KVD in position for fourth Bassmaster Classic title

Kevin VanDam went into the second day of the 2011 Bassmaster Classic in third place, but he had the No. 1 and No. 2 anglers fishing around him in Lake Cataouatche’s Tank Pond – and he expected the pressure from local anglers to have an impact on the catches.

And that turned out to be the case – for everyone in the Tank Pond but KVD.

VanDam actually upped his game, adding more than 3 pounds to his Day 1 sack of bass to bring his two-day total to 41-11. That was more than 3 ½ pounds more than his closest competitor.

“Luck counts,” the three-time Classic champion joked in press conference following the weigh-in. “Yesterday, I thought I should have had a lot better day than I did.

“I think you can catch a 30-pound bag there, if you’ve got the timing right.”

In second was Kansas’ Brent Chapman, who made the long run to Venice to bring 20 pounds, 1 ounce of bass to the New Orleans Arena. His two-day total was 38-1.

In third was Alabama’s Aaron Martens with a total of 33-2, in fourth was Idaho Bassmater Federation Nation qualifier Brandon Palaniuk (pronounced “Paula-nick”) with 32-8 and Arkansas pro Scott Rook rounded out the top five with 31-11.

Click here to read the full story and find the full standings.

About Andy Crawford 863 Articles
Andy Crawford has spent nearly his entire career writing about and photographing Louisiana’s hunting and fishing community. While he has written for national publications, even spending four years as a senior writer for B.A.S.S., Crawford never strayed far from the pages of Louisiana Sportsman. Learn more about his work at www.AndyCrawford.Photography.