Stage Photos: Credit/B.A.S.S.
Kevin VanDam and Edwin Evers are a threat to win every event they enter.
With five Bassmaster Classic titles and 34 B.A.S.S. wins between them, they are among the most successful anglers fishing this year’s event. They know what it takes to win a Classic, how to handle the added pressure and will again be a threat this year. They both previewed the Lake Conroe Classic and explain what techniques could lead to a win.
Conroe Conditions
With the lake off-limits to competitors, the best the anglers can do is watch the weather trends like the rest of us. “It has been really warm throughout the south and the Houston area especially. I am thinking the fish will be done spawning and that means we will be fishing slow and that is where plastics come in,” begins VanDam who says he will have a variety of potential Classic winners tied on.
Another factor for Conroe is the size limit. While most lakes and tournaments have size limits that are easy to obtain, Conroe rules require bass to be 16-inches to be weighed in. “You will always need big fish to win a Classic but instead of trying for a minimum of a two-pounder, everything we can bring in will be around three pounds or bigger. That usually means bigger baits,” says VanDam.
Soft Plastic Selection for the Bassmaster Classic
Both Evers and VanDam differ on what baits they plan to use but both agree that the soft plastics will be a key to this event.
“The Zoom Z Hog and Z Hog Jr. will be my first choice for pitching and flipping docks on Conroe. I’ll rig it on a Mustad Grip Pin hook to keep it secure,” says Evers who says the hook comes in two different models. “As a general rule, I will use the standard Grip Pin for open water and some docks, and also when using a more horizontal approach. I’ll switch to the Grip Pin Max anytime I am fishing around grass or using heavy braid.”
VanDam also prefers that hook and says it covers all of his needs. “They have it in tons of sizes, flipping styles, offset and even weighted hooks,” he begins and he plans everything from a 7” Strike King Ocho to the 7” Caffeine Shad to a 10” Rage Tail Anaconda at Conroe. “The new Mustad Grip Pin Big Bite hook comes in sizes up to 8/O and 6/O or 7/O fits these bigger baits perfectly.”
Reaction Baits for the Bassmaster Classic
Slow fishing may not be the only way to go and both Evers and VanDam feel a reaction bait could lead to the win. Both selected a squarebill crankbait as their top choice for this event. For KVD, his is a Strike King 8.0 Magnum Squarebill and Ever’s pick is a Megabass S Crank in the 1.5 size.
VanDam swaps out the hooks with his own signature Mustad KVD 1x Strong 2x Short Triple Grips in a 2/0 size. “On Conroe, you have a chance at an eight or 10-pound fish every cast and the bigger hook is important to get the best chance at landing them,” he feels.
Evers plans to use his squarebill fast. “I think this time of year with a moving bait, the best approach is ‘power cranking’ covering water and using heavy line. I’ll switch to 20-pound test fluorocarbon because of the cover and size of fish in Conroe.” Like KVD, Evers also changes his hooks for the type of hook and the matches the size appropriately.
Topwater Could Be a Factor at the Bassmaster Classic
Another technique that may come into play is a topwater bait according to Evers. “A Megabass Pop-X is one bait that I plan to use. I replace the hooks with Mustad Triple Grips and use the biggest size that I can get away with as long as it is not heavy enough to sink the bait. Mustad also makes a great feathered trailer that I add to the bait,” he explains.
Prototype Baits for the Bassmaster Classic
The Classic, being the biggest bass tournament in the world, is a great place to introduce a new lure. It is even better when that new lure wins the title like when VanDam won the event on the Strike King Red Eye Shad as well as the KVD 1.5 squarebill. This year could be another big splash for a new lure according to VanDam. “I have some new prototype baits I will be using this year and although I can’t talk about them, they were built with this event in mind. We get the schedule for the Classic a year before so that helps to guide our product development,” he says.
Watch for VanDam and Evers at this year’s event. Both know what it takes to win and are excited to take on Lake Conroe.
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