As we get closer to the 45th annual GEICO Bassmaster Classic, it's only natural that we think back to some of the anglers and the moments that have made the world championship of bass fishing great. After all, it's not the money or the trophy that make it special — it's the drama and the accomplishments that stay with us long after the cheers of the crowd have gone silent.
And this Classic — the 2015 championship on Lake Hartwell, Feb. 20-22 — is distinctive even before the boats launch. It's different not because of where it is (the 2008 Classic was also on Hartwell) or when (it's been a winter tournament since 2006) or because of who will be competing. What's different and unusual is who won't be there.
For the first time since 1973, neither Rick Clunn nor Kevin VanDam will be in the Classic field. Out of 45 Classics, one or both of them has competed in 41. More significantly, these two absolutely own the Classic record book. Just about every significant Classic mark was set (or is shared) by these two.
The most important Classic record, of course, is Classic wins. After all, the Classic is all about winning. Most veteran competitors will tell you that there is no second place in the tournament. You either win it or you lose it, and no one has won more times than Clunn and VanDam. They share the top mark of four.
Clunn first won in 1976 on Lake Guntersville, then followed it up by going back to back on Lake Tohopekaliga, thus winning the last "mystery lake" Classic (1976) and the first Classic where fans and media had advance knowledge of the venue (1977). He won again in 1984 and 1990. VanDam won his first championship in 2001 on the Louisiana Delta and followed with wins in 2005 and a pair of back-to-back championships in 2010 and '11. Clunn and VanDam are the only anglers to win back-to-back Classics.
They also lead the way with the most Top 5 finishes (Clunn has 11 and VanDam 9) and most Top 10s (Clunn with 16 and VanDam with 14). KVD also has the top mark with three third place finishes (2004, '07 and '08). Aaron Martens has the most runner-up finishes with four.
Heaviest total weight for a Classic career? This time it's VanDam in front with 784-5 and Clunn just behind with 772-2.
Heaviest weight for a single Classic? Clunn has the top weight overall with 75-9 in the 1984 Classic on the Arkansas River. That was with a seven-bass daily creel limit. VanDam has the second heaviest tally overall and the best of the five-bass limit era with 69-11 at the Louisiana Delta in 2011.
Lightest winning catch? VanDam owns that one with 12-15 from Pittsburgh's Three Rivers in 2005, but Clunn held the record from 1977 until 1983. He won the '77 Classic with just 27-7. In fact, Clunn held the record for both heaviest Classic catch (59-15 on Guntersville in 1976) and lightest winning catch for several years.
Want to look at heaviest daily catch in Classic history? Clunn holds that record, too. He bagged a 10-fish limit weighing 33-5 on Day 2 of the 1976 Classic. The record for a five-bass limit was set in 2014 by Paul Mueller (32-3 — also at Guntersville … and also on the second day of the tournament).
Largest margin of victory? Yeah, they got that! Clunn won by an astounding 25-8 in 1984 when he had the heaviest catch of the entire field every day of the event. KVD has the largest margin of victory in the five-bass limit era. He won the 2011 Classic by 10-11.
Of course, Clunn has the record for most Classic appearances with 32 and most consecutive appearances with 28 (1974-2001). VanDam ranks second in consecutive appearances with 24 (1991-2014).
Obviously neither Clunn nor VanDam will be adding to their legacies at the 2015 Classic, but their presence will be felt by anyone who cares about the world championship and all it brings to the sport.
Fifty-six anglers will launch at the Lake Hartwell championship this year. Every one of them dreams of the kind of Classic success that Clunn and VanDam have enjoyed.