Opinions Please 2025

kayakkrack reply :

Who do you think the best bass fisherman of all time is?

roadwarrior reply :

Al Lindner gets my vote for "Best Fisherman"

Rick Clunn for "Best Bass Fisherman"

flyfisher reply :

I am gonna go with Rick Clunn as well and honestly, i don't think it is even close.

kikstand454 reply :

Ehhh. ...... depends on the parameters of "best".

But rick clunn is in the running. ...no matter the definition.

Catch and Grease reply :

Aaron martens is diffenetly top ten...

nepabassfishing reply :

Al Lindner is the best freshwater angler out there. As far as bass goes, Clunn is the Michael Jordan of bass fishing while KVD is the Lebron James. Clunn is the greatest ever, KVD is the best currently.

Catt reply :

On 8/17/2014 at 12:52 AM, roadwarrior said:

Al Lindner gets my vote for "Best Fisherman"

Rick Clunn for "Best Bass Fisherman"

Yelp!

WRB reply :

Rick Clunn won the Bassmaster all time best angler contest, Roland Martin was 2nd. There is a article on this site.

Tom

5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :

Bill Dance.

Dwight Hottle reply :

On 8/17/2014 at 2:39 AM, Catt said:
Yelp!

On 8/17/2014 at 12:52 AM, roadwarrior said:

Al Lindner gets my vote for "Best Fisherman"

Rick Clunn for "Best Bass Fisherman"

kickerfish1 reply :

In the conversation for best overall freshwatersaltwater angler there has to be a Larry Dahlberg in it somewhere.

SirSnookalot reply :

Mark Sosin, pretty darn good, both angler and author.

Sam reply :

Jesus. Read what he did about feeding the masses from his fishing adventure.

Raul reply :

Rick Clunn takes my vote, KVD is getting real close to him.

SudburyBasser reply :

Depends on the criteria you use I suppose.

Wins and money means it's Kevin VanDam without any argument what-so-ever.

Early pioneering impact/success in the sport and you can talk Rick Clunn, Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance and Al Linder.

If someone argued any of those five names I may disagree but I would completely understand. It's like arguing who's better Magic or Michael. Depends on how you define best.

EDIT: Shoot, I forgot about Roland Martin. You can definitely add him to the second list.

RMcDuffee726 reply :

Roland Martin! I love his books and also he seems like just an all around great person!

Topwaterspook reply :

Rick Clunn.

macmichael reply :

I'll go with Jon Dutton. Aka Bassisaddicting!!! (-: I also like Bill Dance

webertime reply :

Charlie Moore.

Or:

Clunn, KVD or Mr Houston.

Crestliner2008 reply :

Al Lindner for best all-around fisherman and it would be a toss up (for me) between Rick Clunn & the late Doug Hannon on bass.

scrutch reply :

On 8/18/2014 at 7:36 AM, webertime said:

Charlie Moore.

Or:

Clunn, KVD or Mr Houston.

I know it's an opinion, but IMHO, Charlie Moore is not even in the same galaxy as the others you listed.

BridgerM reply :

It isn't me. That much is sure.

They're all the best on one day or another.

FSUMF333 reply :

Paul Elias the king of cranking.

webertime reply :

On 8/18/2014 at 8:19 AM, scrutch said:
I know it's an opinion, but IMHO, Charlie Moore is not even in the same galaxy as the others you listed.

It was a joke...

PersicoTrotaVA reply :

Uncle Homer

5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :

On 8/19/2014 at 9:02 PM, PersicoTrotaVA said:
Uncle Homer

CDobber reply :

On 8/19/2014 at 9:02 PM, PersicoTrotaVA said:
Uncle Homer

+2 Love Uncle Homer

aavery2 reply :

I will be the one that goes with KVD, I think he is most dominant fisherman that the sport has ever seen, and I don't think he is done yet.

FrogFreak reply :

I vote for some guy that"s never entered a tournament in his life but always catches em. He's the guy that doesn't say much when you ask where he was or what he was using. We all know someone like that.

I bet there are some folks on this forum that fit this description.

But if we are talking famous folks, I would say KVD is hard to argue against. I haven't heard anyone mention Hank Parker yet??

VAHunter reply :

KVD is the best bass fisherman of all time. However, there have been many great bass anglers (Martin, Parker, Dance, etc.). Some stayed in the game for a while, others left early in their careers. Who is to say what may have tranpired if Hank Parker continued as a touring pro (he left when he was pretty young). IMO, it's very hard to beat the numbers KVD has posted during his career.

