A look at Elite venues

A look at Kentucky Lake

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It’s a quick turnaround for the Elite anglers with back-to-back events. Sunday on Grand Lake, Tommy Biffle sat on the hot seat with only one angler left, and he tried to convince the crowd in Grove, Okla., that final challenger Kevin VanDam should just pass on by. Good try, Tommy, but no such luck.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Elite anglers with back-to-back events. Sunday on Grand Lake, Tommy Biffle sat on the hot seat with only one angler left, and he tried to convince the crowd in Grove, Okla., that final challenger Kevin VanDam should just pass on by. Good try, Tommy, but no such luck.
The great one did weigh in, and he continued his onslaught on the record books by winning the Academy Sport + Outdoor Bassmaster Elite on Grand Lake for his 25th B.A.S.S. title. It was VanDam’s second victory on that fishery, the first coming in a 2007 Elite. KVD and the field was afforded a travel day as the Elites began practice on Tuesday for this weekend’s Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia.
The great one did weigh in, and he continued his onslaught on the record books by winning the Academy Sport + Outdoor Bassmaster Elite on Grand Lake for his 25th B.A.S.S. title. It was VanDam’s second victory on that fishery, the first coming in a 2007 Elite. KVD and the field was afforded a travel day as the Elites began practice on Tuesday for this weekend’s Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia.
KVD’s win on Grand makes it five fisheries where he has won more than one Bassmaster event. St. Lawrence tops his multiple list with his three wins there in 1995, 1999 and 2017. He scored two postseason wins on the Alabama River (2009-10), leading to two of his seven AOY titles. He’s won two of his four Classic titles on the Louisiana Delta, and oh yeah, he’s heading to Kentucky Lake where he’s already won two blue trophies.
KVD’s win on Grand makes it five fisheries where he has won more than one Bassmaster event. St. Lawrence tops his multiple list with his three wins there in 1995, 1999 and 2017. He scored two postseason wins on the Alabama River (2009-10), leading to two of his seven AOY titles. He’s won two of his four Classic titles on the Louisiana Delta, and oh yeah, he’s heading to Kentucky Lake where he’s already won two blue trophies.
Because of the quick turnaround -- and at 450 miles one of the longer treks between venues -- the Kentucky Lake event will start on Friday and finish on Monday.
Because of the quick turnaround — and at 450 miles one of the longer treks between venues — the Kentucky Lake event will start on Friday and finish on Monday.
The action begins and finishes at Paris Landing Marina, just south of the Kentucky/Tennessee border. It’s a familiar place for the Elites to say the least. B.A.S.S. has held 12 pro level events and 22 overall on Kentucky Lake, and many from Paris Landing.
The action begins and finishes at Paris Landing Marina, just south of the Kentucky/Tennessee border. It’s a familiar place for the Elites to say the least. B.A.S.S. has held 12 pro level events and 22 overall on Kentucky Lake, and many from Paris Landing.
B.A.S.S. welcomes the public to watch the Elites as they launch from the huge facility at 16055 Highway 79 North in Buchanan, Tenn. The national anthem is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT each day. Fans are also admitted free to the weigh-ins, which will be across the highway at 400 Lodge Road in the state park and begin at 3 p.m. CT.
B.A.S.S. welcomes the public to watch the Elites as they launch from the huge facility at 16055 Highway 79 North in Buchanan, Tenn. The national anthem is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT each day. Fans are also admitted free to the weigh-ins, which will be across the highway at 400 Lodge Road in the state park and begin at 3 p.m. CT.
Kentucky Lake, ranked 20th in the Northeastern Division of the Bassmaster 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2017, is a gigantic fishery, with 160,309 acres and 2,064 miles of shoreline. It’s the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the Mississippi.
Kentucky Lake, ranked 20th in the Northeastern Division of the Bassmaster 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2017, is a gigantic fishery, with 160,309 acres and 2,064 miles of shoreline. It’s the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the Mississippi.
The Kentucky Lake dam is the lowermost of nine on the Tennessee River. It’s operated by the famed Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which conducted dam building projects during the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create jobs and invested in America’s infrastructure.
