Kevin VanDam

Kevin Visits ESPN

Feb 25, 2011 - 12:13 PM

Check out video and audio from Kevin's ESPN stop on February 24, 2011:

video here

audio here

VanDam Relentless

Feb 20, 2011 - 10:45 PM

> Day 1; 5, 19-03
> Day 2: 5, 22-08
> Day 3: 5, 28-00
> Total = 15, 69-11

When VanDam won the Classic at Lay last year, Clunn told him not to wait too long to claim his fourth trophy – Clunn was looking forward to a future head-to-head duel to see who'd be the first to capture No. 5.

The way things are going, Clunn had better make sure he qualifies for the 2012 event in Shreveport, as it might be his only opportunity to keep KVD from winning that race.

"This never gets old," VanDam said. "What a day, what a week, what a special place for me, for sure.

"I try to win every single time, and this time the conditions worked out. I got dialed in on the first day and I knew I'd have to change and adapt in that area, and it wasn't easy by any means. I think I just made the adjustments a little quicker than the other guys.

"I don't compete to try to break records or because of how other people are going to view me," he continued. "I compete to win. I don't take these for granted because I know how hard it is just to get to the Classic, much less try to win one. The last couple of years have been magical. The moon and the stars have to line up and I've got to just pinch myself that it's happened two times in a row."

He said after day 1 that he'd be very surprised if the tournament wasn't won out of the big spawning flat in Lake Cataouatche that he shared with Martens, Remitz and Rook, and he made that statement hold up. When the bite changed on day 2 and the fish were no longer inhaling spinnerbaits, he was quick to discern that they'd take a crankbait fished methodically – as in multiple casts to the same cypress stump, followed by a relatively slow retrieve.

"I was pretty confident going into this morning. I didn't want to jinx myself, but I knew what I needed to do today."

When asked if he felt for Martens, who's come close so many times and badly wanted to win this one for his ailing father, he said that he did. But that sort of emotion doesn't factor into how he goes about his business.

"Last year I held back a little bit (during the on-stage celebration) because I knew how crushed Jeff Kriet was. As good of friends as we are, it would be great to see Aaron win, and if (Palaniuk) won it would do amazing things for the sport.

"But I'm out there to do my job and in the end, I'm not laying off."

KVD wraps up his 4th Bassmaster Classic title!

Feb 20, 2011 - 10:34 PM

Leading by more than 3 ½ pounds going into the last day, VanDam caught 28 pounds Sunday, his biggest limit of the world championship, and collected a record-tying fourth Bassmaster Classic title in dominating fashion. His three-day total weighed 69 pounds, 11 ounces, the heaviest ever taken to the scale in a Classic with a five-fish daily limit.

"I don't compete to break records or for how other people may view me," said VanDam, who won $500,000 to push his career earnings past $5 million, also a Bassmaster record. "I love competition. I compete to win."

VanDam tied legendary pro Rick Clunn for most Classic titles and also matched Clunn as the only angler to win the Classic in consecutive years.

"He's obviously the best there is right now," Clunn said. "He's in that wonderful place you hope to reach when you start this. Kevin isn't going to beat himself. He's found that space where only a few have been, and he's not even close to the last chapter of what he's writing."

VanDam set another unofficial record for efficiency. VanDam's records came during a tournament that was shortened by fog delays on all three competition days. Instead of 24 cumulative hours of fishing time, VanDam had about 19 ½ hours.

"The guy's an amazing athlete," 2003 Classic champion Mike Iaconelli said. "He's the best angler in the world."

Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., also broke Luke Clausen's Classic weight record of 56-2 from the 2006 championship on Florida's Lake Toho. But Martens' 59-0 left him more than 10 pounds behind VanDam, not enough to prevent him from finishing second for the fourth time in a Bassmaster Classic or playing Classic bridesmaid to VanDam for the second time.

"This is the easiest second place I've ever had, and I'm not just saying that," Martens said. "If it would've been closer, it might be different. But there's no stress, no remorse."

