COLUMN : NEWELL ’ S NOTES
Raising the bar on and off the water
Once KVD refined his patented blitzkrieg style in the late 1990s , his utter domination of the sport began . It would extend more than a decade . He always seemed to be two steps ahead of his competitors . In practice , he would make a hot lap around a whole lake in the time it took others to fish a single creek . His ability to process water at high speed was uncanny . He had the foresight to program the weather forecast into his long-term tournament strategies and know where the fish were going to be . By the last day of an event , he would be fishing where the bass had moved to instead of where they had been .
To tune into the Bassmasters TV show and see Kevin take the water on Championship Sunday one pound off the lead was every bit as thrilling as watching Tiger Woods turn onto the back nine one shot back . The closing ability of both transcendent stars on the final day of their respective competitions was eerily similar .
And like Woods , Kevin elevated his sport to unprecedented heights . His sustained domination proved there was far more to excelling in competitive fishing than just luck and pushed tournament bass fishing into the professional realm . He became a superstar , bringing in new viewership from all demographics and all parts of the world .
In addition to his on-the-water dominance , Kevin is a polished individual who exudes positivity , class and integrity off the water . The sport is extremely blessed to have a star who , to this day , works tirelessly to go above and beyond for sponsors , engage fans and meet a never-ending slew of media requests .
Without a doubt , the GOAT helped put professional bass fishing on the map in so many ways . He propelled the popularity of the sport and paved the way for many others to have careers in different facets of the fishing industry . From pro anglers themselves to tackle store owners , boat dealers , sale reps , product engineers , tournament organization employees , production companies , reporters , photographers – if your job has to do with bass fishing , chances are Kevin helped make it possible .
Earlier this year , when I heard KVD was retiring from regular season competition , I had to chuckle . The name Kevin VanDam is not exactly synonymous with “ retirement .” Retirement is for slowing down , taking it easy , soaking worms . That will never be Kevin . You can bet he ’ ll still be making hot laps around big outdoor sports shows , filming fishing content , designing better fishing products , educating people on fishing and inspiring us all to become better anglers — and better people .
Indeed , Kevin , you are God ’ s gift to bass fishing .
without a doubt , the goat helped put professional bass fishing on the map in so many ways .
22 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2023