Entry 59-4

Kevin VanDam - Lures That Got Me To The Classic

Cranking For The Classic

Editor's Note: Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, never has missed a Bassmaster Classic since beginning his professional bass-fishing career. He hopes to repeat his 2001 Classic win in New Orleans at the 2003 Classic, the 13th Classic in which he has participated. This week VanDam will tell us about the lures that have gotten him to the classic, how he’s fished them, and how they’ve helped him return to the biggest bass- fishing tournament in the world, the Bassmaster Classic.

VanDam: The Strike King Series 3 Pro Model crankbait always is tied on one of my rods in every tournament I fish. I like the-shad colored crankbait, and I fish this lure throughout the entire season. I’ve caught bass at the Harris chain of lakes on this lure, at Toledo Bend, at Lake Eufaula and even in the California Delta. Every lake I’ve fished, I’ve taken bass on this lure. This small crankbait is my go-to lure. The Series 3 runs down to 6- to 7-feet deep and has a tight wiggling action. You can fish it through many different types of cover. I’ll crank this lure through grass, work it through rocks and swim it through lay-downs (trees that have blown down and are laying in the water).

When I’m fishing a crankbait around cover, I use a fairly slow retrieve. I’ll usually start off with a medium retrieve, but once the crankbait starts touching cover, I’ll slow down my retrieve. I want the bait to get in that cover and root around like a hog rooting for an acorn. Anytime the Series 3 crashes into cover, I pause the bait for an instant and then start the retrieve again. I want the crankbait to reflect off the cover, hesitate and then start moving again. Most of the strikes will come either just as the bait hits the cover and pauses momentarily, or just as I start to crank the bait after the pause.




 

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