VanDam and Martens fished within earshot of each other throughout the Classic, plying the waters of an area known locally as Tank Pond, a popular spot for recreational and local tournament anglers on Lake Cataouatche. It's a stump-infested backwater on the west side of the lake. Decades ago it was a freshwater lake that fell on hard times after tropical storm systems pushed brackish water into the area, killing its thick stands of cypress and tupelo trees. The stumps remain, and freshwater diverted into the area from the David Pond diversion on the Mississippi River, in conjunction with Florida bass stocking by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, has breathed new life into the area's bass fishing. This week's warm temperatures and full moon made it a highway for largemouth bass as they began a transition into spawning mode.

Over the first two days of the 41st annual Classic, the competition appeared to be shaping up as a battle between Lake Cataouatche and the Venice area. But Cataouatche won by knockout Sunday. It produced four limits over 25 pounds on the tournament's final day.

The spot's productivity amazed even the best bass anglers in the world. Third-place finisher Derek Remitz of Grant, Ala., also fished there, hauling in a 26-5 limit on Day Three for a total of 56-8 that made him the first to surpass the Classic weight record.

Federation Nation champion Brandon Palaniuk fished near Tank Pond, too, finishing fourth with 55-7.

"We hit it a special week of the year," Martens said. "Today was probably the one of the best days of the year fishing on the Delta."

No one figured out the area like VanDam. He made a transition from a spinnerbait to a crankbait on Day Two, a move he credited for his victory. He found stumps by fan casting the crankbait and then repeatedly targeted them for numerous bites.

2:16 Bassmaster Classic field update

Feb 20, 2011 - 3:36 PM

Video in from KVD on the water here.

2:16pm - 

Trey Reid reports in that Chapman is done and headed back in with one stop in front of him to gas up.

He's in the 16-pound range, nowhere near enough to catch KVD.

The only one who really can at the moment is Remitz, and that would rely completely on a log donkey or two. It's still possible and there is plenty of time.

Aaron Martens, though, finally started putting together another good day. He's at 19 pounds and change -- too little, too late. Iaconelli has 20 and he can't do it either.

Duckett has a strong sack, possibly the biggest of the tournament. But he sucked it up early on.

Overall, the weights for Day Three are much higher. I suspect that is a product of the conditions coupled with the fact that half the field is no longer out there sharing in catches.

As for KVD, it would be great to peek into his mind about now. He knows he's at 22-plus and what everyone else has to do to catch him. He's seen Remitz all day and has probably heard about Duckett. He has no idea about Chapman.

I bet there's part of him rehearsing his victory speech. Another part trying to figure out how he can squeeze the life out of the competition, now that he has a foot on their neck.

He's the nicest guy out there. But he's also the most competitive and doesn't want to leave any doors open.

-- Steve Bowman

Unofficial Standings Bassmater Classic 2011 - 1:45pm

Feb 20, 2011 - 2:54 PM

Here are the updated BASSTrakk standings. Now these are totally unofficial.

Kevin VanDam's seemed to put the hammer down with catch.

1:10 pm:

We've been so focused on Remitz, VanDam and Chapman (really the only three that bear watching) that we haven't noticed some other things going on in the standings.

Notably, Boyd Duckett has finished his limit. He has about 19 pounds and might be enough to put him in the Super Six at the end of the day.

And Ike has a 20-pound limit caught from the Venice area, which moves him into fifth. No way he can catch KVD, but there are obviously much larger sacks being produced today.

Makes you want to think about what would have been if there hadn't been the fog delays and/or what this might look like a week from now.

Classic Final day updates

Feb 20, 2011 - 1:04 PM

11:11AM -

VanDam has a jar of nails and he's pounding them into the coffins of every other angler on the Delta. On Chapman, the nail is poised to be driven, courtesy of a 4-pounder he just landed amid shouts of "KVD, you are the man!"

That gives him an easy 17 to 17 1/2 pounds in my book after he threw back a 1 1/2-pound dink. He's got one more about 2 pounds in the boat and when he culls that, this thing could be over. We're not even half-way through the day.

10:58 AM -

I just read Rob Russow's blog entry at 10:33 a.m. He mentions an exchange between KVD and Martens. KVD relayed to Aaron that he had "about 16 pounds."

BASSTrakk doesn't have them that high. Rob Russow, who has two of the best eyes on the water, had it lighter than that.

We, all of us including VanDam, can just speculate on what he may have. But what I really don't think is speculation is what KVD was seeking to accomplish in that exchange.

