The Kalamazoo, Mich., Elite Series pro, who has amassed over $2 million in BASS earnings, totaled 19 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to bring his two-day total to 32-15. He built a 9-ounce lead over California's Skeet Reese. The top angler will take home a $500,000 top prize Sunday.
Coverage of bass fishing's equivalent to the Super Bowl kicked off Saturday morning on ESPN2 at 7 a.m. ET. ESPN2 will air 10 ½ hours of coverage over the three-day event and viewers can catch the action starting at 6:30 a.m. ET. Sunday.
Alabama Elite Series pro Gerald Swindle's Day 2 catch was disqualified Saturday by BASS officials for violation of Rules 5i and 6ii. Swindle didn't make the top 25 cut and finished in 45th place. The applicable part of the rules state: "Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by competitors."
Rounding out the top five were Reese (32-6), Florida's Terry Scroggins (30-15), Alabama's Boyd Duckett (30-13) and Alabama's Tim Horton (29-11).
"This is what we live for," VanDam said. "I was really disappointed on Friday because I felt I had dug a hole for myself and these guys are too good for you to leave anything on the table.
"Just getting to the Classic doesn't satisfy me anymore. I always want to put myself in a position to win and that's what I've done."
Reese is no stranger to winning BASS tournaments - he's won two - but he has yet to score a coveted Classic victory in seven tries.
"I have a spot where I caught a pretty quick limit the first day and I fished there pretty much all day Saturday," the 37-year-old said. "There are some prime-looking areas around it, so I'll go exploring."
While Reese was pleasantly surprised with his tournament after an unproductive practice period, to win the marquee event he will still have to jump ahead of VanDam.
"The last thing I wanted to see is this guy [VanDam] catch almost 20 pounds and leapfrog me in the standings," Reese said. "He seems to always do that."
Other Alabama anglers safely above the cutline are Steve Kennedy from Auburn, Ala., in seventh; Randy Howell from Springville, Ala., in 10th; Aaron Martens from Leeds, Ala., in 13th; and Russ Lane from Prattville, Ala., in 25th.
2007 Bassmaster Classic 2/23-2/25
Lay Lake, Birmingham AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 32-15 300 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 2: 5 19-14
2. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 32-06 295 0
Day 1: 5 17-08 2: 5 14-14
3. Terry Scroggins Palatka, FL 10 30-15 290 0
Day 1: 5 17-00 2: 5 13-15
4. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 30-13 285 0
Day 1: 5 19-14 2: 5 10-15
5. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 29-11 280 0
Day 1: 5 17-05 2: 5 12-06
6. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 28-11 276 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 2: 5 17-05
7. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 28-09 272 0
Day 1: 5 12-02 2: 5 16-07
8. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 28-06 268 0
Day 1: 5 16-11 2: 5 11-11
9. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 10 27-13 264 0
Day 1: 5 15-09 2: 5 12-04
10. Randy Howell Springville, AL 9 27-08 260 0
Day 1: 5 17-15 2: 4 09-09
11. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 10 27-05 257 0
Day 1: 5 15-00 2: 5 12-05
12. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 10 27-01 254 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 2: 5 12-08
13. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 26-15 251 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 2: 5 13-02
14. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 10 26-08 248 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 2: 5 14-03
15. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 10 24-15 245 0
Day 1: 5 13-09 2: 5 11-06
16. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 24-09 243 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 2: 5 12-03
17. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 10 24-08 241 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 2: 5 10-08
18. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu, AZ 10 24-07 239 0
Day 1: 5 13-04 2: 5 11-03
19. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 10 24-06 237 0
Day 1: 5 14-06 2: 5 10-00
20. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 24-00 235 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 2: 5 11-06
21. James Niggemeyer Lindale, TX 10 23-15 232 0
Day 1: 5 13-07 2: 5 10-08
21. Jason Quinn York, SC 10 23-15 232 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 2: 5 12-15
23. Royce Dennington Barnsdall, OK 10 23-12 229 0
Day 1: 5 09-15 2: 5 13-13
24. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 23-00 227 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 2: 5 11-04
25. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 22-07 225 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 2: 5 08-10
26. Tom Hamlin Lizella, GA 10 22-05 223 10000
Day 1: 5 09-09 2: 5 12-12
27. Jeff Reynolds PLATTER, OK 10 22-01 221 10000
Day 1: 5 10-11 2: 5 11-06
28. James Charlesworth Saint Cloud, FL 10 21-10 219 10000
Day 1: 5 12-07 2: 5 09-03
29. Shigeru Tsukiyama Tokyo JAPAN 10 21-09 217 10000
Day 1: 5 10-01 2: 5 11-08
30. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 21-06 215 10000
Day 1: 5 11-02 2: 5 10-04
31. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 9 21-05 213 10000
Day 1: 4 09-14 2: 5 11-07
32. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 10 20-15 211 10000
Day 1: 5 11-11 2: 5 09-04
33. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 10 20-10 209 10000
Day 1: 5 09-14 2: 5 10-12
34. Derek Remitz Hemphill, TX 10 20-08 207 10000
Day 1: 5 09-04 2: 5 11-04
35. John Crews Salem, VA 9 19-15 205 10000
Day 1: 5 11-00 2: 4 08-15
36. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 19-11 203 10000
Day 1: 5 10-10 2: 5 09-01
37. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, FL 10 19-02 201 10000
Day 1: 5 10-15 2: 5 08-03
38. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 19-01 199 10000
Day 1: 5 09-06 2: 5 09-11
39. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 10 17-14 197 10000
Day 1: 5 10-03 2: 5 07-11
40. Kevin Waterman Laplata, MD 8 17-12 195 10000
Day 1: 5 11-14 2: 3 05-14
41. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 9 17-10 193 10000
Day 1: 5 11-10 2: 4 06-00
42. Zell Rowland Montgomery, TX 8 17-04 191 10000
Day 1: 5 12-09 2: 3 04-11
43. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 6 16-09 189 10000
Day 1: 5 13-15 2: 1 02-10
44. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 8 16-05 187 10000
Day 1: 5 09-08 2: 3 06-13
45. Gerald Swindle Warrioir, AL 10 14-10 185 10000
Day 1: 5 14-10 2: 5 00-00
46. Chris Novack Willington, CT 10 13-14 183 10000
Day 1: 5 07-02 2: 5 06-12
47. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 8 13-13 181 10000
Day 1: 5 08-03 2: 3 05-10
48. Sam Lashlee Camden, TN 6 11-03 179 10000
Day 1: 2 04-15 2: 4 06-04
49. Brent Long Catawba, NC 4 09-00 177 10000
Day 1: 2 04-14 2: 2 04-02
50. Russell Colwell Baltimore, MD 4 07-07 175 10000
Day 1: 3 06-08 2: 1 00-15
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 46 241 606-11
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46 241 606-11