Three lasting lessons from Kevin VanDam’s final tournament
We all knew Minn Kota Stage Seven Presented by Suzuki would be Kevin VanDam’s final regular-season tournament, but I don’t think the gravity of the situation was felt until Saturday’s Knockout Round. Entering the semi-final round of competition, you started to hear more emotion in VanDam’s voice during interviews. The weight of the moment was […]
How to Winterize your Boat — KVD’s advice
Not only does Kevin Van Dam have an amazing track record as an accomplished bass angler, he’s also someone who takes really good care of his stuff. For anyone who’s seen KVD and heard him articulate what he’s found to be tried and true, we’re betting you’re not surprised by that, so it’s our pleasure […]
KVD’s Long Distance Trailering Tips
Long distance travel with a boat in tow requires some careful consideration before you leave your driveway. I get a lot of questions about towing with or without a cover and some of the extra steps needed to insure a safe trip and protect your investment. For short trips around home, I don’t cover the […]
You’ll never be as good as KVD — but keep trying
Sorry, I don’t mean to kill your dream, harsh your mellow, or pull the rug out from under you, but the title says it all: You’ll never be as good a bass angler as KVD. I hear it all the time from weekend warriors, aspiring pros, and people who can’t tell a crankbait from a […]
KVD’s Cold-water Tactics : Dispelling the Myths – Pt 2
In yesterday’s story, I offered the reasons I believe that water temperature is overrated when predicting activity levels in bass. For years we’ve believed that, to catch bass in super cold water, you have to fish dainty baits vertically and ever-so-slowly. My experiments while fishing through ice-covered lakes have proven that bass are more aggressive […]
KVD’s Cold-water Tactics : Dispelling the Myths – Pt 1
It’s wintertime here in Michigan and I’ve been very busy preparing for next season. I’m gathering up my new equipment, jerseys and tackle. With the cold weather comes ice fishing season for us here in the north. I have a private pond behind my house where I do a lot of lure testing. It’s a […]
VanDam Lives “It’s All About the Attitude” Mantra
If you want to know what’s made Kevin VanDam the most dominant professional bass angler of the past 30 years, the decal on the rear window of his Toyota Tundra’s truck cap provides profound insight. Like most hall of famers, greatness is anchored in their heads and hearts. VanDam is no exception. And the “It’s the all […]
Deep Bream Beds are the Coral Reefs of Freshwater
Summer is upon us and the “dog days” are ahead. Unless you’re fishing for smallmouth in the northern part of the country, July and August are often considered to be the leaner times for bass fishing. The postspawn frenzy is over, the “mega-schools” have broken up, water temperatures are reaching their highest points of the […]
The truth about water temperature
Twenty-five years ago, water temperature was viewed as the Holy Grail of bass fishing: it was believed to be the primary factor that influenced bass behavior. Early bass-fishing literature often cited specific temperatures at which bass would spawn. This implied that if you rode around the lake until you found water that was exactly 68 […]
Kevin VanDam’s element – bass fishing and beyond
Kevin VanDam, KVD has dedicated his career to all outdoor sports but specifically, bass fishing. Achieving more professional victories, career winnings and respect than any other angler to ever competitively fish. So what does it take to have the heart of a champion? Here’s an inside look…
The Business Side of Becoming a Pro
In last week’s blog “How to become a bass pro,” I outlined what you have to do to become a skilled competitor at the highest level. But there’s more to being a successful pro than being a good angler. You have to be a good businessman with a long-term plan; never get ahead of yourself […]
The Fishing Side of Becoming a Pro
One of the most popular questions I get asked is, “How can I become a bass pro?” There’s not a simple answer nor do I believe my way the only way, but I have advice on how to make that happen. Essentially, there are two dynamically different, yet equally important, aspects to achieving this goal. […]