KVD is the master at playing the game. He knows the area he is in is capable of producing a big sack for Martens. He knows Martens is capable of catching a big sack. But he also knows he can plant the seed of doubt and let it sprout, plant the seed of futility and let it grow.

I can remember at this year's AOY playoff, when he was charging to over take Skeet on the Alabama River. Each morning in the interviews, he would not only say he was confident that he could win, but add a fishing report and advice into his speech to all the other anglers. It wasn't like he was saying "you go and do this" but he would say something like "once these guys get going, they are the best in the business. They start getting up real shallow and tossing their jigs and crankbaits around wood cover,'' and so on. Basically telling them how they could catch more fish, separating him more and more from Skeet.

As for Skeet, the last thing he needed was for more guys to know how to get it done. And a little air goes out of the sails.

It's like John Madden diagramming a play and sending it to the sidelines.

Like I said, KVD is the master of that game. And it is a very big part of the game. I've watched the greats like Roland Martin, Larry Nixon and Denny Brauer play that for decades.

Just another aspect of things that makes this day so compelling.

-- Steve Bowman

9:37 AM -

VanDam pulls into a fish and crouches down so low it looks like he is doing a dance. It's obvious from the start, this is a big fish. He plays this bass very carefully and lays down to yank it into the boat.

That was a game changer, as VanDam likes to say. It is easily 5 pounds, probably putting KVD in the 10.5-pound range with only three fish. James Overstreet captured the moment brilliantly and I'm excited just looking at the shot.

Can't wait for everyone to see it. The picture captures everything that moment was about, from the emotions on Kevin's face, to the death-grip he has on what could be a record-setting fish.

9:29 AM -

VanDam is throwing a mostly chartreuse crankbait. The water back in here is pretty stained.

Even though more boats are arriving, they keep well back from the circle. VanDam is good at keeping contact with the boats around him to let them know where he wants them to stay.

"He should be directing traffic at the airport."

VanDam boats about a 1.5-pound bass, which gives him two fish for 5 pounds.

"This area is so capable of producing a 25- to 30-pound bag, I've just been waiting for these guys to do it."

What's special about this spot?

"This whole area is called the Davis Pond Project. They put in a diversion that comes straight off the river to help create more wetlands," Kennedy said. "All the nutrients backwashing from the river and then all the Florida strain stocking they did.

"This fishery is unbelievably healthy right now. Cal Delta? How about the Louisiana Delta. We're about to put a whupping on Toho today."

Sunday morning updates

Feb 20, 2011 - 10:04 AM

8:55 AM:

Morizo Shimizu was the only angler who hat did not take off with the rest of the group. They were still trying to get his motor fixed while the rest of the competitors idled to the mouth of Bayou Segnette State Park.

We are headed to the Tank Ponds to see if KVD can put away his fourth Classic title.

A lot of records are on the line today for the man from Kalamazoo. With a victory today, he would tie Rick Clunn for four wins in the big show, including two in a row. If he catches about 15 pounds, he will also set the Classic record for heaviest three-day total, currently the 56-2 held by Luke Clausen on Toho in 2006.

Brent Chapman has a shot as well if he brings in closer to 19 pounds.

I'm rolling with photog James Overstreet and driver James Kennedy, who is a bit crazy, but I can tell already he will be full of great quotes.

As we were running down Lake Cat, he yelled, "Kevin will be winning his fourth Classic today. With this wind we have, this tournament is over."

8:38 AM:

Scott Rook is an even 10 pounds behind KVD in fifth place. He's been fishing alongside the Day Two leader -- as has first-day leader Aaron Martens -- in the Tank Pond, known for producing some monster bass.

Rook said he and KVD have been throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

"I'm optimistic," Rook said. "I'm in the area with some big fish."

Yes sir, you are. A local said that last year at this time two 12-pounders were caught there on the same day. One bite like that from the top six or seven anglers would make this interesting, and a slam dunk if it's KVD.

But can Kevin be beat?

"I would think that it's Kevin's to lose," Rook said. "Brent only had three hours to fish and had 20 pounds, that's pretty stout. He only fished an hour and 10 minutes yesterday. It's taking us all day."

Rook estimated both he and KVD caught around 8-9 fish on Friday. The numbers went up to 15-18 on Day Two, but only KVD caught the quality fish. After his 19-6, Rook fell from second to fifth with 12-5.

