How to fish in all seasons with a swimbait – a deep dive demonstration
One of the best year-round baits is the #swimbait. Knowing how to fish it and following some of these pointers will keep you reeling in the fish no matter the weather. KVD gives you a deep dive into his technique and fishing tips for swimbaits to read the conditions and mimic bait fish. @StrikeKingLure makes […]
How to find fishing spots from banks of ponds, streams, lakes and rivers
If you’re an avid angler like me, you know there are plenty of great fishing opportunities around, especially from the shore. Growing up, I spent countless hours fishing in ponds, and I often found success by simply asking landowners for permission to fish in their private lakes. However, the real adventure begins when you start […]
Kevin VanDam unveils plans for outdoor media production
The VanDam Experience is set to air on The Outdoor Channel in 2025 KALAMAZOO, Mich. (March 14, 2024) Kevin VanDam, the most accomplished professional bass angler in history, will be sharing his extensive outdoor experience with viewers across the world with his new show, The VanDam Experience, which will debut in 2025. VanDam’s sensational success […]
VanDam grabs Saginaw Bay lead, eyes victory in final regular-season event of career
BAY CITY, Mich. – The Knockout Round provided punch after punch, but none landed harder than Kevin VanDam’s 21-pound, 8-ounce haymaker bag of smallmouth on Saginaw Bay at Minn Kota Stage Seven Presented by Suzuki. Fishing in his last regular-season event ever, the bass fishing G.O.A.T. holds a 2-13 lead over Dakota Ebare heading into […]
Kevin VanDam’s Plan for Late-Summer Largemouth in the Northern States
It’s the tail end of summertime and many anglers living in the northern states – or those making the pilgrimage north to beat the heat – are thinking smallmouth. Bronzebacks get the bulk of the attention in places like Michigan, Wisconsin and New York, but there are plenty of largemouth (and some big ones), as […]
Upgrading Older Fishing Boats With New Tech | Part 1
After my last column about purchasing used tournament boats, I’ve had a couple of questions about upgrading older or smaller boats with current equipment and technology like trolling motors, electronics, and shallow water anchors. Some anglers are sentimental about their 20-year-old bass boats while others fish from smaller, economical aluminum boats. The great news is […]
Frog fishing technique with KVD
Who doesn’t love throwing a frog? Check out a few tips and tricks i’ve learned over the years to get the fish to burst through the mat to the lure. It’s about getting the right skip and action on the frog lure. Additional tip to hook ’em : On a frog bite you should pause […]
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 […]
Kevin VanDam on Marina Docks and His Slick New Plastics Storage
When Kevin VanDam fishes a marina, he brings out the flipping gear and Strike King creature baits, and pinpoints seawalls, docks, boat lifts, etc. When we hopped on VanDam’s boat for an afternoon at a Detroit-area marina, he showed off the efficiency of his new Plano Stowall bags while sharing some tips on “Bass Fishing […]
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 […]
Getting the Wheels and Reels Turning Again
After 11 weeks of nationwide lockdowns, shutdowns and closures, it looks like the Bass Pro Tour has gotten the green flag to fish again. It’s time to hit the road, get back to work and get back to the word we all love in this sport: competition! The first event back for the Bass Pro […]