Michigan’s Kevin VanDam won his fourth Bassmaster Classic in mid-February on the Louisiana Delta with a record-breaking, 3-day, haul of 69 pounds, 11 ounces to tie Rick Clunn for the most Classic championships with four.
VanDam, from Kalamazoo, weighed in 5-fish daily limits at 19-3, 22-8 and 28-0 to win by more than 10 pounds.
First prize was worth $500,000 to VanDam, who has career winnings of more than $5 million from BASS and is the circuit’s all-time money winner.
Along with Clunn, he’s the only angler to win consecutive Classic titles, achieving the feat in 2010-2011.
Aaron Martens finished in second place for the fourth time in the Classic, a dubious distinction. He weighed in 59 pounds and took home $45,000. Derek Remitz of Grant, Ala., took third with 56-8 and won $40,000.
Van Dam said the key to his victory was changing baits, switching from a spinnerbait to a small crankbait the final day. He fished the Lake Cataouatche area, sharing the spot with Martens and several other top finishers.
The Classic dream ended abruptly for David Wolak of Wake Forest and Tracy Adams of North Wilkesboro. The two North Carolin pros failed to make the cut when the 50-man field was reduced to the top 25 anglers after Saturday’s second round. Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., also failed to make the cut.
Smith, Brown win Lake Norman winter title
Wade Smith of Huntersvile and Mark Brown of Charlotte won the points championship on the Lake Norman Winter Bass Trail’s Saturday events, and they followed that up by winning the season-ending championship on Feb. 12-13.
Their 2-day total of 17.3 pounds was good for the first-prize money of $2,000.
Michael Fox of Statesville and Tony Shook of Claremont took second and $1,000 with a catch of 16.2.
Shane Lineberger of Lincolnton and Hank Cherry of Maiden were points champions of the Sunday tour events; they finished fourth in the final tournament with 15.2.
BASS TOURNAMENTS
Southern Championship Fishing Winter Tournament Trail
Badin Lake, Jan. 29
1. Dean Talbert (Albemarle)-Tod Haynes (Concord), 15.20, and big fish, 4.27 pounds, $570; 2. Brice Hollis (Candor), 2.30, $150.
Lake Tillery, Feb. 12
1. Buzz Dunlap (Mt. Gilead)-Pete Morris (Troy), 17.14, $440; 2. Mike Kinard (Mt. Pleasant)-Travis Williams (Salisbury), 15.74, $120. Big fish: Ronnie Smith-Randy Weddington (China Grove), 4.96 pounds, $80. Points championship: Kinard-Williams.
Norman Winter Team Bass Trail
Lake, Norman, Jan. 23
1. Travis Rulle, 14.50, $1,200; 2. Tony Shook (Claremont)-Michael Fox (Statesville), 12.75, $395; 3. Robert Stiltner, 11.45, $235; 4. Kevin Tolbert-Rodney Lambert (Statesville), 10.75, $175; 5. Shane Lineberger (Lincolnton)-Hank Cherry (Maiden), 10.25, $125; 6. Jerry Bono (Lexington)-Chad Poteat (Mt. Airy), 9.65, $90; 7. Chuck Poovey (Denver)-Jeff Johnson, 9.55, $80. Big fish: Rulle, 5.05 pounds, $460.
Lake Norman, Jan. 29
1. Wade Smith (Huntersville)-Mark Brown (Charlotte), 15.20, $750; 2. Chuck Poovey-Jeff Johnson, 13.85, $375; 3. Michael Fox (Statesville)-Tony Shook (Claremont), 13.45, and big fish, 7.35 pounds, $615; 4. Chad Midkiff-Rob Middleton, 11.75, $145.
Lake Norman, Feb. 6
1. Joe Floyd-Gary Greer, 13.85, and big fish, 5.20 pounds, $740; 2. Shane Lehew (Charlotte)-Adam Waters, 12.00, $365; 3. T.J. Freeze, 11.85, $185; 4. Craig Chambers-Keith Ogden, 10.55, $135; 5. Vince-Keith Parker, 10.15, $115; 6. Jerry Bono (Lexington)-Chad Poteat (Mt. Airy), 9.65, $100; 7. Willie Nichols-Wes May, 9.40, $80.
Championship
Lake Norman, Feb. 12-13
1. Wade Smith (Huntersville)-Mark Brown (Charlotte), 17.30, $2,000; 2. Michael Fox (Statesville)-Tony Shook (Claremont), 16.20, $1,000; 3. Jim Duncan-Michael Steele, 15.35, $500; 4. Shane Lineberger (Lincolnton)-Hank Cherry (Maiden), 15.20, $450; 5. Matt Haywood-Donnie Cooper, 14.80, $350; 6. Joe Floyd-Gary Greer, 13.25, $300; 7. Darren Sigmon-Brian Huffman, 12.45, $200; 8. Chuck Poovey (Denver)-Jeff Johnson, 12.10, $175; 9. Jerry Bono (Lexington)-Chad Poteat (Mt. Airy), 12.05, $150; 10. Maurice Freeze (Concord)-Rick Poplin, 11.00, $150. Big fish: Brown-Smith, 6.10 pounds, $525.
Saturday Trail points champions: Smith-Brown. Sunday Trail points champions: Lineberger-Cherry.
Yadkin Team Tournaments
High Rock Lake, Feb. 12
1. David Wright-Chris Brown (Lexington), 19.58, $430; 2. Thomas Ludwick-Tom File (Salisbury), 14.82, $252; 3. Gary Cline (Lexington)-Todd Shoaf (Linwood), 13.86, $110. Big fish: Wright-Brown, 5.02 pounds, $84.50.
Fishers of Men Piedmont Division
Feb. 19, Belews Creek
1. Stephen-Bradley Singleton, 11.85, $1,066; 2. Bill Kohls-Joe Nieser,10.82, $600; 3. Robert Mixon (Lexington)-Steve Sink (Winston-Salem), 10.76, $578.50; 4. Joseph Ratcliff-Josh Akers, 10.50, and big fish, 3.86 pounds, $622.50; 5. James Allred-Clarence Brickey, 10.22, $401.50; 6. Dean Collins (Southmont)-Ray Furr, 10.20, $266; 7. Joel Richardson (Kernersville)-Neal Stockton, 9.66, $200.
CRAPPIE TOURNAMENTS
Carolina Crappie Association
Fishing Creek, S.C., Jan. 22
1. Milton Dowey-Joe Cantey (Luggoff, S.C.), 10.89, $792; 2. Gary Ashe-Max Foetner (Concord), 10.51, $432; 3. Ed Duke-Keith Manus (Concord), 9.76, $216.
High Rock Lake, Feb. 19
1. Tom Sprouse (Advance)-Glynn Sharon (Madison), 9.30, $780; 2. Ed Duke-Keith Manus (Concord), 9.25, $390; 3. Nick Babin (Gilbert, S.C.), 8.95, $234; 4. Lowell-Betty Cable (Boone), 8.62, $156. Big fish: Jimmy Perry (Knightdale)-Doug Rhinehardt (Mt. Pleasant), 1.92 pounds, $84.50
SCHEDULES
Southern Championship Fishing Spring Trail
Because of access area permit issues, the April 2 Southern Championship Fishing Spring Trail tournament scheduled at Lake Tillery has been switched to Tuckertown Lake, and the May 21 tournament at Tuckertown has been switched to Tillery. See www.southernfishingtrail.com.
Norman Spring Team Bass Trail
Because of unforeseen circumstances, David Johnson will not hold a tournament trail at Lake Norman this spring. However, the Norman Winter Team Bass Trail will resume next winter. Visit www.fishwithdj.com.
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