PARIS, Tenn. — Give Kevin VanDam a 3-pound lead on Kentucky Lake with only one day left to fish and he's hard to beat. Don't tell that to Kelly Jordon and Edwin Evers though.
Jordon, in second, cut his deficit in half on Friday after catching another big stringer and trails VanDam by 3 pounds, 11 ounces. Considering the quality of fish he has caught this week, it can be a manageable margin.
"I've got a spot where I've caught all my big ones," Jordon said. "My plan is to go catch big ones — that's what I've got to do. I'm going to stay there all day looking for five."
While Jordon may not get a lot of bites on the offshore spot, it has yielded his best fish each day, including the tournament's biggest bass yet, a 10-pound, 1-ounce brute on Day Two.
Fishing ledges is all about timing, being there when the fish are biting, which is why Jordon wants to make sure he doesn't miss a minute of the action on his best spot.
"I figure if I stay all day, I'll be there for the good times," Jordon said. "I caught a 4-, 6- and 7-pounder in about 45 minutes yesterday. I was fortunate to catch that bigger one, but you have to fish where they live to catch a big one."
Jordon's major concern is a big tournament that might have the fishing pressure up around him.
"There's a tournament going out right on top of my stuff," Jordon said. "I've seen a lot of people following me there. I just have to think happy thoughts."
If happy thoughts help catch bigger bass, Evers should be one to look out for. Not only has he closed the gap on Skeet Reese in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, but in increasing his weight each day of the event, he has put himself in contention to win the Tennessee Triumph.
With 65 pounds, 6 ounces over three days of the tournament thus far, Evers is 5 pounds, 7 ounces behind Kevin VanDam. He's held nothing back all week and that won't change going into the final round.
"I've never pulled off my fish, I've had to catch everything I can," Evers said. "I'm continually looking for new fish. I'm not satisfied with what I've found."
Part of the key to his getting better each day has been spending time looking for new water. Areas have been getting pressured by competitors and recreational anglers and Evers had been able to find enough new spots where he can get a bigger bite.
"I'm idling around looking at my electronics for new spots," Evers said. "Where I caught everything this week are on spots I found the first day of the tournament."
Final round action wraps up with the Day Four weigh-in of the Tennessee Triumph at Paris Landing State Park at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
SPN camera on board, find out how VanDam's day plays out by tuning in to "Hooked Up" after the weigh-in at 6:15 p.m. ET