MLF World Championship Final Four: Slugger, Grinders and Fleet-Footed Technician
As much as anything, this weekend’s 2017 MLF General Tire World Championship on CBS is a fascinating study in contrasting styles.
In the vernacular of boxing, Bobby Lane is the slugger, Jeff Kriet and Mark Davis are the grinders, and Kevin VanDam is the fleet-footed technician. All are proven contenders, with 219 combined B.A.S.S. Top 10s and just shy of 100 years of tour-level tournament experience among them. None, however, appear to hold a significant advantage as they prepare for Saturday’s Championship Final on the waters surrounding Nacogdoches, Texas.
Bobby Lane: A slugger’s chance
When your nickname is “Big Fish”, you’ve caught the biggest fish in MLF history, and you’re preparing to compete on the lunker-rich waters of East Texas, it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that you expect 5-plus-pounders to play a part in the championship.
“This is East Texas, I’ll be surprised if we have to ‘nickel-and-dime’ them to death like we did in the last round,” Lane says, referring to the 1-pound, 4-ounce overall average of the 141 fish caught on Lake Jacksonville during the Sudden Death Round. “I saw some nice fish on beds that day. I think if I can get a good shallow bite going early and catch one or two of those 4- and 5-pound fish, I have a pretty good shot at this thing.”
Mark Davis: counting on consistency over speed
Even though he’s confident about his understanding of the conditions the field has faced in Nacogdoches throughout the course of the World Championship, Davis is matter-of-fact about the challenge he faces in the final’s single-day winner-take-all format.
“I feel like I’m fishing well and making good decisions, but the MLF format does not fit my strength as an angler,” Davis admits. “I’m more of a slow, methodical angler, and MLF is more of a fast-paced style where you have to run and gun. I think I have a good handle on what the fish are doing here, but that pace is something I have to be aware of.”
Jeff Kriet: Looking to catch “every one of ‘em”
Kriet compares his fishing style to that of Davis – “I’m a slow, pick-it-apart kind of guy, too” he says – but believes that he and Davis’ methodical “grinder” style is actually well-suited to the championship round.
“Mark Davis actually concerns me the most,” Kriet says. “I feel like being steady and catching fish at a good, even pace is the best way to beat guys like Kevin and Bobby. ‘Slow’ is not Kevin’s thing at all, and Bobby will cover 4,000 miles of water in a day. I’d rather go into an area, take my time, catch every one of ‘em and let it add up.”
Kevin VanDam: no sign of slowing down
Coming off a Sudden Death performance that saw him carve up the 32-pound cut weight in under four hours, VanDam is a universally popular fan pick for two reasons: Because he’s the most successful tournament angler of all time; and because the winner-take-all format of the championship round seems perfectly suited for his fast-paced power-fishing style.
Even his competitors think so.
“The beauty of MLF if that you never know what you’ll be faced with, but this competition style is tailor-made for Kevin,” Davis asserts.
VanDam doesn’t totally agree … but he doesn’t disagree, either.
“You have to fish fast, cover a lot of water, and figure things out pretty quick,” VanDam says. “Having the confidence to trust your instincts is everything in MLF, and that first decision you make in the morning (about where and how you fish) is absolutely critical. That’s how I practice, so yes, I think my style fits the format really well.”