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VanDam and the Wild Thang

The Popularity of Creature Baits

Editor's Note: Thirty-three-year old Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, likes to fish with Strike King lures and particularly Strike King's Wild Thang, a creature bait, that he used to win the 2001 BASS Masters Classic in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chosen Angler of the Year on the B.A.S.S. circuit in 1991, 1996 and 1999 and ranked No. 1 in the world of professional bass fishing by www.bassfan.com, which is evaluated on statistics from the tournament bass-fishing trails like B.A.S.S. and FLW, VanDam also enjoys being with his family and hunting deer.

Question: Why do you think, Kevin, that more anglers are fishing with creature baits?

VanDam: Well, fishermen became more interested in fishing with creature baits after Davy Hite won the BASS Masters Classic in New Orleans on a creature-type bait. I've noticed that numbers of different creature baits have come out on the market since then. I think probably many companies have put out creature baits just to have some and make them somewhat different from the rest. I've found that some of these creature baits don't really have that many benefits or help solve that many bass-fishing problems like the Wild Thang does. Of course, you can fish this bulkier bait in heavier cover than many other lures, and the tail won't get caught on branches and brush when you flip it.

Question: What weight of sinker do you prefer on the Wild Thang?

VanDam: I almost always use a 5/16-ounce sinker or heavier on this bait. Even a 3/8-ounce sinker gives you the same fall that most plastics get with a 1/4-ounce sinker. So, the Wild Thang is a real easy bait to flip and pitch long distances. It's bulky enough, big enough and easy to get into the water without a ripple, really quietly, which are many of the keys to catching bass when you're flipping and pitching.

These creature baits are dominant in conditions where a jig may catch a bass but in water more clear than you generally fish a jig. But I also like to fish creature baits in stained-water situations, especially hot water, when you're fishing the bait off the bottom.

Too, in the early spring and late fall, when the bass are feeding on crayfish, you can't beat the effectiveness of a jig, especially on rock bottoms. You'll find these creature baits more productive when the bass are up off the bottom, particularly when they're suspended in bushes and around the grass cover. In hot water, I almost always fish the Wild Thang.

Next: More About How VanDam Fishes the Wild Thang




 

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