7 Questions with Kevin VanDam

<p><b>1. What do you do for fun away from fishing?</p></b>
I like to hunt and spend time with the family on the water. A few years ago we bought a pontoon and now spend time on water with the boys and friends when I have a break from tournaments. We swim, do other watersports and have caught a lot of big bass while fishing off that pontoon boat.

1. What do you do for fun away from fishing?
I like to hunt and spend time with the family on the water. A few years ago we bought a pontoon and now spend time on water with the boys and friends when I have a break from tournaments. We swim, do other watersports and have caught a lot of big bass while fishing off that pontoon boat.

2. Is there one tournament that bugs you the most because you came up short of winning?

Lots of them! One that sticks out in my mind occurred earlier in my career during the 1996 Classic at Lay Lake that George Cochran won. I led after the first day and had a good spot where I was catching them suspended. When I showed up the next day there were 35-40 spectator boats sitting there waiting for me. It got me flustered and I didnât adjust soon enough. However, it was a great learning experience and taught me to think about the spectator element when planning my strategy â not only for the Classic, but all tournaments. As good as the learning experience was, Iâd love to have that tournament back.

<p><b>3. Who is the one athlete outside the sport of fishing that you admire most and why? </p></b>
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady because of his mental toughness and the high level of play heâs displayed throughout his career. I met him at the ESPYs and he is a very humble person. I donât think anyone across all sports has been better at his craft. In my opinion, heâs the greatest QB in NFL history and heâs still going strong.

3. Who is the one athlete outside the sport of fishing that you admire most and why?
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady because of his mental toughness and the high level of play heâs displayed throughout his career. I met him at the ESPYs and he is a very humble person. I donât think anyone across all sports has been better at his craft. In my opinion, heâs the greatest QB in NFL history and heâs still going strong.

<p><b>4. We hear you love cooking. Whatâs your favorite meat to cook and whatâs your secret? </p></b>
I love to grill all different types of meat, but my favorite is pork tenderloin. The secret is to give it a quick sear on the outside, add seasonings then slow cook it to finish. We found Pattieâs Seasoning while fishing Kentucky Lake 30 years ago and itâs still my favorite.
I slow cook the meat on a Traeger Pellet Grill because it gives me precise temperature control. I sear the meat at 500 degrees then turn it down to 225 for slow cooking.

4. We hear you love cooking. Whatâs your favorite meat to cook and whatâs your secret?
I love to grill all different types of meat, but my favorite is pork tenderloin. The secret is to give it a quick sear on the outside, add seasonings then slow cook it to finish. We found Pattieâs Seasoning while fishing Kentucky Lake 30 years ago and itâs still my favorite.
I slow cook the meat on a Traeger Pellet Grill because it gives me precise temperature control. I sear the meat at 500 degrees then turn it down to 225 for slow cooking.

<p><b>5. Was there an experience early in life that made you decide to pursue a tournament fishing career? </p></b>
I fished my first tournament at age 14 and loved it. Honestly, when I fished my first few Bassmaster events I didnât think of it as a career; I did it for the thrill of competing. I followed guys like Larry Nixon, Rick Clunn and Denny Brauer in Bassmaster Magazine and on TV, admired their dominance at that time, and it really piqued my interest.

5. Was there an experience early in life that made you decide to pursue a tournament fishing career?
I fished my first tournament at age 14 and loved it. Honestly, when I fished my first few Bassmaster events I didnât think of it as a career; I did it for the thrill of competing. I followed guys like Larry Nixon, Rick Clunn and Denny Brauer in Bassmaster Magazine and on TV, admired their dominance at that time, and it really piqued my interest.

<p><b>6. Michigan is known for its multi-species. What fish, other than bass, do you like catching the most? </p></b>
Probably salmon and steelhead. As a youngster, I spent a lot of time wading Michigan rivers and streams when the trout and salmon were running. It taught me a lot about river fishing and current and little nuances that apply to bass as well. I caught fish on everything from spawn bags to spinners and spoons, and when the time was right, I caught a ton on a fly rod.

6. Michigan is known for its multi-species. What fish, other than bass, do you like catching the most?
Probably salmon and steelhead. As a youngster, I spent a lot of time wading Michigan rivers and streams when the trout and salmon were running. It taught me a lot about river fishing and current and little nuances that apply to bass as well. I caught fish on everything from spawn bags to spinners and spoons, and when the time was right, I caught a ton on a fly rod.

<p><b>7. Who among the all-time great pro anglers had the biggest influence on you? </p></b>
I was lucky to have some of the veteran guys like Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin on the Nitro team when I first started and they helped me a lot. Denny Brauer became a great friend and mentor as well, and they all gave me solid advice. We spent a lot of time together through the first half of my career.

7. Who among the all-time great pro anglers had the biggest influence on you?
I was lucky to have some of the veteran guys like Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin on the Nitro team when I first started and they helped me a lot. Denny Brauer became a great friend and mentor as well, and they all gave me solid advice. We spent a lot of time together through the first half of my career.