Entry 197-1
Inside the Mind of Kevin VanDam
Part 1: Kevin VanDam on George Cochran and Shaw Grigsby
Editor’s Note: Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, one of the hottest professional fishermen on the pro-fishing circuit, has grown-up in tournament bass fishing. He’s been fishing professionally for more years than he hasn’t. Before he was a Strike King Pro, he fished against legends of bass fishing. Since he’s been a Strike King Pro, he’s fished with them. This week, we look inside the mind of one of America’s best bass fishermen. We learn how he evaluates his competition, what he thinks about other Strike King Pros, what drives him to fish as hard and as fast as he does, and how he maintains such a high intensity of fishing and one of the highest number of casts per day of any other tournament fisherman. In this week of studying Kevin VanDam, we find out what makes him run, and I think you’ll be surprised when you learn some of the secrets of Kevin VanDam.
Question: What makes George Cochran such a great fisherman? He’s won two Bassmaster Classics and an FLW Championship. Kevin, what makes George tick?
VanDam: If I have to pick one word to describe George Cochran, it will be persistent. George is so confident that he can catch bass with shallow-water patterns that he rarely fishes anything else. George will go up to a lay-down log he believes is holding bass, and he’ll cast to that log 50 times before he’ll leave it. During those 50 casts, he’ll empty his tackle box fishing with different lures. He’ll throw a spinner bait, a buzzbait and a lure you’d never expect anyone to throw to a log at the time of day he’s fishing. For instance, George will throw a buzzbait at high-noon when there’s no wind and run it beside that log. After 10 casts, a 5-pound largemouth will come up and eat that bait. 
George is so persistent and so methodical with his approach at bass fishing that he catches bass other fishermen will never catch.
Question: What makes Shaw Grigsby so great?
VanDam: Shaw has earned over $2 million in tournament bass fishing. He’s proved that he has longevity in the sport. And, he’s the host of his own bass-fishing TV show.
Question: Why has he consistently been such a great fisherman?
VanDam: I’ve fished with Shaw many times. The thing that’s really impressed me about Shaw is how open minded he is about his fishing. With open-mindedness, I have to throw in versatility. Shaw is what I call a fearless fisherman. He’s not afraid to fish a drop shot on 6-pound-test line, or a swim bait like the Gorilla Shad on 50-pound-test line, and he’ll fish all the lures in between. 
If the water’s clear, get back, because Shaw will probably beat you. Shaw is as good a fisherman as there is in sight fishing. When I say sight fishing, I’m not just talking about fishing for spawning bass. If Shaw can see grass, weeds and/or stumps or see bass cruising around in clear water, he can catch ‘em. Shaw is as good a sight fisherman as you’ll find anywhere, and he knows what a bass will do in clear water before the bass knows.
