Bassmaster Classic prognosticators say Jonathon VanDam has too big of a hill to climb in the finals to win the 2014 Bassmaster Classic.

While experts predict the winner will come from the top seven anglers in the standings, eighth-place VanDam says you can’t rule him out.

“This place is insane and it could happen,” said JVD. “The opportunity is there for 30-pound-plus bag. I caught 7s and 8s on my places in practice, so I know they are there.”

While Jon sits a little over 8 pounds behind leader Edwin Evers, Uncle Kevin – one of the pre-tournament favorites – failed to make the 25-man cut to the finals. The elder VanDam finished 26th, less than a pound behind the final cut spot.

Jonathon boated 18 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday while Kevin had 17-2.

“Same ol’ story; I had the fish on but lost them,” Kevin offered. “I had one bass come off when it straightened the hook on my swim jig and lost another on a Red Eye Shad. I caught 15 keepers but couldn’t get the ones I needed.”

Jonathon caught most of his fish on a ½-ounce (gold sexy shad) Strike King Red Eye Shad by fishing obscure banks that had a few scattered stumps.

And, to prove his point that the leaderboard can be shaken up with a good day, take a look at what Federation Nation angler Paul Mueller of Connecticut did Saturday.

After only catching three small bass the first day, he had “only” six bites yesterday but his five biggest weighed 32-3 to set a Bassmaster Classic single day weight record. He estimates his five weigh-in fish weighed 8.2 pounds, a pair of 6 3/4s, a 6½ and a 5½.

“It was a slow day, but when I got a bite, it was a good one,” he said with a smile. Mueller caught his fish on lipless crankbaits and Chatterbaits fishing the same areas he fished the day before.

“That’s what I’m talking about when I say it can happen,” said Jonathon.