June 12, 2025
In 2005, ESPN held a celebratory discussion to determine the best bass fisherman of all time. The Greatest Angler Debate, as it was called, included several industry experts and noted press observers who were somehow determined to be experts on the subject. The usual names were thrown in the mix; Roland Martin, Bill Dance and the likes, added to tournament dominators of the era and a few television celebrities. Though the concept was noticeably biased, the results could be considered accurate, as Rick Clunn was determined the winner. It’s awful hard to argue with Clunn’s record, then or now.
This, of course, was early in the Kevin VanDam dynasty, but not yet at its culmination. Following the Debate, VanDam would go on to win multiple Classics, AOY trophies four years in a row and truckloads of cash. Had the voting been recalibrated a decade following the Debate, KVD was a lock.
Until now, I considered his reign untouchable, and it may still be. VanDam’s wins crossed so many bass fishing milestones and included a wide range of formats. He dominated traditional five-fish limits, then held court on every-fish-counts. He won in the north, south, east and west. Winding and flipping. Offshore and on the bank.
But with his recent performance, more fans are considering Jacob Wheeler for a spot in a modern debate. Though I, myself, would have considered the thought blasphemous, I have to wonder, is Jacob Wheeler the greatest competitive bass fisherman of all time?
The first indictor that a debate between KVD and Wheeler might exist is the AOY dominance. VanDam’s eight AOY titles is second only to Roland Martin, though most everyone would argue that competition in the VanDam era was drastically stronger. The same, though, could be said of Wheeler, who won the BPT AOY in 2021, '22, '24 and is headed for another one in '25. Today’s BPT roster is stacked with performers, yet Wheeler is inarguably considered best.
With his most recent victory, Wheeler’s up to nine regular-season BPT wins to go along with his FLW and B.A.S.S scores. That’s only about half as many career wins as VanDam, but Wheeler has been competing less than half as long. Remember, Wheeler broke out on the scene in 2012 with an All-American win, and is currently only in his mid 30s. That, alone, is incredible to think.
Wheeler has done much of his damage on the Bass Pro Tour, leaving many to credit his dominance to the league’s unique format. Remember, though, Wheeler won twice on the Bassmaster Elite Series and didn't slow down during the BPT’s brief return to a five-fish limit. Then, he won a regular-season event and missed another AOY by a handful of points.
The career earnings list outlines another credible argument. KVD won somewhere around $8 million in 35 years. Wheeler has racked up around $4 million in 40% of that time. A fair comparison? Maybe not, as VanDam was frequently competing for much smaller purses in the early days of his career, when a big check was $10,000. Still, money talks.
Regardless, Wheeler still falls short of KVD to any informed judge of the best competitive angler of all time. Yet the debate itself is full of holes.
All we can say is that the greatest – those truly ahead of their time – possessed a special ability seen only once in a generation.
And in the case of Wheeler vs. the King, there are still a lot of casts to be made.
(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times. )
