VanDam Says Big Largemouth Will Take Home Top Prize at Table Rock YETI Open

 VanDam Says Big Largemouth Will Take Home Top Prize at Table Rock YETI Open 

By Pete Robbins 

 

While the Ozarks aren’t necessarily known for producing giant fish like Florida or Texas, don’t tell that to first-ballot Hall of Famer Kevin VanDam. He’s caught bass up to 9 ½ pounds from Missouri’s Table Rock Lake. While he doesn’t expect that it will take one that big to win this weekend’s three-day YETI Open, it wouldn’t surprise him one bit if it did. 

 

The lake is very healthy now, and while all three species of bass will be in play for hourly prizes, the GOAT said that “without fail at this time of year the big fish is a largemouth, and to target big largemouths you should go shallow with big baits. The fish are feeding on bluegills around the bank so consider a glide bait or a big topwater. And don’t forget a spinnerbait – that’s still one of my favorites.” 

 

He added that the biggest determinant of how wide open contestants will find the bite is the weather conditions – wind, clouds or rain will make his power fishing techniques shine. Even when there’s sun, however, he’s certain that cooling night time temperatures will keep forage shallow and provoke lots of big bass to stay with them. 

 

The good news is that there will be plenty of water for anglers to spread out – there always is on Table Rock – but this time of year VanDam believes a giant largemouth could be caught about anywhere. 

 

“Typically the giants don’t live way far up the river,” he said. “But they could. I’d focus on mid lake and the lower end. That 9 ½ I caught was within a mile of the dam.” 

 

One other thing that will make Table Rock fish big is the hourly payout format that YETI offers. Anglers who are savvy about when they leave their best areas to weigh in a fish can certainly cash a check – or several of them – with smallmouths and spots. They’re abundant and hungry. 

 

Still, VanDam has a killer’s attitude any time he’s on the water, so he’d go big. 

 

“I would spend a lot of time with a big swimbait,” he said. “A wide glide on a slow retrieve. A buzzbait or a plopper-style bait are good, too. And if you use a spinnerbait, one key is to add a big, bulky trailer.” 

 

If the fish aren’t committing to those faster-moving offerings, he’d slow down – two options that would also be on the deck of his Nitro would be a ¾ ounce football jig with a Rage Craw on the back. He’d also have a big worm, alternating between a big ribbontail or a big straight tail. 

 

“It’s a crawfish lake so green pumpkin is hard to beat 24/7/365,” he explained. “I generally use natural colors there, whether I’m trying to imitate a crawfish, a bluegill or a gizzard shad.” 

 

What VanDam really likes about this format is the fact that it requires more – or at least different – strategy than an event with a daily five-fish limit. 

 

“Remember, there are truly no bad sections of the lake,” he said. “But there are a lot of decisions to be made. You can stay close, or you can make a long run up the James just to get away from people. But either way you definitely want to keep on moving around.” 

 

He also loves the way that YETI gives back so freely to the anglers who use their products every day on the water and elsewhere. 

 

“This event is not geared toward pro anglers,” he concluded. “It’s possible for anyone to get out there, have a lot of fun and cash some hourly checks. It’s a very reasonable entry fee, and you don’t get this kind of tremendous opportunity very often.”