Look out….here comes KVD

10:30 AM…From off the leader board to 2nd place. 2 ounces benind Northern Division qualifer, Terry McWilliams

THE UNOFFICIAL BASSMASTER CLASSIC TOP FIVE as of 10:15 AM CST — February 24, 2007:
#1: Kevin VanDam 26-09
#2: Terry McWilliams 25-15
#3: Boyd Duckett 25-14
#4: Gary Klein 24-4
#5: Steve Kennedy 23-10

Uh-oh…KVD decided to show up. – February 24, 2007, posted at 10:08 AM CST

Chalk this one up to the Holy Cow file.

Kevin VanDam was a virtual no-show yesterday. He wound up in 19th place with a late surge. Evidently, it took him a while to figure things out.

He didn’t forget much today. In the last hour he’s putting together the kind of push we expect out of VanDamage.

Right now, he’s got a limit totaling almost 13 pounds. That’s put him near the top of the leaderboard for the first.

Something makes us want to say, “it ain’t a Classic until KVD makes a move.”

Now that we are officially in the Classic, look out for KVD. And that statement has nothing to do with the fact he’s the captain of our Fantasy Fishing team.

— Steve Bowman

As the Wurm turns – February 24, 2007, posted at 10:45 AM CST

Mike Wurm is making a little move. We hardly heard anything from him yesterday, one of the hazards of relying on technology.

He wound up in 12th place, with us thinking he was close to last all day.

Some of us, though, knew Wurm wasn’t going to stay there. He’s one of the most versatile anglers in the Classic, so it didn’t make sense he wasn’t recording any catches. The only excuse had to be he was so far in the boonies, he would have had to send smoke signals to get a message to us.

The weigh in proved that. Today Wurm is making his way toward the top of the leaderboard. Just a few minutes ago, he moved in to the top five. Then Skeet Reese added to his weight and bumped him down to a tie for fifth with Gary Klein.

We can’t resist saying it: “Maybe the Wurm has turned.”

Biffle back on top after a weird first day – February 24, 2007, posted at 11:31 AM

The changes just keep rolling in. I wish I would have included Tommy Bifflein my plodder entry a few places back. I should have, I was thinking it,just didn’t do it.

I would have certainly felt like a visionary if I had.

Since then, Biffle has taken over the lead, thanks in large part to hisfifth fish of the day, that checks in at a reported 5 pounds. Look out. Those are the kinds of fish dreams are made of, and just the thing we’ve come to expect over the years from Biffle.

He’s another angler with the Classic monkey on his back. We remember a fewtimes when he was so close on the James River and High Rock. Before Aaron Martens became the bridesmaid of today, Biffle had that title for several years.

Now he’s back. Maybe renewed a bit. A 5-pounder can do that for you.

Biffle currently has a reported 32 pounds, 5 ounces, more than 3 pounds over Boyd Duckett in second. And Biffle is the king of the plodders. He’ll keep plugging away. And with a 15 pound, 10 ounce stringer in the boat, he knows what to do to catch another kicker.

If that right bite comes, he can start shaking monkeys real quick.

At 11:15 a.m.

THE UNOFFICIAL BASSMASTER CLASSIC TOP FIVE as of 11:25 AM CST — February 24, 2007:
#1: Tommy Biffle 32-05
#2: Boyd Duckett 28-14
#3: Terry Scroggins 27-04
#4: Kevin VanDam 26-09
#5: Terry McWilliams 25-15

With less than 30 minuts to go

#1: Tommy Biffle 33-05
#2: Ishama Monroe 31-05
#3: Kevin VanDam 30-03
#4: Boyd Duckett 29-14
#5: Skeet Reese 29-05

WOW KVD just brought in 19-14 w/ a 5-7 big bass