And what happened to Aaron Martens, the Day One leader with 20-7 who slipped to third with 12-11?

"He expanded on the area," but apparently couldn't locate the quality. With 33-2, Martens is 8-9 back, but he does have a chance with the prospect of big fish roaming the area. Oh, and he loves the early bite.

"It's interesting. We catch them real quick and then it dies and then picks back up around noon," Rook said. "Pretty typical of a full moon deal. They feed at night and continue on early for a little while. The warmer water gets their metabolism up and means they're going to eat more."

8:30 AM: KVD just took off to lead the anglers out after a fog delay

KVD: “It was a grind”

Feb 19, 2011 - 11:13 PM

> Day 1: 5, 19-03
> Day 2: 5, 22-08
> Total = 10, 41-11

VanDam insisted that his day wasn't nearly as easy as his final tally indicated.

"It took a long time," he said. "When you weigh in a bag like that people think you just went out there and caught the heck out of them, but in reality it was a grind yesterday, it was a grind today and it'll be a grind tomorrow.

"Luck counts. We're all fishing there and the fish are roaming around and you can't visually see your targets. Yesterday I felt I had the potential to catch a lot more (than 19-03). Scott (Rook) and I talked about it after practice and we knew that a potential 30-pound bag was there if you could hit the timing right. Yesterday I never got a big bite and today I got two."

As is his custom, he wouldn't reveal how many keeper bites he got today. The biggest fish he brought to the scale went 6-03.

Spinnerbaits accounted for most of the combined 58 pounds that he, Martens and Rook brought in on day 1. The blades were not as effective today, and it was VanDam who made the best adjustment.

"I caught some of my best fish on a spinnerbait, but I did change. I caught one on a crankbait. I experimented a bunch yesterday and I assume I'll have to do that again (tomorrow).

"I'll throw whatever they'll bite. I just keep trying until they hit something."

A notorious runner and gunner, he said that earlier in his career he wouldn't have had the patience to spend all day beating a single hole to death in a rotation with multiple other anglers.

"No, I couldn't have done that a while ago. I remember getting beat by somebody who was the ultimate hole-sitter. A guy like Guido Hibdon, you could put him in a creek that had 10 bass in it and if you gave him a little time, he'd find a way to catch all 10 of them.

"I've learned that when you do find a special spot, it's worth hanging around and grinding it out."

Day 2 wrap up

Feb 19, 2011 - 11:04 PM

VanDam weighed in a tournament-best 22 pounds, 8 ounces of Louisiana Delta largemouth bass today to overtake Day One leader Aaron Martens and build a 3-10 lead over Brent Chapman in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic. If he wins the tournament, it'll be KVD's fourth Classic crown, tying Rick Clunn for the all-time BASS record.

This year's world championship is shaping up not just as a battle of angler vs. angler, or VanDam vs. the rest of the field or VanDam against history, for that matter, but also as one between two primary areas.

As other anglers braved two-hour runs through thick Louisiana Delta fog on the second day of competition to get to Venice, VanDam went back to a community hole in Cataouatche and calmly showed why he's still the mayor of the community.

KVD on a roll

Feb 19, 2011 - 9:43 PM

5:45 - The anglers are in and the weigh-in is about to begin.

Were any questions answered today? Well, not really.

Lake Cat still produced for KVD and Venice was even hotter on Day Two, even with the shortened fishing time.

Some anglers faltered as expected on the Delta. Aaron Martens had a disappointing day, Mike McClelland broke down and Bobby Lane couldn't catch fish fast enough.

Some got even better. John Crews posted a big mark, Brent Chapman kept the pace and KVD seems unstoppable.

One more day of fishing left. Who will make the top-25 cut and who will lift the 2011 Bassmaster Classic trophy? Expect more of the same great live blog coverage on Sunday as the tournament concludes.

They're rolling.

KVD jumps on top - day 2 on water reports

Feb 19, 2011 - 4:50 PM

3:27pm: Just when you thought it couldn't get any more compelling, Skeet Reese jumps into the mix with a 13-plus stringer that puts him in sixth place, just ahead of Klein.

Skeet has 28-2 total and he's one of those Venice guys, making four of the top seven coming from Venice.

