(Editor's note: This short feature comes from longtime industry rep Alan McGuckin, who's on site at the Sabine River Bassmaster Elite Series.)
If Kevin VanDam were coaching his hometown Ostego High School Bulldogs basketball team, he’d have them believing they could beat the Kentucky Wildcats. A lot of rare qualities comprise the greatest angler to pick up a graphite rod over the past 25 years – perhaps none greater than self-confidence.
He simply believes in his abilities at a higher level than most others believe in theirs – ven when sitting in 41st place entering day 3 of the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine River.
“I’m coming for ‘em today,” he said with a wink and a giant smile as he steered his Tunrda to the top of the launch ramp. “I’m fishing in the same area today that I fished the past 2 days, and 2 years ago when we were here. I know the potential it has for big fish, and with the field cut in half today, there won’t be near as many boats in there and I’ll be free to move around and cover a lot more water."
If you know VanDam, you realize that freeing him up to cover more water, combined with confidence gained from past experience, could make for a miraculous comeback.
As he pulled a Quantum 7-foot-2 medium heavy TourKVD rod equipped with a 6.6:1 Tour KVD reel and a Strike King swim jig from the rod box, he warned it wouldn’t be his only weapon of choice. “There are fish in all phases of the spawn here, so I’m mixing it up with a spinnerbait, two different creature baits and a swim jig, trying to find the big females that haven’t yet locked-on to a bed,” he explained. “The bigger females I’m trying to catch are just cruising and looking for a male, it’s like a singles bar in that area."
Then the mood turned intensely serious again when asked if he could move up 29 places and advance to day 4. Without hesitation, VanDam responded, “Absolutely!”
“I feel like if I can catch 12 pounds today I’ll make the Top 12. That’s my goal. And I’m telling you, that kinda weight lives where I’m fishing. We’re gonna go hawg-snatchin’ today."
