Entry 117-3

Kevin VanDam - How, When, and Where to Fish Heavy Tackle

Big Tree Tops

Editor's Note: Thirty-six-year-old Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, the BASS Angler-of-the-Year winner for 1992, 1996 and 1999, as well as the 2001 Bassmaster Classic winner, has all-time BASS winnings totaling more than $1,400,000. "I define heavy tackle as when I am fishing 20-pound-test line or larger," VanDam says. "I look for water and weather conditions that will allow me to fish that heavy line." This week, he'll tell us how, when and where to fish heavy tackle.

"If I'm fishing in really-big trees, I have two baits that I like to use," VanDam emphasizes. I like the Strike King Pro-Model Spinnerbait with the two Colorado blades so that I can slow the lure down. Then the bait will give off a lot of vibration and really bounce off the limbs of the trees. Those vibrations and that bouncing action of the spinnerbait as it falls through the limbs will trigger a lot of strikes and pull a lot of bass out of those tree tops and to your lure.

"My second choice for fishing heavy trees is the Strike King Pro-Model Jig. I use the 3/8- to 1- ounce Premiere Elite Jig with a Denny Brauer Chunk on the back of it. I match the color of jig that I chose to the water clarity on the day I'm going to fish. I use watermelon colors if the water is clear, and black and blue if the water is stained. I like this jig because it has a really good rattle in it, and I can work it up and down in the branches of the trees and get that rattle really working for me. Day in and day out, the spinnerbait and jig will be hard to beat when you're fishing in trees."




 

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