KVD Swimbait

[j-dogg]

Anyhow know what swimbait KVD was using to win Smith Mountain?

[Sinjin Kim]

Top Shelf

[N.A.R]

With warming spring weather each day of competition for the Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl on Smith Mountain Lake, anglers were met by waves of bass moving to the shallows to spawn.

Kevin VanDam brought home his fifth Elite Series title after weighing in 61 pounds, 13 ounces by targeting both spawning bass and the occasional bigger bass cruising the shallows.

"Largemouth were back in the protected pockets, while the smallmouth like the main lake," VanDam said. "I couldn't tell by looking at them, but the points that had gravel on them were the best areas. When there was gravel, you would maybe find three beds or so, then the next three points would be clay or rock."


James Overstreet
VanDam figured out those areas were prime for throwing a 1/8-ounce Strike King shaky head with a dirt color 4-inch Strike King 3X finesse worm. The dirt color is a laminate color made up of pumpkin and watermelon and VanDam used the worm to target smallmouth spawning areas, estimating that 75 percent of his fish came off that one bait.

"The key to that worm is that it is real stretchy and buoyant," VanDam said. "When that worm falls into a bed, the tail sticks straight up and that is huge when the bass are spawning."

He rigged the worm on a 7-foot medium action Quantum spinning rod and a Quantum PT reel spooled with 8-pound Bass Pro Shops fluorocarbon line.

"Fluorocarbon is really invisible to the fish and as spooky as they were," VanDam said. "I don't think I would have been able to do the job with mono."

His major reason for pursuing smallmouth over largemouth was for their aggressiveness. Catching a smallmouth off a bed takes less time than largemouth, giving VanDam more time during the day to look for the bigger cruising fish.

VanDam also targeted a shad spawn early in the morning on the final day to boat a few critical keepers. His main lure of choice was a Strike King Spit-N-King popping surface bait. He also relied on a wacky-rigged Strike King Ocho, a soft-plastic stickbait.


James Overstreet
One key to victory that VanDam cited was his Oakley sunglasses, especially under the sight-fishing conditions.

"They have the most different lens colors," VanDam said. "When I'm fishing smallmouth and bedding bass, I pull out all the stops."

Pulling out all the stops included turning on his Biosonix unit, which turned out to be important both while bed fishing and during the shad spawn early in the mornings.

"I turned my Biosonix unit on to get the fish activated," VanDam said. "A lot of times those smallmouth would charge at the boat. It kept the shad on the points for 15 minutes this morning."

The last piece of key equipments helping carry VanDam to victory was Mustad Ultrabite scent.

"Ultrabite is a pheromone-based scent that is key during the spawn," VanDam said.

VanDam managed his spawning and cruising fish to perfection, totaling limits of 15-7, 17-2, 15-6, and 13-14 for his 15th BASS victory.

[j-dogg]

The report doesn't mention a swimbait but you can see him using it on TV and Zona showed it at the end.

Seems like he's keeping it a secret...obviously he's not paid my them.

[Steve Reed]

I thought it was a 4 inch osprey line through, but I only heard that. Didn't see it.

[set'em good]

Did not see it but possibly a Shadalicious???

[Trackerbass]

The report doesn't mention a swimbait but you can see him using it on TV and Zona showed it at the end.

Seems like he's keeping it a secret...obviously he's not paid my them.

He showed it AND named it . Top Shelf.

[DL]

The report doesn't mention a swimbait but you can see him using it on TV and Zona showed it at the end.

Seems like he's keeping it a secret...obviously he's not paid my them.

He showed it AND named it . Top Shelf.

I believe Top Shelf had a booth at the Angler's Marine Bass-A-Thon in November and KVD was there one day... U spose he made a couple purchases while he was there?? I know there were a couple elite guys that spent a ton of time and $$ at the Revenge booth too...

[bpm2000]

http://rickstopshelftackle.com/topshelfswimbaits.aspx

i havent ordered anythign from him in years but back in the day Rick was a great guy to deal with!

