Entry 50-5

Two Bass Master Classic Winners - Mark Davis & Kevin VanDam

How VanDam Finds Fish

Editor's Note: Kevin VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, is ranked the number-one bass fisherman in the nation by www.bassfan.com. He won the Angler-of-the-Year title in 1991, 1996 and 1999 and the 2001 BASS Masters Classic.

Question: How do you find fish? You go to a lake, maybe you haven't gone to practice, and you are just starting cold. How do you go out there and find bass?

VanDam: That is a 30 minute deal right there. Here is the short version. Basically I have a general idea of the lake I am going to fish. I always try to have a lake map ahead of time. I want to take a look at what the seasonal patterns will be for that time of year, information that gives me an idea of whether I should be looking offshore like in the summer, or during the spawn, around the flats. So I get an idea of what areas on the map that I may fish.

I want to have a good idea of what the weather is going to be, leading up to the time I am going to be there and during the time the Weather Channel can tell me a lot about the activity level of the fish. Then I get to the lake, and I want to access the conditions. I want to look at the cover it has available, the water clarity and the types of forage it may have and try to get as much information about the lake as possible. I like when I first get there to take a drive around to look and see what the lake has to offer for the conditions, cover, and the habitat that it has for the bass, and then I start my search process from there.

Question: What is your search process?

VanDam: I am again, going to take all those things into account and fish the areas that fit the season and the conditions on the lake. I try to not spend more than 10 minutes in any one area or spot without making a change.

Question: What are your best search baits?

VanDam: Without a doubt, crankbaits, spinner baits, jerkbaits and flipping baits like a tube and a jig are all baits that I can fish fairly quickly. I also can cover a lot of water with them and fish through the whole water column.




 

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