KVD’s Advice on Buying a Used Tournament Rig
With boat sales being wide open over the last 18 months, I’ve fielded a lot of questions about boat purchasing recently. As a professional angler, part of my job is being a boat salesman. In fact, my very first job was selling boats for my brother, Randy, who owns D&R Sports in Kalamazoo, Michigan, so […]
Chasing Unicorns – pace and patterns
When the Bass Pro Tour hit the home stretch of the 2021 season with three events on smallmouth waters – Waddington, Champlain and St. Clair – I was reminded why I have such a passion for catching smallmouth bass. For me, the pinnacle of bass fishing is finding an untapped school of smallmouth and experiencing […]
Skip Cast Like a Pro, Part 2 of 2
In Part 1 of my Skip Cast Like a Pro blog, I addressed some of the nuts and bolts of the deadly skip casting technique, which employs accuracy and stealth with a baitcaster to catch fish from places where others will not put a lure. In Part 2, I want to talk about line, lures […]
The Subtleties of Cranking for Smallmouth
It’s no secret that finesse techniques play a dominant role in catching smallmouth bass throughout most of the year, but when the calendar turns to September crankbaits become an extremely effective way to load the boat with aggressive smallmouth. We saw this play out on Lake St Clair for Stage Seven of the Bass Pro […]
Back-to-School Bass Fishing tips – Fall fishing
Kevin VanDam wears a prideful grin as he stands in front of the Otsego Bulldogs school sign on an early September morning. Not only did he attend kindergarten through 12th grade there, but his sons Jackson and Nicholas graduated from the district as well. “My favorite elementary teacher was my 4th-grade teacher Mr. Sleep because […]
Skip Cast Like a Pro (Part 1 of 2)
If you want to become a better tournament bass angler, one of the skills you must learn is the ability to skip lures on low-trajectory casts into very tight spaces while landing the bait softly and quietly. With fishing pressure at an all-time high and more nooks and crannies being built on lakes by the […]
Some Sensational New Fishing Gear from ICAST
ICAST was back on the calendar this year and I was glad to see it in action in Orlando in July. Over my career, I’ve probably been to ICAST 25 times; it’s a show I enjoy going to. For me, ICAST is about the people. It’s the one time a year where I get to […]
Finding the Technology Sweet Spot at Chickamauga
Two weeks ago at Lake Chickamauga, I earned my first win on the Bass Pro Tour. It was a very special week and it’s a win that means a tremendous amount to me for many reasons. I wanted this win for my fans, sponsors and especially my family – my wife Sherry and my two […]
Drawdowns are the Catalyst for Fall Transition
It’s been a long, hot summer and fall is finally in the air. With that, the fall transition has begun on many lakes across the country. Days are getting shorter, water is cooling down, baitfish are beginning to move and the bass are breaking out of their summer doldrums. This time of year, I’m often […]
Improving your tournaments – Really – and I Mean REALLY – Dialing in Your Practice (Part 2 of 2)
In my previous column, I told you about some of the basic conditions and factors that I research in preparation for official practice for the tournaments I fish. Once you’ve made your basic preparations and have a general frame of reference (overall weather trends and typical seasonal patterns) now it’s time to start honing in […]
Let me help you improve your tournament practice (Pt 1 of 2)
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What The Classic means to me – KVD
He’s reached the big show 28 times, earned four trophies and owns one of only three back-to-back victories. But while the experience level and economic benefits are undeniable, Kevin VanDam says the Bassmaster Classic has never lost that je ne sais quoi of which dreams are made. “There are several championships and high-profile events, but […]