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VanDam, Powroznik, and Swindle talk Toledo Bend
Kevin VanDam and Jacob Powroznik have both won recent Bassmaster Elite Series events on Toledo Bend. And reigning Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Gerald Swindle, recently finished second on the giant reservoir – all three graciously provided insight on what fans can expect at this year’s event.
1.) Will the majority of the anglers who earn a paycheck in this tournament be fishing shallower or deeper than 8-feet of water?
VanDam – less than 8-feet
Powroznik – less than 8-feet
Swindle – less than 8-feet
2.) This reservoir recorded 139 largemouth of 10-pounds or greater in the Toledo Bend Lunker Bass program last year. How many bass 10 pounds or greater will we see weighed-in during this Elite Series tournament?
VanDam – I’ll say none. It’s post spawn and they’re skinnier. I weighed-in three fish in the 8 to 9 pound range last year when I won, but none that were 10 pounds or bigger.
Powroznik – I’ll say none.
Swindle – Zero
3.) Choose three anglers other than yourself for a Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing team here at Toledo Bend.
VanDam – Guys that are great at catching them off spawning beds like Powroznik, Rojas and Alton Jones
Powroznik – Bill Lowen, Greg Hackney and Dean Rojas
Swindle – Todd Faircloth and Scott Rook, because both of them will drag a Carolina-rigged lizard around until the legs fall off it, and I’ll say Shaw Grigsby too.
4.) The Masters Tournament is being played at Augusta this weekend. Do you play golf, and if so what’s the lowest score you’ve ever shot.
VanDam – I’m not a golfer, but I really admire the PGA pros for their talent.
Powroznik – I don’t play much. My lowest score was a 99.
Swindle – Nope. I’m not a golfer.
5.) We’ve been to Toledo Bend several times in recent years. What do you like most about Toledo Bend?
VanDam – Crawfish boils
Powroznik – All the versatility it offers in terms of fishing patterns that work here.
Swindle – The campground where Lulu and I stay is real nice and real close to the launch ramp.
VanDam Says Wind is Not your Friend
Wednesday morning had a weird vibe at Cypress Bend Park’s well-known boat ramp on Toledo Bend.
It was as though all the stars slept in on the final day of practice for the Bassmaster Elite Series presented by EconoLodge. The top-notch boat ramp that normally has 50 to 70 pros launching from it, only had eight at sunrise.
Gerald Swindle who is staying nearby, could be seen driving over the hill toward a far more distant ramp.
Finally, Skeet Reese showed up at Cypress Bend. Then came Aaron Martens and Kevin VanDam.
VanDam had barely put his Tundra in park when he warned, “Wind is not your friend on Toledo Bend.”
Keep in mind, VanDam likes this place. It’s only been 11 months since he deep-cranked 96-pounds of bass from its famed waters to take home the 21st victory of his unparalleled career, and yet another check for $100,000.
On Wednesday, his feelings weren’t quite as warm as winds stiffened the iconic flags that proudly decorate Cypress Bend Park.
“When I got out of bed and it was already blowing 25, I knew a lot of the shallow spots I’d want to check had already been muddied up,” says VanDam. “When the wind gusts over 30 mph here – it’s just no fun – it’s dangerous actually.”
VanDam is right – in fact, a Lake Wind Advisory has been issued for Wednesday, warning pros and all boaters that not only had their favorite fishing holes been muddied, but also that being on the water might not be the brightest idea.
However, when you make your living by finding and catching bass, you seldom get the day off, and VanDam needs this day to learn more than what he gathered Monday and Tuesday.
“We’re here six weeks earlier than when I won last year. Those were all post-spawn fish that were grouped up in 25-feet of water last May. Right now, most fish are in the tail-end of the spawn and they haven’t all moved out deep to group up real good – so I’m still looking – and letting conditions dictate what I do,” explains VanDam.
The chance of Kevin VanDam winning on a deep school again are pretty slim, but that doesn’t mean he can’t seize victory with a mixed-bag of spawners and post-spawners. The good news is winds are forecasted to calm for Thursday’s first day of competition and that will allow for better sight fishing.
So while the winds may be blowing and he may have taken his time getting to the ramp this morning, the most dominant angler of the past 30 years is looking with rifle focus to calmer competition days and a shot to win once more.
