The 'Tiger Woods of Fishing' Nabs Bassmaster Trophy

He's focused, he's determined, and he knows his way around a fishing pole. Kevin Van Dam might not be a household name like Tiger Woods, but when it comes to fishing, he's a dominant figure in his sport.

And Van Dam proved his skill this weekend when he walked away with his third Bassmaster Classic trophy, which also happens to come with a $500,000 prize. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the win makes Van Dam the wealthiest angler ever, with $4.1 million in BASS cash. Not too shabby.

Van Dam, 42, isn't the winning-est fisherman ever, but he sure is close. This weekend's victory was his 17th tournament win, just two behind record-holder Roland Martin. And with all the money and prizes, it's no surprise the Tiger Woods comparisons abound, not that Van Dam loves them, especially considering the golfer's current scandal.

“I definitely don’t like the Tiger Woods analogy because that kind of stuff surely is never going to happen to me,” Van Dam, a married father of twin boys, told the Union-Tribune. “Outdoorsmen, fishermen are good people. We’re passionate about what we do. We care about the lakes and the rivers and the streams.”

And he sure cares about his craft, too. Overall, Van Dam collected 51 pounds, 6 ounces of fish during the three-day tournament at Alabama's Lay Lake, significantly besting runner-up Jeff Kriet, who was exactly five pounds behind with just 46-6.

It appears Van Dam's shrewd preparation led to victory, as he deftly sought out the hungriest fish in an area known as Beeswax Creek during practice rounds, which is rich with coontail, a dark olive green, rootless plant where bass like to hide.

“The first fish I ever caught changed me,” Van Dam continued in the Union-Tribune. “The first bass I ever caught made an impact on my life and look where I am at today, just chasing little green fish.”

As the Winter Olympics dominate national sports news now, it looks like fishing — and Van Dam — are worth our attention, too.

Photo by mvipond via stock.xchang.