“I’ve fished a lot of them, and I hadn’t won one,” said Walker, 46, an experienced pro who made a name for himself on the FLW circuit before joining the Elite Series for the 2011 season. “I always felt like I was good enough to do it, and I feel like I’ve paid my dues. And why not a win?
“That was my slogan for the whole week: ‘Why not me?’ And here I am, talking about a win — I might be a little rusty on that topic,” he quipped.
Walker won $100,000 and a 2012 Bassmaster Classic berth, his primary goal in becoming an Elite pro. Because he also earned enough Bassmaster of the Year points for a ticket to the 2012 world championship, Walker reached his goal of returning to the Classic not once, but twice in one season.
Kevin VanDam came within 1 pound, 13 ounces, of a 2011 regular-season Elite win. Sunday was the day after he closed on his fourth consecutive Angler of the Year award, which he’s won seven times in his career.
Day Three leader Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Ky., had 60-6 over four days to end in third place, shy of his last-hour bid to win and gain a Classic berth. Fourth was Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., with 58-15, more than good enough to punch his ticket to the Classic.
Rounding out the Top 5 was Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., with 58-9. DeFoe’s strong finish to the season was the guarantee that he got into the postseason as well as the 2012 Classic. Fourth in overall points, DeFoe also won the 2011 Rookie of the Year award.
Walker stayed on or near the top of the Dixie Duel’s leaderboard over all four days. He started in second place with an impressive haul of 18 pounds and 2 ounces. He took over on Day Two with 35-3, but slid back to the runner-up spot before taking the title Sunday.
The winner caught most of his weight on a ledge pattern in two spots. He rotated casts with an 11-inch plum-colored worm, a Lake Fork chrome spoon and deep-diving crankbaits in two different shad patterns.
“Those were my main, key weapons,” he said, not specifying brands.
“With the crankbait, I made a long throw, and once I felt the crankbait hit the bottom, I felt the fish get it. And once the first fish got it, it was every cast — hit bottom, a fish would get it, hit bottom, a fish would get it.”
Saturday’s brisk wind dictated that he stick with a spoon Saturday, but the wind direction changed enough Sunday so he could work with other lures.
“The casts I needed to make were directly downwind so I could throw even farther and feel (the bait working) even more,” he said. “The difficult thing was holding (the boat) in position.”
VanDam’s Dixie Duel total was 61-13.
“I just didn’t get the quality bites today,” he said. “I caught a ton of fish today, I fished everything I wanted to, but it was all I could manage. I fished clean this week. I didn’t lose, I got beat.”
As the Angler of the Year, VanDam was first into the All-Star Week postseason. As the 2011 Classic champ, he already had his 2012 Classic berth secured.
The day’s largest bass was Greg Hackney’s 4-8, but it didn’t beat Keith Poche’s 6-6 of Day Three.
Poche collected the Big Bass of the Tournament bonus of $500.
Next up for the Bassmaster Elite Series is the postseason, the July 23-31 All-Star Week in Alabama. Twelve anglers — four of them selected by fan voting beginning Tuesday — will compete on Lake Jordan and the Alabama River. One lucky voter will end up with a Triton/Mercury bass boat rig.
FINAL STANDINGS- DIXIE DUEL
2011 Dixie Duel - Decatur, AL 6/16-6/19
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. David Walker Sevierville, TN 20 63-10 310 $108,900.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 13-07 Day 4: 5 15-00
2. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 20 61-13 295 $125,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 15-12 Day 3: 5 16-00 Day 4: 5 14-11
3. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 20 60-06 295 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 18-01 Day 3: 5 17-10 Day 4: 5 10-01
4. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 20 58-15 285 $25,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 20-14 Day 4: 5 13-14
5. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 20 58-09 285 $44,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 14-05 Day 4: 5 11-07
6. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 20 58-00 276 $23,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 19-09 Day 3: 5 12-05 Day 4: 5 11-06
7. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 20 57-08 272 $19,300.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 10-03 Day 3: 5 16-05 Day 4: 5 14-10
8. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 20 53-12 268 $20,300.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 13-08 Day 4: 5 12-05
9. Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 20 53-07 264 $19,050.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day 3: 5 16-13 Day 4: 5 09-13
10. Keith Poche Troy, AL 20 50-00 260 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 11-12 Day 3: 5 18-00 Day 4: 5 07-10
11. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 20 49-02 257 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 5 12-14 Day 4: 5 07-11
12. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 20 48-05 254 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 13-13 Day 4: 5 08-05
BERKLEY BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Keith Poche Troy, AL 06-06 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 488 1093-05
2 97 490 1114-05
3 45 233 517-04
4 12 60 136-13
----------------------------------
250 1271 2861-11
BASSMASTER ANGLER OF THE YEAR POINTS STANDINGS
2011 Points Report
Professional Elite Series as of 19-Jun-2011
Angler Points Lbs-Oz
1 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 2,026 244- 7
2 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 1,873 214-12
3 Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 1,825 208- 2
4 Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 1,820 213-14
5 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 1,806 191- 6
6 Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 1,804 220- 4
7 Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 1,796 206- 5
8 Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 1,780 200-14
9 Alton Jones Waco, TX 1,751 212- 6
10 Keith Poche Troy, AL 1,743 201- 0
