hwy. 79 N., Buchanan, Tenn. After Day 2’s competition Thursday, the field will be cut to the top 47 anglers for Day 3. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Saturday’s Day 4.

Other activities Friday and Saturday at the Tennessee Triumph will begin at 1:00pm CT at Paris Landing State Park. All events are free and open to the public.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

Up next for the Elite Series is the regular-season finale, the June 17th-20th Sooner Run on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla.

Kevin VanDam, Photo by BASS Communications

The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, in which the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be determined.

Toyota Trucks Championship Week is set for July 24th-31st and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24th-25th Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30th-31st on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Also, with two regular-season events to go, the race is heating up to qualify for the 2011 Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta out of New Orleans. Elite Series rookie Cliff Crochet of Pierre Part, LA, and Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, KS, are on the bubble, in 36th place (1,158 points) and 37th (1,139 points), respectively. Matt Herren of Trussville, AL, is just behind them in 38th, with 1,133 points. BASS qualifies the top 36 anglers in the AOY standings for the Classic, but Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, MI, the 2010 Classic champion, will automatically qualify, thereby allowing the angler in 37th place to make the Classic cut as VanDam is among the top 36 in AOY points, in 26th with 1,229.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Yamaha and Bass Pro Shops.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats and Ramada.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in www.Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, FL.

Kentucky Lake has hosted 10 previous BASS events, including the 2008 Bluegrass Brawl, won by reigning Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., who edged Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., by more than 1 pound. VanDam recently wrapped up another victory – 15th in his BASS career – at the Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl in April on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake.

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Tennessee Triumph on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, June 13, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, while a wealth of unique content will also be available at Bassmaster.com.

Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, MI fishes on Lake Hartwell in Greenville, SC on Day Two of the 2008 Bassmaster Classic. (ESPNOUTDOORSMEDIA.COM)

Jones, who finished 13th at Kentucky Lake in 2008, is in third and just 58 points behind VanDam in the 2009 Angler of the Year points race. Jones recently stopped by Kentucky Lake a week before the off-limits period, and said the Elite pros are going to get their fill of bass.

“I think it’s going to be one of the best Elite events of the season,” he said. “If you’re not catching them, you’re going to be way behind the 8-ball. I think our winning weight is going to be similar or higher, somewhere in the 90 pound range.”

Day 1 Alton Jones of Waco, TX. Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series (BASS Communications / Seigo Saito)

Jones added that the Elite pros who typically like to fish shallow can go catch them at Kentucky Lake, and guys who like to fish deep can catch them deep, too.

“Shell bed and deep structure patterns are heavily favored in my book,” he said. “The wild card, though, is the amount of rain they get upstream. If the lake doesn’t come down, it could be a wide-open shallow flipping bite, too. It all depends on the weather for how it’s going to play out.”

Jones said that big crankbaits, such as a fat free shad, will be players at Kentucky Lake, as well as football head jigs and the like.

“Summertime is when bass are the most predictable of any season, especially in early summer, as they set up in their warm weather haunts,” Jones said. “That’s why those types of lures will be the key players.”

Straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border, Kentucky Lake is 185 miles in length, with 160,000 surface acres and 2,380 miles of shoreline. Lake Barkley, a navigable canal, adds another 80,000 surface acres.

In the 2008 event on Kentucky Lake, VanDam’s whopping 84 pounds, 13 ounces, were courtesy of a variety of lures, including jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. His most productive lure was what would become the trademark in his march to the 2008 Angler of the Year title: a Strike King Series 6 in sexy shad color.

He keyed on rough spots on shell beds at the bottom of the lake, figuring that the fish were bunched around those spots and finding most of his productive schools there.

VanDam agreed with Jones about the winning weight, predicting it would be around 85-90 pounds again, and about the tremendous volume of rain recently and water levels being a factor.

“The lake is real high, but it will probably come down between now and then,” VanDam said. “It’ll be the offshore bite just like last year, the fish will be on ledges, but going out of Paris, it’ll change things because it opens up the rest of the lake all the way to the south.”

VanDam said that finding the perfect depth won’t matter; rather the area of the lake the Elite pros choose to fish will make the difference. He said he thinks the victory will play out over on the main river and offshore structure.

The SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph includes a top prize of $100,000 and awards valuable points in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title race. In the heat of the chase and with just three events remaining in the regular season, VanDam leads with 1,298 points, but is trailed by a mere five points by 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion and 2007 AOY Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., in second with 1,293 points.

Rounding out the top five in the AOY race are Jones, in third with 1,240 points; Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., in fourth with 1,224; and Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, in fifth with 1,205 points.

The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, when the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be determined. Toyota Trucks Championship Week is set for Sept. 10-18, and will be played out on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first of the two post-season tournaments will take place on Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka; the finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Kevin VanDam (BASS Communications / Seigo Saito)

“It’s going to be an interesting race,” VanDam said about the AOY points battle. “We have a good cast of characters at the top of the points. With three tournaments to go, lots can happen – chances are that seven of the top 12 are going to be seven who’ll be fishing in the postseason.

“I’m trying to win at every tournament. If you do that, the AOY race takes care of itself. I can tell you from the first cast this year, I’m thinking about AOY. And I’ll think about it on the last cast. With only eight events to get into the top 12, there’s a bigger sense of urgency.”

Fans are encouraged to attend the Wednesday-Saturday daily launches (6 a.m. CT) and weigh-ins (4 p.m.) at Paris Landing State Park, 16055 Hwy. 79 N., Buchanan, Tenn. After Day Two’s competition
Thursday, the field will be cut to the top 50 anglers for Day Three. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Saturday’s Day Four.

Other activities Friday and Saturday at the Tennessee Triumph will begin at 1 p.m. CT at Paris Landing State Park, featuring the popular Dog Training & Retriever Demonstrations Brought To You By SportDog, as well as a live concert by Nashville recording artist Greta Gaines on Friday, June 5, at the conclusion of the day’s weigh-in.

At 1:30 p.m. Friday, fans are invited to experience Bassmaster University, which includes the “Ask the Experts” session with Elite pros at 3 p.m.

Saturday’s activities include the live taping of Hooked Up, hosted by ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. The show, which will air live at 3:30 p.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, will preview Sunday’s final weigh-in.

All events at the SpongeTech Tennessee Triumph are free and open to the public. Up next for the Elite Series is the June 11-14 Genuity River Rumble on the Mississippi River out of Fort Madison, Iowa.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNOutdoorsmedia.com for BASS’ latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos and more.

The local sponsor of the Tennessee Triumph is the Paris-Henry County Alliance.

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings

2009 Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge – Marine Formula STA-BIL Southern Challenge Pro Points After Lake Guntersville, Guntersville, Ala. Ending 05-10-2009, Day 4

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multimedia 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 ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.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, Academy Sports + Outdoors Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS annually sanctions more than 20,000 events.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.