Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Few people in the sport of bass fishing carry as much weight as Kevin VanDam, especially when we’re talking about the Bassmaster Classic.  The Team Toyota pro qualified for an incredible 28 Bassmaster Classics and won the title four times during his iconic career before retiring from full-time tournament fishing in 2023.

VanDam understands every nuance and detail of this event from a competitor’s standpoint, but his passion for the sport, and this tournament in particular, burns just as hot as a fan. As a lifelong student of fishing, he still studies the patterns, the anglers, and the weather conditions leading into the Classic.

For KVD, the Classic is more than just another tournament. It’s the one week of the year when the entire bass fishing world stops and pays attention. The field is smaller, the pressure is higher, and every decision is amplified.

Before breaking down his fishing predictions, KVD explained why the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour is one every fishing fan should try to attend.

“Knoxville and the Tennessee River setup as one of the very best Classic venues that exist,” VanDam offered. “Based on the proximity of the launch location, the Outdoor Expo, the weigh-in; everything is within a five-minute walk or drive. It allows fishing fans to be there for every big moment, which is truly special. If you’ve never felt the energy of a morning blast off at the Classic or at the weigh-in on Championship Sunday… there is nothing like it.”

VanDam went on to explain another reason this venue makes for such a great fan experience; it’ll be a competitive event. What KVD means by that is, this fishery sets up for a tight-weight tournament with multiple anglers in the mix throughout the three-day competition.

Like any great sporting event, you want to see the eventual winner earn the title of Classic champion versus a blow-out, runaway result. According to VanDam, this fishery sets up perfect for back-and-forth battle that’ll come down to the final hour.

VanDam released a comprehensive preview of the 2026 Classic on his YouTube channel, where he went into even more detail, but he believes fishing fans are in for the highest weights we’ve ever seen from an event on Fort Louden and Tellico.

“I’m betting it’ll take somewhere around 18-lbs per day to win this Classic,” VanDam offered. “Which is much higher than the past two times the Classic has come to Knoxville. For one, forward-facing-sonar changes the game and will help guys catch bigger than average fish. But more than that, the weather is setting up just about perfect.

“There is a 7-to-10 day warming trend with plenty of warm spring rains leading up to day one. Rain means current which is a great thing on the Tennessee River. They’re calling for a little cold front during the weekend, but I think the fish will have already responded. The largemouth will be fat, prespawn and staging. The smallmouth may be spawning already, and all species are going to be aggressive.”

Smallmouth were key to Jeff Gustafson’s win here in 2023 and this year anglers will be able to keep 15-inch smallmouth, while only 18-inch or larger Tennessee River bronze backs were qualified as keepers in 2019 and 2023. Even with this rule being updated, VanDam believes largemouth will be the key to victory this year.

“Smallmouth will absolutely be a factor, but you aren’t going to win this tournament with 15-inch smallmouth, or largemouth for that matter,” VanDam proposed. “It’s going to take bigguns this time. The fishery is healthier than ever, electronics are more dialed than ever, and the weather is lining up to maximize the Tennessee River’s potential.”

While he knows FFS and minnow imitators on a jighead will be part of the conversation, VanDam believes power fishing will play a huge role in the 2026 Classic. With traditional east-Tennessee stalwarts like flat sided crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits and bladed jigs getting the nod to make VanDam’s starting team if he was competing this week.

VanDam has famously notched wins on other TVA impoundments like Kentucky Lake, Guntersville, and Chickamauga. While this stretch of the Tennessee River has some similarities to those fisheries, it does have some notable differences. In his experience, the bass in Louden and Tellico like to position shallower than other TVA lakes.

VanDam believes this could be an ideal setup for springtime power fishing.

“Lures like a Red Eye Shad or a flat sided crankbait like the Hard Liner 35 have been catching bass in that part of the country for decades,” VanDam said. “And for a reason! Those fish like to position on shallow ledges or river bars that you can’t always see on your electronics. You have to fish your way through them and cranking is one of the best ways to do that.

“A jerkbait is another technique you’re going to have to have tied on. With the cold winter we had and the water being a little cleaner than usual, a jerkbait and FFS are going to be a weapon. Especially on a system like this.”

When he’s not busy at the Outdoors Expo presented by TNT Fireworks, VanDam will be locked onto tournament coverage this weekend.  If there’s one thing KVD knows for certain about the Bassmaster Classic, it’s that one angler’s life will be forever changed when they hoist that trophy over their head on Sunday afternoon.