KVD - Bass Fishing Luck Doesn't Exist!

Found this quote today from KVD. Awesome!

After getting my fanny handed to me last week by some East Texas bass, it hits me right where I live. My mental attitude was in the tank by mid-afternoon.

Think I may print this out, waterproof it, and carry it with me.

Here's the link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/fishingtips/news/story?page=b_KVD_Edge_Part1

And here's the KVD quote:

"There's no such thing as luck — good or bad. And, there's no such thing as a hot streak or a slump. Every day — really every cast — is a new experience. Success or failure in the past has nothing to do with the future.

"Luck, slumps and that sort of nonsense are excuses, not reasons. Bass don't know who you are or what you did yesterday. Go out and catch them and win the tournament."

And another KVD gem...

"Always fish all day. Don't get discouraged and slow down or quit by 2 p.m. That's silly. I've caught good keepers on my last few casts more than once. Dwelling on 'bad luck' or a 'slump' is a lot of bunk. Think about your next cast, not your last one."

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/fishingtips/news/story?page=b_KVD_Edge_Part2

Some good advice IMO

KVD Greatness right there!

Its all about the mental game

Yea that all sounds good until you see a 6 year old with a snoopy pole catch a 9.5 lber off the bank at the Marina then at 3:00 PM all the tournament angler's come in that day and the biggest bass of the tournament is 6.61-lbs...lol There is luck involved in Fishing as well as skill.

100% agree! To many GREAT fishermen/women out there that have never caught a double digit while others catch them on thier first trip to the lake. If that aint luck I dont know what is!

KVD is completely wrong on that one. Of course,it is less luck for him,he can pay for the best lake information.

Been there!!!Came up and ate a bream the kid caught...He never hooked it!!! Well said my brotha, very true!

Positive mental attitude is a good thing ..... but when it's 2:30 and you haven't caught a keeper then it's time to face reality!!!

guess he not paying the right people this year because he has been getting he [censored] kicked lol

Really...the dude just won his THIRD Classic in February?

And that was after winning BACK-2-BACK AOY titles in 2008-09?

Guy is really stinking it up these days ain't he?!?

Guess Skeet is paying the big bucks for all that info this year...

I think that what VanDam is saying is that you make your own luck by being totally prepared, executing your game plan efficiently, making good adjustments, and never giving up, not even down to the last cast.

I doubt that it's just him that feels that way either.

I seem to remember that Ike caught a pretty famous bass on his last cast in Venice to win the 2003 Classic. And this year, I think it was John Crews that beat Skeet by one ounce on a 5-lb. bass he caught on the last cast.

So how does a kid catch a 9.5 lb. bass off a dock? Right place, right time. Bass are reactionary creatures and they'll hit a lure, even on a Snoopy rod, if it comes into their wheel house and pulls their trigger.

We've all been there and had it happen to us. And we have all had it go the other way too.

I think that is a great quote. KVD is great because he works hard. Luck has not created his success; his hard work has created his success. A 6 year old catching a 10 lb bass on a Snoopy pole might be luck. Catching a 10 lb bass might be luck, even to the most season angler, but catching five 7 lb bass isn't. Winning three Bassmaster Classics and countless other events isn't luck. KVD has worked hard and that is why he is successful.

Sure Skeet pays,too. They all pay for info. They are all skilled,and the luckiest pro angler,on tournament day,with information,wins. Personally,I don't think Skeet is as good as KVD.

I feel sorry for the guys on here that are so jealous of the guys that should be our heroes that they have to find something negative to say about them.

they are lucky....they all pay for their info.....people fish for them.....

Get over it. They are all awesome and doing what most of us will only ever dream of.

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. You have to be prepared when the opportunity comes knocking

+1

Thats good stuff.. I need to remind myself of that often.

Totally agree

Playa Hater-

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=playa+hater

Preparation, confidence, execution, then luck.

Luck is just that and nothing else. Ever buy a lotto ticket that is being sold in every little convenience store on every little 2 lane blacktop road across the state? How ya gonna exercise control over that and wind up with the winning ticket? KVD stays on top of the things he can control and doesn't waste time in wishful thinking.

FZ1 ain't jealous of KVD or anyone. FZ1 can catch his own fish. Just tellin' some of you boys how it T-I-S, TIS. 1 example,then I have better things to do. Texas History.....Do you think Barry is a better Bass fisherman than Mark????????

Theres always luck involved, good or bad.

KVD has never done well on some of the early lakes this year in the past, no surprise there really.

