Reports of Kevin VanDam’s demise were greatly exaggerated.
That misappropriated misquote of Mark Twain kinda fits since there was talk that the Kalamazoo Kid, not really much of a kid anymore at 48, might never win another bass fishing tournament.
That hubbub made it to the Bassmaster LIVE crew, who were asked their thoughts. Balderdash, poppycock and malarkey were the initial responses.
Wait, he missed his first Classic in 25 years in 2015? His last regular season win was six years ago? Hmmm. Wow, 94th at Bull Shoals/Norfork, and a 67th at Wheeler after a Day 2 zero?
Nah, surely there’d be an event where he’d sum up the magic that made him the all-time victory and money leader in B.A.S.S. But negative thoughts even crept into the darkest corner of his mind.
“You always wonder a little bit about your decision making when you have those bad events. I’ve had two of them,” he said. “I just had the worst nightmare day ever on the water. Probably the worst day of my career fishing-wise. You start questioning the way you do things, your decision making, so to come back this week …”
Yes, he sent all that talk to its grave by winning the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend.
The entire scenario reminds me of a reporter who in 2007 said he didn’t get the whole “KVD-is-the-greatest-of-all-time” claims. Sure, at the time VanDam only had two Classics titles among his 10 wins. Yet he had won three Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, but that person argued, what has he done lately?
Not sure if that doubting Kevin stuff was ever written, but KVD still served him plenty of crow in the next five years, winning at least two events each season, tying Rick Clunn with four Classic titles and stringing together four consecutive AOY seasons.
Winning after a 5-year drought just made VanDam even more appreciative of being able to fish for a living. His friendly, unassuming personality shone on the water even before he won.
“Every one is special,” he said of victories on LIVE Sunday. “The older you get, each time you appreciate it even more. It’s been a while since I won an Elite Series event. You don’t get yourself in position very often.”
On stage with the trophy, he said all the Elites have gratitude to the fans who follow the competitions, and he sure enjoyed those who were there and reinstituted the chant, “KVD, KVD.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, but you never know when that win is going to be your last one,” he said. “Fortunately, I think I’ve got a few good casts left in me. Some people were wondering for a while. This one really means a lot to me. Every one is special, but definitely the last one is special.”
We certainly think “last” meant “most recent.” During LIVE, Mark Zona said he has asked KVD if there were retirement plans from competitive fishing in his near future. The answer was no.
So expect KVD to be around awhile longer.
Long live the King!
DRAWING COACH KNIGHT’S INTEREST
During a break on LIVE, Mark Menendez shared an interesting story involving several basketball Hall of Famers. During the Elite 50 on Lake Dardanelle in 2004, Coach Bobby Knight was greeting anglers after delivering an inspirational talk, and Menendez asked Knight if he could guess who taught him a jump shot.
Knight, a fishing buddy of Jerry McKinnis, knew Menendez was from Kentucky and gave his best educated guess. “Joe B. Hall?” He was a famed University of Kentucky basketball coach. But no. Think Hall’s mentor, the man who the current UK arena is named.
“Bobby Knight fell out when I told him it was Adolph Rupp,” Menendez said. “He stopped the line. Jerry said, ‘C’mon Bobby.’ He said, ‘Hold it, I’m talking to Mark right now.’”
Menendez was at Memorial Coliseum with a family friend for a youth basketball clinic, and he remembers the legendary coach’s hand on his shoulder, and the words, “keep practicing.”
DROPPING OFF INSTEAD OF PICKING UP
A number of Elite pros (like Davy Hite above) were given bags of Florida-strain fingerlings to release into Toledo Bend this weekend. Hite wrote: “Look for some toads to come from these babies in a few years! Many thanks to B.A.S.S. and the State of Louisiana for investing in our natural resources.”
BPS PYRAMID DRAWS MILLIONS
Like moths drawn to flames, Elite anglers are drawn to the Bass Pro Shop now occupying the Pyramid in Memphis. Elites have shown photos of themselves visiting the behemoth outdoor wonderland on their way to and from events. For many, it was a definite must stop.
Seems the former sports arena turned outdoors mecca has drawn all types, including international customers and folks from all 50 states. It topped 3 million visitors around its first anniversary in late April.
UNUSED TRIVIA
With interest of KVD on track to win, not much trivia was used during Bassmaster LIVE this weekend.
One question left out was: What prevented Jeff Kriet from accessing an area he found during pre-practice in 2003?
That was the year space shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, killing all seven astronauts on board. Federal government buoys blocked Kriet’s access to several of his fishing areas because a large piece was discovered there.
Pieces of the shuttle were found from Tyler, Texas, to western Louisiana and southwestern Arkansas. In 2011, a 4-foot round tank from Columbia was discovered when Lake Nacogdoches’ waters receded due to drought.
Another trivia question asked where Jerry McKinnis finished in the 1970 Toledo Bend Invitational? McKinnis fished six Bassmaster events in his short-lived tournament career, posting a best of ninth in the 1969 All-American on Lake Ouachita. He was 18th on Toledo Bend, catching 47-9 and earning $125.
Let’s leave you with a question. Who did James Niggemeyer defeat in a fishoff on Toledo Bend?
Answer next week, but hint is snack food.
CULLING
- There were some big fish, topped by Stephen Browning’s 9-5, but the Elites didn’t get any into the Toledo Bend Lunker Bass Program. Besides going a long way in the tournament, a 10-pound fish would earn a replica mount.
- Stick around Toledo Bend to see tons of big bass. The Sealy Outdoors Big Bass Splash visits Cypress Bend Park Friday-Sunday. After Sunday’s weigh-in, the Toledo Bend Lake Association will hand out replicas, starting at 2 p.m. Central. Last May, 81 replicas (below) were given to anglers who caught 10-pound fish. This year, 139 anglers have caught qualifying bass in the calendar year ending this week.
