Article
Date: 12/08/2005
VANDAM
PREDICTS RECORD-SHATTERING CITGO BASSMASTER CLASSIC ON TOHO
CELEBRATION,
Fla. – Two-time CITGO Bassmaster Classic winner Kevin VanDam
predicts the conditions will be perfect for a record-shattering
2006 edition of professional bass fishing’s biggest event.
To
be held Feb. 24-26, 2006, at Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla.,
the CITGO Bassmaster Classic is moving to an earlier time of year
and to a lake VanDam believes will offer close competition for anglers
and exciting viewing for spectators.
“I
think it’s going to be a great Classic,” said the Kalamazoo,
Mich., angler. “It’s such a hotbed for bass fishing
in the area anyway, and we all know that Toho is one of the best
lakes in the country.”
In
2001, CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler Dean Rojas set the BASS
tournament record for heaviest single-day catch by boating 45 pounds,
two ounces of bass on Lake Toho. He also set the BASS four-day tournament
record for heaviest weight with 108-12.
But
like all successful pro BASS anglers, VanDam studies patterns and
trends of lakes and regions and knows a late February Bassmaster
Classic in Florida presents prime fishing conditions. “By
that time of year, hopefully the majority of the spawn will be done,
and those big fish will be feeding up and getting ready for summer,
and be in big schools,” said VanDam.
At
the 2005 Classic in Pittsburgh, anglers struggled to catch largemouth
bass, but VanDam staged a dramatic win. “Last year was an
extremely tough tournament,” he said. “The bite was
really tough and it was hard to catch a keeper. At Toho, it’s
going to be the exact opposite. Catching fish isn’t going
to be the problem, it’s going to be catching big fish.”
VanDam
scored his first CITGO Bassmaster Classic win in 2001, but then
hit a dry spell in BASS events. He broke it with two consecutive
wins prior to the Pittsburgh win in 2005. He said he knows where
his accomplishments in the Classic rank among other career successes.
“Without
a doubt the second one means a lot more to me,” he said. “After
winning one and going through everything, I know the magnitude of
what winning the Classic is. So the second time, I truly appreciated
all of those things and what it meant to me personally.”
BASS
is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than
20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its
mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility,
professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly
40 years.
BASS
stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates
with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs,
aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms,
BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support
to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered
in Celebration, Fla.
Inside
Bass, Courtesy BASS
Pennies
on the dollar for fishing rods, reels, baits, lures, and more? You
be the judge!
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