SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER, La. – Chevy Pro Staff angler Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., landed five bass weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces Wednesday to grab the opening day lead in the $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on the Red River. VanDam is one of 350 anglers from 36 states competing for top awards of $100,000 in the Pro Division and $15,000 in the Co-Angler Division.
“It would be easy to go out (Thursday) and not get a bite,” said a cautiously optimistic VanDam. “Going into the tournament I thought it would take 26 pounds to make the cut, but from what I’ve seen, it may take more.”
VanDam’s opening round limit, which included a 7-pound, 8-ounce largemouth worth $750 as the biggest bass in the Pro Division, was caught in shallow, murky backwaters. “You’ve got to let it all hang out during the first two days, especially the first day,” he said. “You have to catch everything you can. You can’t fish conservatively and expect to win.”
Like VanDam, who is leading the Land O’Lakes Angler of the year points race, most competitors concentrated their efforts around flooded timber and backwater sloughs that are still accessible due to higher than average water levels. The baits of choice for these murky waters ranged from buzzbaits and spinnerbaits to crankbaits and tubes.
Bill Chapman of Salt Rock, W.Va. (five bass, 15-5); Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky. (five bass, 15-1); and Sam Swett of Covington, La. (five bass, 14-14) rounded out the top four anglers in the Pro Division. Kelly Jordon of Mineola, Texas, and Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., were tied for fifth with five bass each weighing 14-10.
Tommy Szwankowski of Hope, Ark., took the opening-day lead in the 175-person Co-Angler Division with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces followed by Darrel Fletcher of Newport, Ark. (five bass, 10-10) and Frank Smith of Shepherdsville, Ky. (five bass, 9-6).
Richard Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill., landed the co-angler big bass award with a 5-pound, 7-ounce largemouth worth $500.
Overall, 961 bass were caught Wednesday including 102 five-bass limits. More than 97.5 percent of the bass were returned to the Red River alive. If Operation Bass maintains at least a 98 percent live release rate throughout the 2001 season, Energizer will donate $25,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network.
Anglers in both divisions must place in the top 10 Thursday to advance to the semifinal round of competition Friday. Weights from opening day count toward making the first cut, but weights are cleared for the semifinal round as anglers fish for the heaviest one-day weight. Only the top five pros will advance to the final round Saturday. Co-angler competition ends Friday.
The tournament presented by ALPO Pet Foods is the fifth of seven stops on the $4.45 million 2001 Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Competition continues at 6:30 a.m. Thursday at Clark’s Red River Marina in Elm Grove followed by a 3 p.m. weigh-in at the same location. Friday’s takeoff starts at 8 a.m. at the marina followed by a 5 p.m. weigh-in at the Shreveport Wal-Mart on Westport Road. Saturday’s final takeoff starts at 6:30 a.m. followed by a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart.
A Family Fun Zone featuring fishing seminars, free product samples, interactive displays and children’s games will open in the Wal-Mart parking lot starting at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.