11 Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 1,722 218- 7
12 Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 1,689 194- 8
13 Randy Howell Springville, AL 1,682 192-15
14 Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 1,681 203- 0
15 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 1,653 191- 9
16 Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 1,649 203- 9
17 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 1,646 192- 4
18 Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 1,645 185- 4
19 Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 1,625 197- 2
20 Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 1,623 180- 9
21 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 1,616 198- 6
22 Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 1,601 205- 1
23 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 1,601 188-14
24 Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 1,598 187- 3
25 Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 1,594 195- 7
26 Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 1,590 177- 3
27 Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 1,589 194- 1
28 David Walker Sevierville, TN 1,586 196- 8
29 Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 1,586 188- 9
30 John Crews Salem, VA 1,576 195- 0
31 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 1,569 181-15
32 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 1,561 190- 5
33 Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 1,560 170-11
34 Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 1,559 184- 2
35 Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 1,555 182-10
36 Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 1,551 189-14
37 Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 1,548 187- 2
38 Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 1,547 181- 3
39 Pat Golden High Point, NC 1,538 180-12
40 Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 1,535 178- 0
41 Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 1,532 189- 2
42 Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 1,528 176- 9
43 Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 1,520 191- 3
44 Russ Lane Prattville, AL 1,509 170-15
45 John Murray Phoenix, AZ 1,505 181- 2
46 Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 1,452 175- 4
47 Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 1,451 182- 7
48 Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 1,445 185- 6
49 Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 1,426 171- 0
50 Cliff Pace Petal, MS 1,422 169- 5
51 Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 1,414 188- 4
52 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 1,413 171-11
53 Paul Elias Laurel, MS 1,412 177- 6
54 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 1,400 173-13
55 Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 1,397 170- 8
56 Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 1,390 160- 7
57 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 1,376 169-11
58 James Niggemeyer Van, TX 1,335 174-15
59 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 1,330 170- 8
60 Clark Reehm Lufkin, TX 1,328 169- 4
61 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 1,328 165-14
62 Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 1,324 160-10
63 James Stricklin Texarkania, TX 1,323 161- 7
64 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 1,318 155- 2
65 Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 1,300 157- 2
66 Matt Herren Trussville, AL 1,288 158-13
67 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 1,279 150- 1
68 Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 1,278 149-14
69 J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 1,267 176-15
70 Craig Schuff Watauga, TX 1,264 156- 7
71 Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, FL 1,257 163- 8
72 Ben Parker Springville, TN 1,256 152-11
73 Jami Fralick Martin, SD 1,248 151- 1
74 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 1,240 153-10
75 Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 1,237 160- 0
76 Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 1,236 162- 9
77 Terry Butcher Talala, OK 1,224 151- 1
78 Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka, JPN 1,216 146- 8
79 Dean Alexander Georgetown, TX 1,214 155- 1
80 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 1,188 148-15
81 Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 1,187 148-14
82 Zell Rowland Austin, TX 1,182 153- 5
83 Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 1,170 153- 9
84 Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 1,168 137-14
85 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 1,156 151- 7
86 Travis Manson De Pere, WI 1,134 144- 4
87 Pete Ponds Madison, MS 1,108 143- 7
88 Grant Goldbeck Boerne, TX 1,060 124- 2
89 Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 1,044 132- 8
90 Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 1,040 129-11
91 Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 1,008 133- 1
92 Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 1,006 140-12
93 Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 1,004 136- 2
94 Lee Sisson Winter Haven, FL 996 126-10
95 David Smith Del City, OK 976 123-13
96 Derek Remitz Grant, AL 973 130- 9
97 Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 970 126- 8
98 Ryan Said Wixom, MI 932 119- 7
99 Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 680 81-13
Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Points Standings
2011 Rookie of the Year
as of 19-June-2011
Angler Points Lbs-Oz
1 Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 1,820 213-14
2 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 1,653 191- 9
3 David Walker Sevierville, TN 1,586 196- 8
4 Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 1,548 187- 2
5 Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 1,532 189- 2
6 Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 1,426 171- 0
7 James Stricklin Texarkania, TX 1,323 161- 7
8 Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 1,278 149-14
9 Craig Schuff Watauga, TX 1,264 156- 7
10 Ben Parker Springville, TN 1,256 152-11
11 Dean Alexander Georgetown, TX 1,214 155- 1
12 Travis Manson De Pere, WI 1,134 144- 4
13 Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 1,006 140-12
14 Lee Sisson Winter Haven, FL 996 126-10
15 Ryan Said Wixom, MI 932 119- 7