By : Luke Stoner – Dynamic Sponsorships
Few people on this planet know more about northern smallmouth bass than Kevin VanDam. The bronze aquatic torpedoes are just different. Their patterns, preferences, and nomadic nature require a special learning curve VanDam has been perfecting his entire career.
With nearly $7 million in tournament earnings that includes 28 pro-level wins, it’s safe to say VanDam has a proven track record. When KVD talks, you’d be wise to listen.
The Team Toyota pro suspects he spends 70% of his time targeting smallmouth versus their large-mouthed relatives when fun-fishing around his home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Following Stage 5 of the Bass Pro Tour we caught up with KVD to talk smallmouth bass and get a glimpse into one of the greatest minds bass fishing has ever known.
We wanted to quiz VanDam on what his current favorite baits or techniques for bronze-backs were, but the greatest tournament angler of all time couldn’t help but divulge two crucial tips he pays attention to before every smallmouth trip; use a long rod and invest in quality sunglasses.
“Using a longer-than-usual rod helps a ton for northern smallmouth,” VanDam explained. “The water is typically ultra-clear up here, so long casts are extremely important. Light line and a long rod will help you get your bait as away from the boat as possible, and assists with moving a lot of line on your hook set when you get a fish to eat.”
VanDam pointed out he practically never uses a rod shorter than 7-feet long when targeting clear-water smallies. He designed his new signature series of Lew’s rods with this in mind, including the 7-foot 4-inch KVD Lew’s spinning rod VanDam trusts for nearly every finesse fishing application.