G8RBob reply :

The most knowledgeable bass fisherman was Doug Hannon. He wrote the book, literally.

Josh Smith reply :

You know, I would put Tom Mann in the running. I'm not old enough to remember him as much as some of the newer crowd (and Bill Dance, of course), but in reading his books, man, I think he really understood bass. I'm testing his techniques and ideas and am finding them sound.

The more I live and the more I fish, the more I find myself going back to the pioneers like Tom Mann, Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, and the rest.

Josh

Comfortably Numb reply :

On 8/17/2014 at 3:11 AM, 5 Dollar Fishing Game said:
Bill Dance.

LOL. He fishes private ponds for days and condeces it to 30 mins

He was good in the early days but not dominate.

Comfortably Numb reply :

On 8/19/2014 at 9:37 PM, CDobber said:
+2 Love Uncle Homer

His son Bart is a hoot too

5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 9:25 AM, Comfortably Numb said:

LOL. He fishes private ponds for days and condeces it to 30 mins

He was good in the early days but not dominate.

Not dominate?!?!?!?! He took a treble hook in the nasal septum and fished the rest of the day!!!

BOSS !!!!!!!!

FL Bass Abducter reply :

On 8/19/2014 at 11:51 PM, FrogFreak said:

I vote for some guy that"s never entered a tournament in his life but always catches em. He's the guy that doesn't say much when you ask where he was or what he was using. We all know someone like that.

I bet there are some folks on this forum that fit this description.

But if we are talking famous folks, I would say KVD is hard to argue against. I haven't heard anyone mention Hank Parker yet??

This is the best answer! It's amazing how people put these famous fisherman up on pedestals. They're NOT superhuman. Heck, some of em aren't even that good, believe it or not. It's all about marketing themselves. What makes some of you think Doug hannon is better than YOU? If he knew so much, why did he struggle so much when he repeatedly came to Stick marsh and didn't do squat? I saw it with my own eyes. The fishing world is a world of deception.

Last Winter, we had the displeasure of a bunch of the FLW pros invading our little lake near Big O. Have you ever sat and watched Roland, Scroggins, Gagliardi, and quite a few others not catch jack, while "weekend warriors" whacked em? I did. The guys you see on TV are just the guys who had the financial breaks in life, whether it be a trust fund, or maybe they owned their own business, etc. Or more importantly, a good line of bull.......

Don't let the marketers con you into worshiping these guys.

Comfortably Numb reply :

Pro anglers are more versatile. Local anglers are good on their home waters. Pros even consult with them.

Hey look at Butch Brown. None are better at that style of fishing on his home Cali lakes.

KVD in Michigan might be unbeatable.

FL Bass Abducter reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 11:59 AM, Comfortably Numb said:

Pro anglers are more versatile. Local anglers are good on their home waters. Pros even consult with them.

Hey look at Butch Brown. None are better at that style of fishing on his home Cali lakes.

KVD in Michigan might be unbeatable.

EXACTLY! That's why pros are so "versatile". The pros with the best info network wins. In his heyday, Roland would have MULTIPLE guides out prefishing for him before a TX. LOL Please keep believing that the pros are superheros. There's literally billions of dollars riding on it!!LOL

aavery2 reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 11:00 AM, FL Bass Abducter said:

This is the best answer! It's amazing how people put these famous fisherman up on pedestals. They're NOT superhuman. Heck, some of em aren't even that good, believe it or not. It's all about marketing themselves. What makes some of you think Doug hannon is better than YOU? If he knew so much, why did he struggle so much when he repeatedly came to Stick marsh and didn't do squat? I saw it with my own eyes. The fishing world is a world of deception.

Last Winter, we had the displeasure of a bunch of the FLW pros invading our little lake near Big O. Have you ever sat and watched Roland, Scroggins, Gagliardi, and quite a few others not catch jack, while "weekend warriors" whacked em? I did. The guys you see on TV are just the guys who had the financial breaks in life, whether it be a trust fund, or maybe they owned their own business, etc. Or more importantly, a good line of bull.......

Don't let the marketers con you into worshiping these guys.

I would say to someone who thinks that they are as good or better than an Elite Level Angler "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" go ahead and jump into a FLW, Open, or Elite Level Tournament, if it is as easy as you make it sound you should be rolling in cash in no time.