Amistad, Clear Lake and the Delta are not his typical lakes.

KVD does not show to be a great sight fishermen, KVD as caught some big stringers, but never seems to be part of the century mark contenders.

Was it luck that he is a great prespawn fishermen? Probably not.
Was it luck that the classic setup to be cold, prespawn and a trap bite to his strengths? YES

Was it lucky that the Classic lake was a lake that KVD had alot of experience on over the years? Yes

Would it have been lucky for KVD to have the Classic on the Clear lake this year? I'd say no.

Luck does play into the lakes that get selected for the season, some have a ton of experience on them while others don't, then adding into the mix weather, and seasonal patterns, smallmouth and larges combined, it always plays into someones strenghts.

KVD and Faircloth going into the last lake for AOY, lucky for Todd it was smallmouth fishery or lucky for KVD it wasn't on grass filled lake in Texas?

As long as you have better things to do.....I think that will be just fine with all.

I certainly understand the point he is making there, but of course there is [at least] a little bit of luck involved with bass fishing.

Great info by the one of the best of all the times!

+1 along with being in the right place at the right time. Sorta reminds me of NASCAR when someone you rarely hear of wins a race. But with sports you generally have the same pool of guys who come out on top at the end of the season... & that's where skill is involved.

Wow.

20 Classic starts and three Classics wins, one in the late summer heat of the Louisiana Delta (2001); one in the late summer at a worthless bass fishery (Three Rivers at Pittsburgh, 2005); and most recently, a cold trap bite win in Alabama (Lay Lake, 2010).

Five AOY titles which reward an angler for seasonal excellence, start to finish.

17 tournament wins in the spring, summer, fall and winter in states like Alabama (Lay, Guntersville, and the Alabama River), Louisiana (Delta), Georgia (Lanier), Florida (Kissimmee Chain), Virginia (Smith Mountain and Buggs Island), Maryland (Potomac River), Texas (Sam Rayburn and Lewisville), Oklahoma (Grand Lake), New York (St. Lawrence River twice), Kentucky (Kentucky Lake), Pennsylvania (Three Rivers), and Wisconsin (Wissota).

227 starts, 17 wins, 11 runner-ups, 16 third place finishes, 86 top 10, 137 Top 20, 199 Top 50, and 189 times in the money.

$4.1 million in career earnings (on BASS circuit).

A likable guy, a family guy, and someone I've never seen refuse an autograph or an interview the few times I've been around him.

Yep, I'm sure it's all luck, that he buys all of his tournament information, and that BASS designs tournament schedules to go along with his strengths.

Or the fact that he is one of the best or is the best pro bass angler of all time.

That part about fishing all day, man that hit home with me. I'll get discouraged by noon if it hadn't happened by then. The last two tourneys I fished I had NO fish until 2pm and then caught my limit in the last hour. Did not cash a check, but it did a lot for my thinking and how I approach a tournament now.

Another KVD quote: If your not mentally prepared to go out and dominate, you're fishing for second place.

Anybody that knows him says he is always "on" when it comes to fishing, constantly learning about his quarry. Zona calls him a machine.

But you didn't answer my question?? Do you even understand the question? I'm sure most guys on this board understand my question and even know the answer. Do you?? Dazzle us.

He will come back.

They always come back.

Ike- NEVER GIVE UP NEVER GIVE UP NEVER GIVE UP

was this at purtis creek? I witnessed the same incident!!

Fishing to a very large degree is a numbers game. It’s all about probability.

• The longer you have a lure in the water the greater the odds that you’ll get a strike.

• All fishing locations are not equal, some are very much better than others.

• All times of the day are not equal, some are very much better than others.

• Dumb luck, or in the parlance of physics: random chance, does play a role in fishing.

The strategy in tournament fishing is to keep your lure in productive waters for the greatest amount of time as possible, and retain a high level of concentration throughout the fishing day.

TFP

O.K.,Chuck. You couldn't answer the Texas History question. So here's your answer. Barry holds the State record at 18.18. He was minnow fishing for crappie with 1 or 2 other guys in the boat. The fish just happened to pick his minnow to bite. Mark is very skilled jig fisherman and guide on Lake Fork. Mark has the 2nd biggest fish at 17.67 and can fish circles around Barry,yet,he came in 2nd. There is much skill in bass fishing,but there is also a luck factor. Really,if you don't that,you don't know much about bass fishing. Good luck,Chuck.