[gunnie2]

Its a swimbait mold made by Bob's Tackle Shack. Comes in various sizes. Pretty sweet little bait. Better than a Tiny T if the right person makes it.

[jsoregon]

I think a lot of people have the mold, but the Top Shelf one has a different texture plastic and the eyes and inserts do not fall out hardly at all. They are cemented into the bait by hand.

Also the colors are perfect.

[MP]

That looked like a Optimum Baby Line Thru in pearl white to me despite what was said. Also in the local papers at Smith Mountain it was described and showed a picture of the Optimum Baby Line Thru in the new Jackson Trout color. Plus, Fred Roumbanis had given him some to use and have on hand.

Top Shelf is what was said, but from what I know I disagree on that 100%. Great looking bait by Top Shelf though.

[jsoregon]

Oh, Rick Correa from Top Shelf talks with him quite frequently. Its was a Top Shelf bait.

I know Fred and family well too and roomed by them at the Bassmaster Toledo event in the Spring and he loves the Top Shelf baits. We swapped baits there too and he loved our baits. He's on this forum but I doubt he'll have time to chime in here...

If you ask around with some of the Elite guys the Top Shelf swimbait is a big "secret" amoungst a few guys right now. KVD is one of them.

I can give anyone names of Elite and FLW Tour pros via PM if you want verify. They aren't saying anything about TS baits publically yet. Most are just saying it was a line thru design swimbait.

Hey MP: Can you share the name or reference to this "local smith mtn paper" you're referring to"? I've seen a lot of the local papers and reports and also talked w/ a lot of the local tackle shops and everyone either doesn't know what it was or knows it was a Top Shelf bait. I haven't heard the "baby line thru" story but I'm sure its out there... Thanks.

http://rickstopshelftackle.com/default.aspx

Chartreuse Shad Top Shelf Swimbait


Smokin Shad Top Shelf Swimbait

[some guy]

It was the Banjo minnow, if the fish missed it he followed it up with the helicopter lure.

True story.

[jsoregon]

Exactly John. But your conspiracy has a conspiracy cover on top of it too...b/c a local toilet paper article wrote about it...which we don't know who that is but trust me anyway...

It was 100% caught on the Coper Lure but what Zona forgot to mention (or he didn't want to b/c of sponsor conflicts) is that the 2lber he caught on the Coper was eaten by a 7lber than the 7lber was biten by a bald eagle which made the fish a 4lber on the scales.

You can believe me or not. Oh yeah...and I'll hide my identity behind my handle so you won't know who I am....

<<that's me hiding behind my Costas....

[TomL]

It was a Top Shelf 5" Bait in Ayu Special Color

You can see them here
http://rickstopshelftackle.com/TopShelf ... sHome.aspx

[MP]

Hey MP: Can you share the name or reference to this "local smith mtn paper" you're referring to"? I've seen a lot of the local papers and reports and also talked w/ a lot of the local tackle shops and everyone either doesn't know what it was or knows it was a Top Shelf bait. I haven't heard the "baby line thru" story but I'm sure its out there... Thanks.

Hey Jsoregon-

Here is a copy of the picture and article I saw in one of the local papers mentioning the Optimum Baits Baby Line Thru mentioning the BLT and again to me it looked like the bait KVD was throwing as well. Obviously from a quick glance most of these style baits look the same until you have a better look and can really dissect their features. So that was what I was going on essentially, but obviously you and Tom L have heard differently than myself and those Top Shelf swimmies look great as well.





I personally would have a hard time spending $17 for a 5" line thru swimbait like the Top Shelf though. It seems like they priced themselves out of the market a little bit for those who have confidence in fishing these type of baits regardless the type. Especially when I could get the Optimum Baby Line Through 5" for $6.99, a 4 pack of 3:16 Mighty Minnows for $10.49, Maverick BH swimbait for $9.99, Xcite bait shudder shads for $6.49.



-Mitch