Education
VanDam has predominantly fished the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) Bassmasters tournament series during his career.
VanDam has predominantly fished the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) Bassmasters tournament series during his career.
He has captured four Bassmaster Classic titles (2001, 2005, 2010, 2011), seven Toyota Tundra Angler of Year titles (1992, ‘96, ‘99, ‘08, ‘09, "10, "11) and was also the FLW Angler of the Year in 2001. VanDam began his career in 1990 at the age of 23. His 20 career BASS tournament series wins are the most career wins on the Bassmasters tournament trail.Vandam also has 102 top 10 finishes, 163 top 20 finishes, and 239 top 50 finishes through 2014.
VanDam is sponsored on the BASS Bassmasters tournament trail by Nitro, Mercury Marine, Toyota, Strike King, Mustad, Plano, MotorGuide, Quantum, Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Oakley, Doctorate&R Sports, Biosonix and RMR Industries.
4 Bassmaster Classic Titles
7 Angler of the Year Titles
Career winnings: more than $5,656,426 (BASS and FLW)
Career Top Ten finishes: 102
Times in the BASSMASTER Classic: 24 (consecutively since 1991)
Tournaments Runner-Up: 12.
He is the all-time money winner in professional bass fishing, having earned $5.66 million through September 2014. In 1992, he became the youngest person to win the BASS Angler of the Year title, at age 25. He and Rick Clunn are the only anglers to have won four Bassmaster Classic titles. VanDam was honored with the first-ever Outdoorsman of the Year Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award by Entertainment and Sports Programming Network in 2002. Tournaments Won: 20 (BASS).