I was fortunate enough that the
College Kayak Fishing tournament directors alowed masters, and doctorate student
Complete. I am completing my Masters in
Kinesiology through Fresno Pacific University. The only down side was that all
event required a partner. That did not stop me, I paid the entry fee for the
team and fished in two online events solo, just for the experience and one of
the local tournament that eventually was canceled. The total results cumulative
points would determine a National Champion.
My first event was the College
Kayak Bass fishing April online event. It was open to any public water ways, I
fished one day on the California Delta and was able to score four fish for 64” which
was good enough for second place. Had a spinner bait and drop shot bite going I
would wait in shallow tulle flats and target fish that were moving up to feed.
The second event was the College
Kayak fishing national Championship for Bass. I was held as an online event
that ran through the month of June. I
had 12 days on the water that month but I was not catching many quality fish at
the beginning of the month and had to start taking pictures of 11-13”
fish. I knew I still had some time I
called up the Angler or the Year (AOY) for Delta Kayak bass Series (DKBS) Bryan
Buterbaugh A.K.A. HobieBlue. He was happy to take me out on the California
Delta and show me some things, while we fish differently, I was able to watch
and learn. I found a nice long point on high tide a caught a nice 17” fish on a
buzz bait. One more13.5” on a senko. Now I was feeling a little less
pressure. It was June Friday the 25th
I had my son with me and we went out to Rancho Seco, I had been in a rut a
Rancho Seco, a lot of small fish but today I hooked into something big and it began
pulling me and the kayak all over the lake. It seemed like I had the fish on
for about 10 minutes before I even saw the flash. As the fight continue I told
me son we has a monster, in my mind the fight was coming to an end I got the
net and as it was coming up I could see the white of its belly coming up from
the deep with the mouth open and out of the water it jumps swings his head and
out comes the hook. Total let down but
let but had a few days left to fish. I can remember posting on their Facebook
page Wednesday night good luck all tight lines. I knew I was going to be on
water for the last two day of the event but did not know what to expect but I
went right to where I lost that fish the Friday before, my first cast on that
spot let that bait sink as and as I engaged the spool the fish was already on
and it was pulling hard. I was luck it went deep because I was on the light
tackle, and fishing weeds. I fought it for only a few minutes and into the net
it went, Catch, Photo, and release (CPR) and let the son hold him for a photo opportunity
and only fish of the day.
Got home and posted the picture it was my new
personal best from the kayak and having my son with me made it that much better
21.75”! Wow with one day left to fish I was so happy to land this one but deep
down I knew I needed to find another 18” fish so last day of the tournament I
get up early paddle out to the same sport the day before and begin casting,
nothing I repositioned the kayak and continued to cast in the same location. As
I am reeling the bait just stops in the water I set the hook and the line just
peels off the spool and the drag is just creaming. Hooked up and this fish is not happy about
it, deep to airborne, running to the boat and then away from it. I have to put
the paddle down and just hope I can land this fish once it get tired out. Mean time my son is just happy as can be
eating raisins and asking if it is a monster and I have to tell him “yes”. As I finally tier out the fish and it comes
to the boat and land it in the net, put her on the hog trough yep another 20+”
fish 20.25” These two fish catapult me
to 3rd place for the
Championship and with my accumulated point I finish 3rd for Fresno
Pacific University out of 18 other universities.
