kevin vandam
KVD stands out , in my mind , as the greatest to ever play the game . What started as a meteoric rise to the top ( hardcore fans will remember KVD establishing the longest-running string of paycheck-earning performances in history ) culminated in a number of records . VanDam is tied for the most Bassmaster Classic wins , sits second in AOY titles with vastly more than any other current angler , has posted nearly 30 national wins and has accumulated over $ 7 million in earnings .
Still extremely competitive and physically fit , VanDam is extremely capable of winning any tournament he enters , especially championship events . Fans will recall his 2021 BPT performance at Lake Chickamauga as proof .
In the modern history of the sport , dating back to the early ‘ 90s , no angler has produced a more dominant , long-term display than VanDam . In addition to his Classic titles and AOY campaigns , it ’ s also important to note that VanDam also had a brief , lucrative FLW career in the early 2000s ( taking down an AOY title there , too ), and hammered the competition in early MLF events a few years back .
KVD ’ s only sore spot may be his sporadic performance overall in BPT competition . Facing down the momentum of today ’ s hottest pros has been tough . But is a little slump enough to take away the title of G . O . A . T .?
andy morgan
I haven ’ t heard much from the Andy Morgan camp recently , but remember , he was once coined the “ G . O . A . T . of FLW .” Morgan ’ s performance on that circuit was inconceivable when looking back . Three AOY titles capped the most Top 10s in circuit history . Morgan ’ s ability to take home big paychecks was the strongest since the infancy of professional fishing , when competitors like Bill Dance and Roland Martin rolled the competition weekly , simply due to being more advanced in their skill set . Morgan , however , produced against 200 full-time anglers , many of whom now compete on the Bass Pro Tour .
Morgan ’ s lacking a big win , for sure . A perennial Cup qualifier , he never closed the door in 20 attempts . A REDCREST win would help put Morgan back in the “ best ever ” conversation , but more than one would be needed to solidify a claim .
rick clunn
Despite not competing in the upcoming REDCREST championship , I would be remiss not to mention Rick Clunn in any debate over bass fishing ’ s G . O . A . T . Clunn ’ s record is perhaps the greatest in the history of the sport due to the diversity of his resume . His Classic wins record ( tied with VanDam ) is end-capped by a B . A . S . S . AOY title and an FLW All-American win . Clunn has also won the U . S . Open twice .
In the early days of FLW competition , Clunn brought his trademark high-stakes game to the table , taking down several wins and six-figure paydays and reaching the Forrest Wood Cup six times . He never won that event , despite voicing a strong desire to do so .
Clunn ’ s career blossomed before the other entrants in our G . O . A . T . debate ; his age often taking him out of contention today . However , Clunn ’ s most recent B . A . S . S . wins on the St . Johns River further validate his ability to somehow supersede his competition at any time , placing him still atop the pyramid for many . david dudley
Dudley was coined the most successful FLW angler of all time due to his incredible earnings record of over $ 4 million . In addition , Dudley is a former Forrest Wood Cup winner and four-time FLW AOY ( also a record ). But Dudley lacks wins to enter a greatest-ever debate . Much like Morgan , Dudley ’ s long career , lasting over 20 years , has been one more of consistency than top-end finishes .
jacob wheeler
Is Jacob Wheeler the greatest bass angler of all time ? No ; at least not yet , as he lacks the established track record to this point . Still , I wouldn ’ t bet against him to one day lay claim to that title . Wheeler ’ s recent track record reflects dominance seen only twice before in the history of the sport , through the performances of VanDam and Roland Martin at their career primes .
Wheeler has already established a strong BPT resume and is the league ’ s top money winner to date – following a short but lucrative B . A . S . S . career where he threatened to win the 2019 Classic . And don ’ t forget , Wheeler ’ s FLW career included both All-American and Forrest Wood Cup victories .
Wheeler ’ s shot at the G . O . A . T . designation is boosted by his age . Remember , Wheeler was the youngest winner of the big FLW awards . Today , at only 31 years old , he ’ s likely yet to hit his prime .
Multiple championship and AOY titles will be necessary for Wheeler to truly cement “ best ever ” status , but he has time . Of late , Wheeler has been noted to pursue angling excellence with unwavering dedication , racking up thousands of hours of practice and relentlessly crisscrossing the country to pre-fish . Will his dedication last ?
Perhaps there will come a time when Jacob Wheeler , or another professional angler in the future , will definitively blow the doors off the record books , establishing a clear bass fishing G . O . A . T . Until then , we ’ ll continue to pick a favorite , pull up a chair and make our case , all along knowing we may truly never be able to define who ( or what ) Greatest of All Time even means .
But that ’ s just part of the fun of being a nerdy fishing fan .
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