This is Kevin VanDam’s 28th Bassmaster Classic. When asked to compare this first-time playing field of the Tennessee River, Fort Loudoun Lake and Tellico Lake with any of the other Classic sites he’s fished, VanDam took a long pause to think about it.
“No, it’s really different,” he said. “I’d say the closest one would be Lay Lake. But this one is still a lot different. You’re really going to have to be able to keep up with the changing conditions. A lot of things happen here. The water fluctuates – color, height, current – it makes a big difference.”
VanDam put his first keeper in the boat at 9:38 this morning. It was a 3-pounder that hit a spinnerbait.