The Kentucky Lake dam is the lowermost of nine on the Tennessee River. It’s operated by the famed Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which conducted dam building projects during the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create jobs and invested in America’s infrastructure.
The Kentucky Lake dam, finished in 1944, was built to improve navigation and reduce flooding threats downstream on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, as well as generate hydroelectric power and offer recreation. Kentucky Lake was listed on the National Register of Historic places last year.
The Kentucky Lake dam, finished in 1944, was built to improve navigation and reduce flooding threats downstream on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, as well as generate hydroelectric power and offer recreation. Kentucky Lake was listed on the National Register of Historic places last year.
Here is the one-mile canal that connects Kentucky Lake (left) to Lake Barkley, which was created by damming the Cumberland River. The two lakes run parallel for more than 50 miles and creates the popular Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
Here is the one-mile canal that connects Kentucky Lake (left) to Lake Barkley, which was created by damming the Cumberland River. The two lakes run parallel for more than 50 miles and creates the popular Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
The Bassmaster history at Kentucky Lake is storied, with anglers like Shorty Evans and Denny Brauer posting victories there. Kentucky Lake was the site where Norio Tanabe became the first international angler to win a B.A.S.S. tournament. Another Japanese angler, Morizo Shimizu, recorded his one and only win there in the first year of the Elites, 2006. KVD has won two Elites there, in 2008 and 2010.
The Bassmaster history at Kentucky Lake is storied, with anglers like Shorty Evans and Denny Brauer posting victories there. Kentucky Lake was the site where Norio Tanabe became the first international angler to win a B.A.S.S. tournament. Another Japanese angler, Morizo Shimizu, recorded his one and only win there in the first year of the Elites, 2006. KVD has won two Elites there, in 2008 and 2010.
In 2009, Bobby Lane went wire-to-wire, holding off VanDam for his lone Elite win. Both had huge bags on Day 1, KVD weighing 28-11 while Lane was two ounces shy of 30 pounds. Lane had 24-9 then 26-3 before coming in on Championship Sunday with only 16-15, leaving him 2 and a half pounds away the century mark with 97-9.
In 2009, Bobby Lane went wire-to-wire, holding off VanDam for his lone Elite win. Both had huge bags on Day 1, KVD weighing 28-11 while Lane was two ounces shy of 30 pounds. Lane had 24-9 then 26-3 before coming in on Championship Sunday with only 16-15, leaving him 2 and a half pounds away the century mark with 97-9.
The most recent Elite event on Kentucky Lake was BASSfest in 2015. Ott DeFoe held the Day 1 lead with 26-7 but Edwin Evers took over from there after a 27-2 bag on Day 2. Word was Evers wasn’t a happy camper at home due to his start of the season, but the event held a jewel over the $100,000 purse -- an automatic berth to the Bassmaster Classic. And the 2016 venue was in Evers’ home state at Grand Lake.
The most recent Elite event on Kentucky Lake was BASSfest in 2015. Ott DeFoe held the Day 1 lead with 26-7 but Edwin Evers took over from there after a 27-2 bag on Day 2. Word was Evers wasn’t a happy camper at home due to his start of the season, but the event held a jewel over the $100,000 purse — an automatic berth to the Bassmaster Classic. And the 2016 venue was in Evers’ home state at Grand Lake.
“My wife’s been about ready to shoot me, because I’ve been in a pretty bad mood most of the season,” Evers said at the time. With a total of 97-4, Evers claimed his ninth B.A.S.S. victory and first in two years. “I just have to be at that Classic, so this means the world to me,” he said. “It’s so important.” Turned out way more important as Evers won the 2016 Classic.
“My wife’s been about ready to shoot me, because I’ve been in a pretty bad mood most of the season,” Evers said at the time. With a total of 97-4, Evers claimed his ninth B.A.S.S. victory and first in two years. “I just have to be at that Classic, so this means the world to me,” he said. “It’s so important.” Turned out way more important as Evers won the 2016 Classic.
Evers’ son, Kade, 6, predicted hid dad’s victory and stood fast on it. “(On Sunday) my wife was trying to check on BASSTrakk,” Evers said, “and she said Kade asked her what she was doing. ‘I’m trying to check on how dad’s doing,’ she told him. Kade goes, ‘Mom, put the phone away. I told you dad’s going to win. Let’s go swimming.’” Ok, how about this year? You could really help my Fantasy team. Kade? Call me.