O.K.,Chunk. You couldn't answer the Texas History question. So here's your answer. Barry holds the State record at 18.18. He was minnow fishing for crappie with 1 or 2 other guys in the boat. The fish just happened to pick his minnow to bite. Mark is very skilled jig fisherman and guide on Lake Fork. Mark has the 2nd biggest fish at 17.67 and can fish circles around Barry,yet,he came in 2nd. There is much skill in bass fishing,but there is also a luck factor. Really,if you don't that,you don't know much about bass fishing. Good luck,Chunk.

hey FZ1....anytime you want to try your "luck" against my "luck"...bring it on. Name the price.

There is a big difference in catching one big fish and consistently beating those that you fish against. Not sure who you are but you talk a big game and are quick to say I "don't know much about bass fishing". OH...and if we do fish against each other...it WILL be a 5 fish limit and not the 3 fish limit that you consistently push for. Can you not catch 5 fish in one day?

KVD did well in the last classic at Lay Lake. The cold just slowed the rest of the guys down. Luck is a factor, but if it was the main factor, you wouldn't have the same guys winning over and over again, on tour and in every bass club I've fished.

I would rather be lucky than good any day.. but I have to agree with the skill factor.. Those guys that do it consistently over a 4 day tournament are more skillful than lucky.. With all the weather changes and boat traffic that follow them each day and fish their holes when they leave.. C'MON FZ-1.. Recognize the facts...

My guess is FZ-1 has more unlucky days than lucky days..

Didn't say KVD was not good. Didn't say KVD was not one of the very best. Just said information and luck are also factors in bass fishing.

In the days of yore anglers kept 10 bass, as compared to today where 5 bass are the standard. There are many tournaments where 3 bass is the limit.

My point here is that the smaller the limit is, the greater role random chance plays in a tournament. 10 fish limits require a different strategy than do 5 fish limits. The 10 fish limit makes things more of a numbers game. Big bass tournaments are a craps-shoot. A three fish limit is less of a craps-shoot than a big bass tournament, but a greater craps-shoot than a five fish limit tournament, and ever greater yet than a 10 fish limit tournament.

Tournament bass fishing is a game of both skill and luck. Over time, and more to the point numbers, skill will come into the fore, and diminish random chance in importance as a factor in winning. Still, random chance ALWAYS is A factor in fishing.


TFP

To me fishing is very much like poker.

You can be a great poker player, but sometimes its just not in the cards.

Or you can be a horrible poker player and still win out.

I more think that the issue over "information and luck" is the excuse that guys either use to not fish comptetively or that do fish competitively and consistently get beat.

I'm with you... KVD makes his luck!

Hey FZ1...you called me out earlier on your silly question...you haven't answered mine yet.

We going to show our skills on the water or do you just know how to downplay other peoples capabilities in writing?

For me I believe most of fishing comes from skill even though everyone catches big ones sometimes.

This would explain a couple big ones I caught.....

At the risk of here's what KJ has to say on the subject of luck and fishing:

ESPN Outdoors : 20 Questions Featuring Kelly Jordon

12. How big a part does luck play in fishing?

"None. I don't believe in luck. Preparedness and breaks come into play a lot, though. If that 10-pounder bites and you're ready, you've made your own luck because you caught it. Especially in four-day tournaments. Luck may get you by in a one-day deal because you got a big fish, but it quickly becomes apparent who got lucky and who is good at the end of long tournaments. You can't coast by that long on one fish."

KJ has it right. The luck factor is taken out in the four day tournaments, because you may have a lucky day but you are most likley not going to have four lucky days in a row.

1+...it changes everything!

well, luck is most the only factor for catching trophy fish. The state record fish for Texas was caught on 2in little minnow by a guy who was crappie fishing then caught a 18 lb bass. I think that fish was kind of stupid alittle because most 6 lb+ bass don't eat the tiny 2in minnows. They usually go after something of good size. Its pretty luck when you catch the biggest fish even though you were not fishing for them!

Can they have a section on here that is just for morons than can chat amongst themsevles?

That section for you is not made yet but i would like to see it!!! Epic fail!!! people from dallas texas are wanker anyway! Not even texans!

I don't think I have ever heard a real Texan use the word "wanker"?

I would say 60% luck, when talking double digit fish. 5 fish stringers, 10% luck.

That is the truth...

Nope, random chance is NOT factored OUT, but rather attenuated.


TFP

Luck may not play into it, but having all the items, merchandise, equipment and even advice and gps coords, doesnt hurt the odds.

I know Chunk@Wind and he is a wanker.

You keep saying stuff like that and I will start telling "wing man" stories on you!

You don't want to do that.. I have stories on you too..