Home-State Favorite Kriet Takes Bassmaster Lead

GROVE, Okla. (AP) -- Fishing in his home state, Jeff Kriet of Ardmore overcomes an eight-pound deficit and surged into the lead Saturday after the third day of the Bassmaster Elite Series' Sooner Run

Saturday, June 23rd 2007, 6:59 pm

By: News On 6

GROVE, Okla. (AP) -- Fishing in his home state, Jeff Kriet of Ardmore overcomes an eight-pound deficit and surged into the lead Saturday after the third day of the Bassmaster Elite Series' Sooner Run on Grand Lake.

Kriet's catch of 24 pounds, 11 ounces on a cloudy, rainy day was the highest of the event, raising his overall total to 59 pounds, 13 ounces.

That's seven ounces more than Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who led after the first two days.

VanDam caught 16 pounds, 3 ounces today. No matter how he finishes, he will lead the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race after the event.

The event will end Sunday.

Kriet's only previous win came almost 10 years ago, in Oklahoma on Lake Texoma in a Bassmaster Invitational event that was a stop on a qualifying circuit.