Evers’ son, Kade, 6, predicted hid dad’s victory and stood fast on it. “(On Sunday) my wife was trying to check on BASSTrakk,” Evers said, “and she said Kade asked her what she was doing. ‘I’m trying to check on how dad’s doing,’ she told him. Kade goes, ‘Mom, put the phone away. I told you dad’s going to win. Let’s go swimming.’” Ok, how about this year? You could really help my Fantasy team. Kade? Call me.
Evers fished mostly out of range for the Bassmaster LIVE cameras, but he plied Kentucky Lake’s famed ledges with a variety of baits -- a Megabass Deep-Six Crankbait, a swimbait and an E2 Head Turner Stand Up Worm. Yet it was a homemade bucktail jig that enticed his largest bass. “It’s a 5/8-ounce hair jig that a buddy back home made for me,” Evers said. “He actually shot the deer off my property that he made the bucktails out of. It’s something I catch some fish on back home. I had him make them for me last year before BASSfest (on Lake Chickamauga), and I should have thrown it a whole lot more last year.”
Evers fished mostly out of range for the Bassmaster LIVE cameras, but he plied Kentucky Lake’s famed ledges with a variety of baits — a Megabass Deep-Six Crankbait, a swimbait and an E2 Head Turner Stand Up Worm. Yet it was a homemade bucktail jig that enticed his largest bass. “It’s a 5/8-ounce hair jig that a buddy back home made for me,” Evers said. “He actually shot the deer off my property that he made the bucktails out of. It’s something I catch some fish on back home. I had him make them for me last year before BASSfest (on Lake Chickamauga), and I should have thrown it a whole lot more last year.”
Two other incidents of note occurred on Kentucky Lake in that event. The first was one of those one of those periodical cicada hatches. It was never determined if they were of the 13- or 17-year variety, but anglers reported them anywhere and everywhere.
Two other incidents of note occurred on Kentucky Lake in that event. The first was one of those one of those periodical cicada hatches. It was never determined if they were of the 13- or 17-year variety, but anglers reported them anywhere and everywhere.
On Bassmaster LIVE, tournament emcee Dave Mercer even had one crawling on his finger when Mark Zona told him there’s $188 coming his way if he ate “Chukkers the Cicada.” One quick move into the mouth and a chomp or two was followed by hollering of disbelief and a “Tastes like chicken.” Tommy Sanders summed up the craziness, “Tastes like hilarity.” Final word from Mercer, “You guys know I’ll do anything for a camera.”
On Bassmaster LIVE, tournament emcee Dave Mercer even had one crawling on his finger when Mark Zona told him there’s $188 coming his way if he ate “Chukkers the Cicada.” One quick move into the mouth and a chomp or two was followed by hollering of disbelief and a “Tastes like chicken.” Tommy Sanders summed up the craziness, “Tastes like hilarity.” Final word from Mercer, “You guys know I’ll do anything for a camera.”
The other remarkable occurrence was a KVD segment on Bassmaster LIVE. TV producer Mike McKinnis was lamenting the poor cell coverage and inactivity on the huge fishery when VanDam came to the rescue.
The other remarkable occurrence was a KVD segment on Bassmaster LIVE. TV producer Mike McKinnis was lamenting the poor cell coverage and inactivity on the huge fishery when VanDam came to the rescue.
VanDam went on a Kentucky ledge fishing tear that dropped the jaws of the production team, and probably most fans watching. “We’ve never been able to show an angler do something like that on the regular Bassmaster show,” McKinnis said. “It was eight, 10 minutes of pure bass fishing clinic.” VanDam finished second that week, and he returns to the familiar fishery with momentum. Set your Fantasy team accordingly.
VanDam went on a Kentucky ledge fishing tear that dropped the jaws of the production team, and probably most fans watching. “We’ve never been able to show an angler do something like that on the regular Bassmaster show,” McKinnis said. “It was eight, 10 minutes of pure bass fishing clinic.” VanDam finished second that week, and he returns to the familiar fishery with momentum. Set your Fantasy team accordingly.

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