A fishing outing with Kevin VanDam is a rare prize, but it’s being offered in a sweepstakes happening now at Bassmaster.com.

 

The “Fish with a Pro” sweepstakes winner will be given the opportunity to meet up with the world’s best bass angler, KVD, for a morning on the water in July. They will hit a lake near Orlando, Fla., site of the vacation for two that the sweepstakes winner can enjoy at the same time.

 

The Florida vacation prize includes round-trip airfare, car rental, three days and three nights for two at an Orlando-area hotel, two one-day Walt Disney World Park Passes and $500. Total estimated retail value of the prize package is $4,995.

 

Entries will be accepted at Bassmaster.com through Jan. 31. No purchase is necessary to enter or to win; up to one entry per person will be accepted each day of the sweepstakes. If they elect to do so, entrants can join B.A.S.S. and enter the sweepstakes at the same time by filling out one form. A $15 annual membership includes one year of Bassmaster Magazine, tournament eligibility, a free tackle bag and more.

 

The lucky sweepstakes winner will be randomly selected from all entries and notified by mail.

 

“When we were putting the sweepstakes together, we decided to go for it and give the winner the trip of a lifetime,” said Bruce Akin, chief executive officer of B.A.S.S. LLC. “I think most people will readily agree that a fishing outing with Kevin is exactly that.”

 

VanDam is a Bassmaster Elite Series pro with accomplishments that stand as tall as the lanky angler himself. For starters, he is the reigning Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, a title he’s owned for the past four years and seven times over the course of his career. He’s also a four-time Bassmaster Classic winner, including in 2011. (That makes him the defending champ for the upcoming 2012 Classic, Feb. 24-26 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La.) VanDam has landed 20 Bassmaster wins and posted 96 Top 10 finishes for an earnings total of more than $5 million — from Bassmaster events alone.

 

The sweepstakes winner will have his or her chance to get to know the bass fishing superstar on July 10, the date set for the fishing outing. Because that date happens to fall just weeks before the final event of the 2012 regular Bassmaster Elite Series season, VanDam could be on his approach to a fifth consecutive Angler of the Year title. Only Roland Martin with his nine titles can claim to best VanDam on that score. VanDam, however, is the only pro to rack up four in a row.

 

And thus it could happen that the sweepstakes winner shares a boat with KVD on the cusp of setting another record: five consecutive Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year crowns.

 

Complete sweepstakes rules and an entry form are easily accessed by clicking through the sweepstakes icon found on the home page of Bassmaster.com.