Paul Elias just jumped into 10th with a 10-pound limit. He always under guesses.

This is the way we see the Lake Cat versus Venice battle going

1 KVD -- Lake Cat
2. Brent Chapman -- Venice
3. John Crews -- Venice
4. Rook -- Lake Cat
5. Remitz -- Lake Cat
6. Skeet -- Venice
7. Gary Klein -- Venice
8. Palaniuk -- Lake Cat
9. Bobby Lane -- Venice
10. Paul Elias -- Venice

3:20pm:

Kevin VanDam is again leading.

It's been back and forth on BASSTrakk. It's certain to be an entertaining weigh-in on Day Two of the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.

Classic day 2 fog delay

Feb 19, 2011 - 10:58 AM

9:46am - The fog is obviously much thicker today than yesterday. We were under way by this time. But today we are still sitting and waiting for an oppressive fog to start to lift. No positive signs yet.

Already more than an hour and a half past take off time, you have to start thinking about the implications if it goes much longer.

According to Trip Weldon, if it's still too unsafe to run at 11 a.m., chances are the day will be cancelled. I have no idea if that will move everything over to a Monday final or if everything will be on the line Sunday.

Right now, we don't have to know those things. We have a couple hours to see what will happen. We're crossing our fingers that this blanket will soon burn off.

-- Steve Bowman

KVD Working Hard

Feb 19, 2011 - 10:38 AM

When KVD starts the week in third place, you automatically know that your work will be cut out for you if you’re the leader. “It’s important to have a strong first day, so I knew that I had to put myself in a position that I wouldn’t be out of contention from the start,” he explained. 

“Especially with the area that I’m fishing, I knew that I’d need to have a really good day. I fished pretty well, but I don’t think I lost any bites that hurt me. I know that there are some big fish in there,” KVD said. “I watched some of the guys around me catch them, but I wasn’t every able to run across a really good one. That’s what it’s about in this deal.”

Fishing scattered grass, Kevin pointed out that unlike a target-rich flipping event, this is more of an “any cast might be the one” type of deal. “You just never know when you’ll run into a really good fish in there,” he said. 

“I’m fishing there because I know that the type of quality you’ll need to win lives there. It’s catching them that’s the hard part.”

Over the course of the day, the water in the Cataouatche area rose a foot and became more stained. “It’s definitely a little better on Wednesday when it was lower and a little more clear,” he said. “It was a struggle today really. I caught a good bag, but I had to work really hard for it.”

KVDs report heading into day 2

Feb 19, 2011 - 7:51 AM

It's Day 2 of the Bassmaster Classic, and I like my chances even though I'm sitting in third.

I needed a big bag yesterday, and while 19-3 is pretty good, I was hoping for better. The area I'm fishing has the potential to produce a giant bag, and it might do that before this thing is over.

The bite was weird. A lot of fish didn't take it like I thought they would, but that's due to the full moon and the fast warming water temperatures. These fish are looking to spawn, so eating wasn't a big priority for them yesterday.

The important thing is I didn't take myself out of contention yesterday like some anglers did.

Like the old saying goes, "You can't win the Classic on the first day, but you sure can lose it."

I'm happy with my decisions and glad I didn't make the long run to Venice. Just as I thought, fog delays affected the tournament yesterday and will probably hold us up again Saturday and Sunday.

In my experience, it's best to control as many variables as you can in a tournament like this; and knowing fog was likely, fishing a little closer to the launch site allowed me to do that.

Besides, the area I'm in matches the conditions perfectly. It's a spawning area that is known for big fish. I caught an 8-pounder in there during practice and I think it will get better as the water warms up. I really believe the tournament will be won there.

Of course, I'm sharing the area with Day One leader Aaron Martens and my road roommate, Scott Rook, who is in second. We fished in there during practice so I expected the three of us would start there. We're fishing within sight of each other and getting pretty close at times. We're all professionals and will handle it accordingly.

We've attracted a sizable crowd of spectator boats, and I would imagine more will be there today. They've been respectful and we have no problems with them. Most of them stay back, anchor and watch with binoculars. The area is pretty shallow, so anytime there is a lot of trolling motors churning around it makes the fish a little uneasy.