My thought is this, you only reach the pinnacle of any sport by being very very good at what you do.

Alonerankin2 reply :

Linder Brothers....

Doug Hannon, my personal favorite...

OntarioFishingGuy reply :

The Linder brothers and Doug Stange from In Fisherman.

For bass, Clunn gets my vote.

mad basser reply :

Right on Sam that's great

roadwarrior reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 11:00 AM, FL Bass Abducter said:
Heck, some of em aren't even that good, believe it or not.

Well, guys come and go. For whatever reason there are those that give the top circuits a try

and it doesn't work for them, much like any other sport. However, for the guys at the top, and

especially those that are in the hunt every year, it's a different story. "Marketing" is important

and that's where the money is really made, but it doesn't put fish in the boat.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

Dont forget about good ol Denny Braur. One of the best bass guys out there. Clunn is also awesome.

For all around fish catching I'd also vote Linderers.

FrogFreak reply :

Just to clarify my earlier post, I'm just saying there are some great anglers out there that don't get the recognition because they don't want it. I have the utmost respect for the pros. They have to fish in horrible conditions and it's the ultimate test. Catch em and keep fishing or don't and go home when the money runs out! I don't *** them on those cold days when they go hours between bites. Heck I'd just go home and watch football at that point.

uncustered reply :

It's like NASCAR.... New era (KVD, Ike etc) or old era (Parker, Martin, Mann, Dance)...

Could KVD have been this dominant without the technology he had today???

Good question....

starweldpro16 reply :

Wow! What a topic. It brings back a flood of good memories. I'm going to weigh in with a vote for Rick Clunn. I was just over on his Facebook page and realized IM OLD! d**n. He was my hero back in the 80s. My b-in-law and I were all about bass fishing in the day. We watched all the cable network fishing shows of the time. He was a devoted Roland fan,and I was all about Rick Clunn. Lets say we had some spirited debates on occasion,lol! Good times.

I pulled away from bass and boating in the early 90s. A little burned out and raising a family took over. A couple months ago I bought myself another boat. Been loving it big time too. Man! There are a bunch of new techniques out there now. Having fun with all that too. This thread caused me to pause and reflect. I just realized I missed 20 years of something I love. All the old names like the Linders,Roland,Mann,Parker and my old hero Clunn. In my mind a lot of them are timeless. I have a bunch of catching up to to. And who is this up-start VanDam? ......................just kidding.

Ginosocalbass reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 1:25 PM, FL Bass Abducter said:
EXACTLY! That's why pros are so "versatile". The pros with the best info network wins. In his heyday, Roland would have MULTIPLE guides out prefishing for him before a TX. LOL Please keep believing that the pros are superheros. There's literally billions of dollars riding on it!!LOL

Bingo!

KVD at the delaware river....

Dinky reply :

On 8/23/2014 at 1:25 PM, FL Bass Abducter said:
EXACTLY! That's why pros are so "versatile". The pros with the best info network wins. In his heyday, Roland would have MULTIPLE guides out prefishing for him before a TX. LOL Please keep believing that the pros are superheros. There's literally billions of dollars riding on it!!LOL

Of course pre fishing is done at least 30 days prior to the week before the tournament and usually they are preparing for another tournament.

And, since they are not allowed to obtain any info in that period that is not public info, the pre fishing would be wasted, and if they got info that was not available to everyone they would be disqualified.

The pre fishing they are allowed to do that is helpful is the 4 days just prior to the tournament. They are only allowed to fish with another competitor- though rarely do any do so. They normally fish from dawn to dusk and though many will cross paths and know where others are marking spots, it is very much frowned on to fish areas in the tournament you have not pre fished and fished in the first few days of it. In other words, no jumping competitors spots.

As for your claim re they are trust fund folks or just good at marketing and this is what makes them good fishermen, I beg to differ.

If they are good fishermen it is because they are good fishermen. Period.

Many, more than one would think, actually have a job or business that they work at in the off season. Pro fishing is a pyramid, with the very successful, financially, at the top in small numbers compared to the total number of competitors.

Sponsors? They won't pay you unless you catch fish and win! It is not the other way around.

As for locals having success on their lake while tournament pros struggle, I am sure it can happen. Yet the locals are not in the tournament and not subject to the rules, so it really is not a level playing field.

10726

Opinions Please 2025

related General Bass Fishing Forum topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed General Bass Fishing Forum topic