Entry 190-2
The Tiger Woods Of Bass Fishing – Kevin VanDam
Part 2: Where Did They Go?
Editor’s Note:The last person to weigh in at the Bassmaster Classic was longtime Strike King pro Kevin VanDam. Boyd Duckett posted the leading weight, and the world waited to see if VanDam, the Tiger Woods of bass fishing, could pull off another win. But when the fish hit the scales, Duckett’s weight held its top position, and he became the 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion. After the weigh-in, the competitors went to the press room where media representatives interviewed the top-four contenders. Here are the questions the media asked VanDam and his answers.
Question: Kevin, where did the bass go that were holding on the edge of the grass on the second day of competition?
VanDam: To be honest, I really don’t know. There wasn’t a ledge, a rock pile or any structure where the bass could hold on once they pulled out of the grass. When I realized that the fish weren’t where I’d been catching them before, I went to some other areas I’d found in practice and caught fish. I actually did catch a lot of bass today on this last day of the 2007 Classic. I just couldn’t get that one big bite I really needed to win. Yesterday, I had lots of bites and caught plenty of quality bass because the water was rising, and the bass were moving up shallow with that rising water. But when the water dropped 6 to 8 inches overnight, the bass had to pull out of that shallow grass.
Question: Kevin, how were you fishing Strike King’s Red Eye Shad?
VanDam: I was casting it parallel to the grass line and making short casts to keep the lure right on the edge of the grass. I was fishing with 17-pound-test fluorocarbon line, a fairly-heavy line. I tried to hit the grass with my lure ever now and then so that I could rip the bait out of the grass and then let it fall. I was fishing with a Quantum cranking rod and a 5.1:1 gear ratio Quantum cranking reel. When I ripped the Red Eye Shad out of the grass and let it fall, it had a swimming, shimmying action I really liked. I guess the bass did, too.
Next: Press Room Interview
Contents:
- Part 1: The Boat Yard Interview
- Part 2: Where Did They Go?
- Part 3: Press Room Interview
- Part 4: Kevin’s Gear
- Part 5: Treasure on the First Day
