As the second day of competition wraps up at the Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2025 Presented by MillerTech on Lake Guntersville, there have been several productive patterns established as anglers work to keep themselves above the 20th place cut line and fish Saturday’s Knockout Round.
But the weekend is the great equalizer in this format, as weights will be zeroed tomorrow morning and the rally for REDCREST glory will begin once again.
Who better to provide championship insight for this event than the man many consider to be the tournament fishing G.O.A.T., Kevin VanDam. Though KVD has retired from competition, he’s been plenty busy. Filming five episodes of his hit TV show, The VanDam Experience, from Alabama to Texas to the Carolinas in the past three weeks – including one chapter right here on Lake Guntersville.
The spawn is on
Not only has KVD been watching REDCREST competition play out the first two days, but he has also been on Guntersville as recently as last week, and everything he’s seen has led him to believe the bass rut is 100% upon us in north Alabama.
“Throughout my career I’ve always watched weather trends going into major tournaments,” VanDam offered. “Not just ‘week of ‘weather… trends and what it’s been doing the month leading into the event. The weather trends line up for REDCREST to be a spawn fest. We’ve already seen that play out a little the first two days and I expect that to only improve during the weekend.”
VanDam referred to the general warming trend northern Alabama has experienced in recent weeks coupled with warm nights, the moon schedule, and the calendar reading the first week of April all pointing to bass flooding the shallow grass flats of Guntersville.
Noting that forward-facing sonar has played a major role during the first two days of competition, but VanDam believes the eventual winner won’t be able to lean on one period of scoping to win.
“You can only use FFS one period and it’s going to take all three periods to win on Sunday,” VanDam said. “I’d be keying in on spawners, spawning flats and a few different bluegill imitation baits. This lake is so healthy with both bass and grass right now. You can literally put your Raptors (Power Poles) down and catch ten or more fish before you pick them up.”
The presence of pollen in the water and the moderate to high winds this week have made traditional sight-fishing for spawning bass tough to do, but VanDam said he’d still be using his eyes and a good pair of polarized sunglasses if you are fishing in Alabama right now. The Team Toyota angler offered several baits and tactics he’d implement on Guntersville during REDCREST.
“As much as I love to cover water, I think it’s hard to beat a wacky-rigged stick worm right now,” VanDam admitted. “I’d have a wacky-rigged Strike King KVD Ocho and a Texas-rigged Perfect Plastics Game Hawg with a ¼-ounce weight tied on for fan casting those flats or pitching to the holes in the grass. If the wind gets blowing too hard to fish slow, or I was looking for concentrations of fish I’d lean on a lighter weight, 3/8-ounce Thunder Cricket and a 4.75-inch Rage Swimmer to cover water.
“You’ll notice color selection is all about imitating bluegill or brim. That’s what those bass are defending their spawning beds and eggs against, not to mention big bass love to eat bluegill all year long, too. I’d have chartreuse tips on all my baits, and I’d be locked in on the spawning bass deal.”
Championship mindset
Just as important as employing the right pattern(s) and baits is the mental approach for those looking to hoist the trophy on Sunday. VanDam understands this abstract side of tournament fishing better than anyone; famously managing crowds, fishing pressure, and his mindset on the biggest stages throughout his career.
“You have to know coming into this event on Guntersville that you can’t win it with one spot or area,” VanDam explained. “Fishing pressure is infamous here, and locals or other anglers are going to fish your stuff after you leave… Saturdays are the worst with the weekend crowd. I would plan for that, having multiple spots that I would purposely stay away from until the opportune time.”
VanDam emphasized that timing and decision making are critical in an event like REDCREST. There is no specific formula he can give that ‘always’ works, but fishing pressure and crowd control is something he would actively plan for after practice concluded.
This week for example, VanDam offered that he may start on the outer edge of a spawning flat versus running right to the juice, so that he can position fans and media boats appropriately. And he would always try to have an area saved going into the weekend in a Championship that he kept away from the public eye.
“When you are doing well in a tournament like REDCREST you are going to have a target on your back,” VanDam said. “You can let that cripple you or you can frame your mindset in a way that you have a plan to deal with it. That will be key for whoever ultimately wins this tournament. This format is so challenging, you add on Guntersville crowds, and it just makes this event so hard to win.
“But the title ‘REDCREST Champion’ goes on your resume and follows you forever. It’s life changing and I can’t wait to see how it all goes down.”
