Debate Time...

[Keith Redd]

We have not had any good things to talk about in here. SO im going to try to get one started.

If not Ill bring back word association...lol

Anyway, who is the best fisherman out there today? I know everyone will say KVD. But is he really?

I mean there is Skeet, IKE, DOYBNS in Cali, Clunn, Stone.....I dont know, I mean KVD is unreal no doubt. But is he really heads above everyone else?

What do you guys/gals thank?

Who is the best flipper out there?
Best with the blades?
Crankbaits?

Who would you pay to bet in the boat with?

[Blue Steel]

Patrick....

[Keith Redd]

Dont start it....

[Blue Steel]

Man I'm serious....

[Bass Commander]

KVD. He's a threat to win everywhere during any season. Some pro's are better on certain bodies of water during certain times.

[Bingle]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blue Steel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Patrick.... </TD></TR></TABLE>


+1

[Big Johnson]

KVD is definitely a great fisherman, as is Skeet, Ike, Ish and all the others. But I tend to look at pro fishing like I do any other pro sport. These guys eat, breath, and sleep fishing. They "train" for a tourney just like Tiger trains for the Master's, or a team trains for Sunday's game.

While you and I are parked on the couch watching re-runs of Family Guy, these guys are studying patterns, maps, lures, and intel that the average Joe may never even have access to. But this is what they do for a living...it's how they make their income.

IMHO any one of us on this board could perform the same if we had the desire and were able to devote 99.9% of our time and effort to the sport and received a good sponsor base. But that's one of the great things about the sport of bass fishing....you and I can pay our entry fees and fish side by side against the pros. I'm not saying I could go head to head with any of them at my current skill level, but they've had their butts wore out by amateurs before.

[Bass Commander]

Ive beat Woo Daves on the Chowan before...

I could no more compete with the pro's on their playing ground than they could put a "bird" down a chimney chute in Baquaba...

[Big Johnson]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RobShaw1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I could no more compete with the pro's on their playing ground than they could put a "bird" down a chimney chute in Baquaba...</TD></TR></TABLE>


At what range....

[lbkbassin]

IMHO, on the major tournament circuits, the best fishermen are determined by their yearly stats, weight, top 5 finishes and money earned, etc. A pro has a great "season" all of the sudden he's called a great fisherman and his name is plastered everywhere. I think the best "fisherman" are the old timers that go out day in and day out and consistantly catch fish in smaller boats, and there names will never be known except for the locals who know them personally.

[Bass Commander]

classified

[Blue Steel]

I broke the Rules,mentioned someones name....forgot what Classified mean't

[Original TrickWorm]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Johnson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
IMHO any one of us on this board could perform the same if we had the desire and were able to devote 99.9% of our time and effort to the sport and received a good sponsor base. But that's one of the great things about the sport of bass fishing....you and I can pay our entry fees and fish side by side against the pros. I'm not saying I could go head to head with any of them at my current skill level, but they've had their butts wore out by amateurs before.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I completely disagree with this as I don't think any of us could make it on the level at which they fish, for a fleeting day maybe but in a season we'd all be licking our wounds and begging for info from them

That being said ...... not sure how I can make an arguement against KVD ...... he can fish in the upper echelon with any technique which he decides to use, can find fish with the best of them, and catch em like very few others.

[Blue Steel]

On a Serious note....I gotta agree with Trick...some people were born to fish...as in many athletes...and... I feel VanDam is in a League of his own....

[BassCatnVa]

Yes it's KVD with no exceptions. Clear water, dirty water, prespawn,post spawn deep or shallow.He has it all! No way could we compete with these guys. You might have a good finish somewhere but these guys know what the fish are doing before they get there. The difference in these guys and us is plain and simple. There patterns change several times in a day as to where we try to fish the same on tournament day as we did in practice. VERY RARELY will one pattern hold up in a 3-4 day tourny. Also my body could not fish that hard 7 days in a row.

[Gunny]

I think it depends Reddman, you said fisherman, if you are talking all around fisherman, meaning any and all species I would Al Linder!!

[vafishing]

I have to agree with Gunny on that one. KVD can wallop the Bass but Al Lindner can just flat out fish for anything.

[jfelice13]

I think if you put KVD in a goldfish tournament he is going to win it. The guy can flat out fish, I am sure that he catches many other species being from Michigan. KVD is a machine, that everyone on the pro tournament series fears.

[Keith Redd]

Yes I was thinking BASS fishing, but didnt Linder win a tournament back in the day.

I do think he is the man, as far as all around fishing goes.

[Keith Redd]

No doubt KVD is the standard that is being followed.

Id often wonder how much information he gets from others. OR is this just a GOD of fishiing and he has that much talent.

No doubt in my mine he is the best going out there.