There was a report yesterday that I had a tiff with a spectator, which is entirely untrue. I did yell to get the attention of a B.A.S.S. camera boat driver who was driving over an area I was about to fish. I just had to get his attention so that he knew where I was going to fish. It was no big deal.

KVD in third place, day 1, Bassmaster Classic

Feb 18, 2011 - 8:24 PM

19 pounds, 3 ounces from KVD to take 3rd place. Details coming.

Ramp estimates - day 1

Feb 18, 2011 - 5:54 PM

More estimates from the ramp:

VanDam update: he actually said 17, possibly more...
Scroggins, 10 pounds (no BASSTrakk info)
Iaconelli, 14.5 pounds (about the same as BT)
Keith Combs, 13 pounds (2 less than BT)
Steve Kennedy, 2.4 (only two fish)
Andy Montgomery, 7 pounds (exactly the same as BT)
John Crews, 12 pounds (2 more than BT)

Bowman, who is at the dock getting these weights, think both Reese and VanDam are lying. They have more than they're letting on.

Day 1 morning updates

Feb 18, 2011 - 2:08 PM

12:50pm: Just watched KVD reel in a whole bunch of grass and a little bit of bass. He's getting his culling tags on his five fish so he'll be ready to get rid of that peanut -- hopefully sooner rather than later.

11:28am: KVD said on Tuesday that he just wants to get through the first day. He's just about taken care of that already.

He certainly doesn't have the limit he wants to weigh-in with, but his angst seemed more about where he was going. At the pace hhe and Martens seem to be pulling in quality fish, it seems like he can put that worry behind him.

"It's not a magic bait or secret stuff that's going to win this tournament, it's all about the spot," he said. "It's pretty nuts and bolts fishing once you get in the right area."

11:14am: Aaron just caught another one with KVD's boat almost bumping his.

They were having a conversation when he set the hook -- couldn't hear what was being said but we may have a turf war brewing.

9am: hour delay due to fog.

Unofficial rankings - 1pm EST, 2-18

Feb 18, 2011 - 2:06 PM

Kevin’s post-practice thoughts

Feb 18, 2011 - 1:51 PM

KVD watching the weather

“I didn’t come to pre-fish in December because I wanted to fish current conditions, so when practice started and water temps were 43 where I was, it was a little frustrating. It warmed real fast, and I’ve fished three different areas that I felt like would have the winning type of fish in them.

“I feel pretty good about what I’m doing right now. It was a big confidence booster for me to see how the fish responded to the warmer water. The wild card in all of it is the fog and how it will affect our run times.

“If you’re committed to making that long run and you hit a fog bank or they delay the start because of fog, you’re in trouble. That is weighing heavily on my mind, so I’m going to pay close attention to the weather. I’m going to take a calculated gamble tomorrow regarding the run…let’s say that.”

Practice Updates - 1-16-11

Feb 16, 2011 - 11:27 PM

3:16pm

One of the many issues anglers are facing this week, and trying to figure out today in practice, is whether one spot will hold up for three days or if they'll have to find two or three spots to have a chance.

Gerald Swindle said he thinks this Classic is going to be won by somebody who has the guts to do something different every day. Cliff Pace said it'd be hard -- maybe even dumb -- to leave something that was working for something else.

This is an issue in most tournaments, but typically trying two or three spots just means a couple 15-minute drives from place to place.

As we've hashed out in this blog and everywhere else, if you try two or three spots on the Delta, you're cutting your fishing time in half. All the sudden multiple spots becomes a significant commitment because swinging by the spot you caught them yesterday might cost you two hours of fishing if you're wrong.

Kevin VanDam said he doesn't think one spot will be enough.

"I think it will be hard to find a spot that will hold up three days," he said. "The biggest issue is the low water. It's already shallow and now it's 2 feet low. You make one run down a canal and you can muddy it up and make it unfishable."

With an hour left of practice, these guys are getting to the point where they need to nail down some of the issues and formulate a game plan. It could decide their Classic before they ever wet a line. Adjusting on the fly just may not be an option.

"You don't have time to make adjustments," Pace said. "You have to pull up to a spot and know what is going to happen."

Skeet Reese is of the school of thought that running all around the Delta won't get it done.

"You can't make an adjustment from one end to the other," he said. "You're in Bayou Black, you're in Bayou Black for the day. You're in Venice, you're in Venice."