The fact that Kevin VanDam won the 2010 Bassmaster Classic last weekend likely didn’t surprise many who follow the sport of bass fishing; he has been the best in the sport and the angler to beat in recent years. It is somewhat ironic though that this same 
fisherman who is best known for his power-fishing style did have to borrow from technology that dates back to the earliest of Classics – variable speed – to slow down for the cold water conditions found on Alabama’s Lay Lake.
VanDam was one of 34 anglers out of the 51 fishing in the Classic who relied on a foot-controlled variable speed MotorGuide® trolling motor that has a history closely paralleling that of the Classic itself. By 1972, year two for the Classic, MotorGuide inventor G.H. Harris had added variable speed control to the design of his bow-mounted foot-controlled trolling motor introduced 20 years earlier.
Variable speed provided anglers with an infinite range of speed settings from low to high, giving them the exact precision for boat control for any given condition. It was a monumental breakthrough in trolling motor technology and angler versatility. Previously, trolling motors typically had from three to five speed settings, and the selections rarely matched the conditions at hand so anglers often found themselves having to constantly switch from one speed to another.
“I did have to consciously make myself slow down in everything I was doing for this Classic,” VanDam said. “I’m accustomed to putting my MotorGuide on high and covering lots of water in a hurry with lots of casts and fast moving baits. But here it was all about dialing the speed down on my 36-volt motor, going to a 5.3:1 gear ratio baitcast reel, making long casts and working my crankbait really slow across the top of the coontail grass in the area.”
“The water was pretty shallow, so I think it was also important that I was able to move my boat around as quietly with my trolling motor as I was,” VanDam added.
VanDam and most of the others in the Classic using MotorGuide had Tour Edition TR109 Digital models on their boats. They say they prefer this model because it has a stainless steel shaft, a rock-steady Tour Gator Spring® mount bracket and a metal foot pedal … combining form and function to eliminate the flex that comes with plastic parts and to provide the smoothest in cable-steer operation.
Ever since Harris’ invention first hit the market more than 50 years ago, MotorGuide has continued to lead the way in trolling motor innovation. The brand has many firsts to its credit beyond just foot control and digital variable speed, including the retractable bow mount for easy stow and deploy, breakaway mount to protect the motor’s shaft from underwater run-ins, and digital technology for the finest in electronic performance.
Continuous improvements are always occurring within the MotorGuide product lineup, with the most recent coming from BASS Elite Series angler Brent Chapman’s father. Chapman developed a stainless steel pulley for the Tour Edition models to work with their upgraded stainless steel cables to improve upon steering feel and limiting steering torque, even when operating the motor at its highest speed setting of more than 100 pounds of thrust.
Additionally, MotorGuide now also has models that incorporate a built-in Lowrance® 200/83 kHz transducer with temperature sensor for compatibility with Lowrance HDS sonar units. Built-in transducers eliminate damage to cables and transducers from underwater obstructions, plus MotorGuide’s digital technology also helps eliminate sonar interference.
“We’re proud of the fact that the Classic trophy stays with the MotorGuide team once again, with last year’s champion Skeet Reese passing it along to now three-time Classic champion and five-time Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam,” said Kevin Fletcher, vice president of sales and marketing for Attwood Marine, the company that also includes MotorGuide products.
“We’re also proud of Pam Martin-Wells performance in having achieved the highest level ever for a female angler in the Classic, and we’re thrilled that four of the five top finishers on Lay Lake had MotorGuide on front of their boats. Congratulations to Kevin and all of our Classic anglers.”
Tags: Bass Fishing, Bassmaster Classic, Tournament, Vandam wins