Respected Toledo Bend Guide Previews Elite Series Tournament
Darold Gleason is always quick with a one-liner to make you laugh, but his fishing resume commands serious respect.
The popular fulltime Toledo Bend fishing guide has caught seven bass over 10 pounds in the past decade from the famed reservoir, and he’s got fiberglass replicas from the Toledo Bend Lake Association to prove it.
In addition to the South Toledo Bend Guide Service that he’s operated fulltime the past five years, he has notched Top 20 finishes in Bassmaster Open competition and competed against Elite Series pros in the June 2015 BASSfest on Kentucky Lake, where he finished 14th.
However, the biggest 5-bass limit he’s ever caught in a tournament came with the help of wife Randi in early March of 2016, when they hauled a massive 34-pound winning stringer to the scales on Toledo Bend in a team event.
He graciously provides insight from his home waters on what fans can expect before;p the Bassmaster Elite presented by EconoLodge begins Thursday morning.
Q: It rained and stormed so hard this past week, The Weather Channel sent meteorologist Reynolds Wolf to this region to track the torrential wind and rains. How did that weather affect the lake conditions?
Gleason: The lake didn’t rise too significantly, but it did muddy up some of the backs of creeks where guys had probably hoped to be able to look for bass on spawning beds.
Q: The Bassmaster Elite Series has visited Toledo Bend frequently in recent years. Which of those past events is this one setting up to resemble the most?
Gleason: Probably the one in April 2011 when Dean Rojas beat Gerald Swindle by 1 ounce. Gerald and most of the field keyed-in on the shad spawn with jerkbaits and other horizontal baits, and there’s a lot of that action going on here right now. But Rojas milked a few key spawning fish to get the narrow win.
Q: Speaking of the spawn, what percentage of the fish that get weighed-in this week do you think will be caught from a spawning bed?
Gleason: I’d guess around 25%
Q: What five lures fans can we expect to see the Elite Series pros use a bunch this week?
Gleason: Topwater poppers, jerkbaits, a ¾ ounce football jig, a Carolina Rig and a deep crankbait like the 6th Sense C15 that will run in that 15 to 20 feet deep zone.
Q: How much weight will a guy need to average each day to assure himself a place in the final day’s Top 12 cut?
Gleason: You’d better average 17 or 18 pounds a day to make the Top 12.
Jordan Lee Balances Phone and Fishing at Toledo Bend
The air was thick and humid, so Jordan Lee wore red Carhartt rain bibs to easily avoid a wet butt from boat seats soaked with morning dew to begin the second day of practice for the Bassmaster Elite Series on Toledo Bend presented by EconoLodge.
However, keeping up with an abundance of phone calls following the most dramatic comeback in Bassmaster Classic history has been a little more challenging for the bass fishing’s brand new 25-year-old champion.
Still, he graciously took ten minutes to talk about the past nine days, and his expectations of what will unfold on the massive reservoir that straddles the Louisiana-Texas border.
What has been the biggest challenge since becoming a Bassmaster Classic Champion nine days ago?
My phone. I’m getting 15 phone calls a day from numbers I don’t recognize. It’s been tough to keep up with all the requests, especially during practice here in the Toledo Bend region where cell service is really poor.
What’s been the coolest thing you’ve experienced as a brand new Classic champion?
All the people congratulating me and also meeting two of our soldiers during a stop at the Tackle Addict store. Meeting members of our armed forces really put things into perspective for me. I’m definitely grateful for all that they do for us.
Were you able to stay focused yesterday during the first official practice day on Toledo Bend?
Yea, it felt like a normal day of practice. Winning won’t change the way I fish. I’m still learning, and I’m always wanting to learn more. So it was just good to get on the water yesterday and stay focused on working hard to figure ‘em out.
Speaking of the fishing, there’s been a lot of talk about spawning fish playing a big role in the event. What percentage of the bass that will get weighed-in this week will be spawning bass?
I’ll guess 30-percent.
So it could be a mixed bag of patterns and lures. Tell fans four lures you think the Elite Series field will lean on most this week at Toledo Bend.
I’d say a ChatterBait, a frog, a swim jig and a topwater of some kind.
Matt Lee Speaks
After his brother Jordan won the 2017 Bassmaster Classic in dramatic fashion we caught up with Matt Lee and got his reaction. The raw emotion can not be explained.