Entry 197-3
Inside the Mind of Kevin VanDam
Part 3: Kevin VanDam on Himself
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: Kevin, step back now and pretend you’re someone else. Critically look at Kevin VanDam, and tell us what makes him a great fisherman.
VanDam: One of the things that really helps me a lot is staying open-minded when I’m fishing. But sometimes this can be a negative, because I try to be so versatile. Many times, I like to fish too-many different types of patterns with too-many various lures, and maybe I should be more set in my ways. Because I fish so many different lures in a variety of ways, I usually can consistently place well in tournaments. Specialists, like Denny Brauer, will win more tournaments. For instance, if we’re fishing shallow water, and there’s plenty of thick cover, you know Denny Brauer’s a threat to win. In that same situation, I’ll be throwing a buzzbait and a spinner bait and maybe shallow-water cranking. I often do too-many different things to catch bass. When Denny stays focused on his technique of flipping and pitching, he’ll beat me.
Question: What’s your strength, Kevin?
VanDam: Without a doubt, it’s power fishing. I like to fish fast-moving baits like spinner baits, buzzbaits and jerkbaits to trigger reaction strikes. 
I like to cover a lot of water as fast as I can and catch as many bass as I can during a day of fishing. Even if I’m flipping, I like to flip fast. The faster I can fish and catch bass, the better I like it.
Question: Kevin, you’ve been analyzed by other anglers as being the most-athletic fisherman in competitive bass fishing. How did you learn to be so athletic, and how do you keep up that fast, hard-driving pace throughout a tournament day and then come right back the next day with the same speed and enthusiasm and maintain that pace through a three- or a four-day tournament?
VanDam: My philosophy has always been to present my baits to as many bass as possible, as efficiently as I can. When I say efficiently, I mean presenting my lure properly to a number of fish, based on the fishing conditions that day. If I cover a lot of water and present my bait properly, sooner or later, I’ll get bass to bite, especially over a multi-day event. The more bass that can see my lures, the more bass I can catch. 
I can do better over time, if I cover a lot of water, instead of fishing the same water continuously.
Question: Kevin, you’ve also been described as a very-physical fisherman. How do you stay in shape to beat the water to a froth for a week at a time?
VanDam: I probably should have been on Ritalin as a kid. I have an extremely-high body metabolism. I have plenty of energy, and to keep the furnaces fired, I have to eat when I’m fishing, because I’ll burn out if I don’t. I burn an awful lot of calories during a tournament day, and if I don’t eat, I’ll burn myself out. I maximize my time and make as many casts as I can when I’m fishing. Running at that high pace, I have to eat.
