I remember the feeling like it was yesterday, I had just bought a Heddon Zara Spook JR in the black and chrome color from the Claremore Walmart. I was 10 years old and spent all the money I had earned from picking up sticks in the yard before my dad mowed the grass. As we were on the drive home I couldn't wait to get it out of the package and tie it on. So there I was examining the lure on the truck ride home. As soon as we pulled in the drive way I was already out of the truck tying the same knot as I still tie today. I tied that bad boy on to my 6ft Shakespeare spin casting rod and ran down to the pond down below our property. Low and behold, I walked the dog slowly by a lay down and a small bass, must've been under 1 pound smashed the top-water, I was beyond excited. Just like I had read what to do in Bassmaster Magazine had worked on this tiny little pond in Eastern Oklahoma. This story is not a unique one, we all remember that one place. The neighbors pond, grandpas pond, that cantankerous old guy that let you fish as long as you closed the gate. We all started this passion somewhere big or small. Its in those early days of our fishing experience that keeps us going today. This article will highlight several of the places and stories of OKA Tournament trail anglers.
Ryan Hendricks is an angler from Broken Arrow who grew up on the banks of Lake Hudson near Pryor. Hendricks is starting his 2nd year on the OKA tournament trail and has big expectations for this upcoming season as he is ranked 15th in the OKA preseason rankings. Hendricks is no stranger to the bass boat scene as his dad had a bass boat growing up where Ryan would spend most of his time during the summers fishing on Hudson and on his Grandparents dock on Ft. Gibson. " I remember getting so mad when we would take the boat, but it was loaded with skis or a tube because I knew we weren't fishing for the day." Ryan's main goals in those early days were to catch giant slabs of crappie or whatever was biting that day. As Ryan got older he wanted to get off the docks and banks and start exploring water of his own, that is when Ryan purchased a cheap sit inside kayak. " It was not easy with that kayak, it was so wobbly and rough on the back." Ryan wanted to start competing but had found the OKA as the season was winding down. Ryan did however find the Tulsa Kayak Bass - a - Thon and got the competition bug from there. Ryan has since upgraded his kayak and now is eager to comepte in 2020.
Angler Danny Bowen has been a main staple of the OKA since the beginning days of the organization. Bowen comes in 12th place in the OKA preseason rankings but his fishing skills were honed long before many current OKA anglers were even born."My oldest fishing memory is catching a big bass on a Hulah Popper in a pond on my grandparents land. I can remember that the pond had lily pads in it because my dad waded out to get the fish untangled from the pads. He was as excited as I was about the fish." As Danny graduated from College he was hired at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife's Holdenville office. "I started fishing Holdenville from the bank with limited success, until my supervisor saw my interest in bass fishing, being an old tournament fisherman himself offered to let me use a two-man boat he had and I was in business." From there Dannys fishing experiences began to expand fishing Sardis, Eufuala, or any lakes around the McAlester area. Dannys kayak adventure began almost 20 years ago when he talked to a fellow ODWC employee about their experience with fishing out of kayak. "I searched for a yak I liked and finally found an Ocean Kayak Ambush from an RV dealer in Albuquerque that agreed to meet me in Norman." "Im more eat up with it now than I have ever been."
One angler whose fishing story is just getting started is Chris Montgomery. Chris comes in at 2nd place in the OKA Preseason rankings. "My fishing career began in middle school when my buddy asked me if I wanted to go fishing at a pond he found." After that first trip Chris learned about Kevin Vandam on Youtube and watched hours and hours of content. As Chris become a little older he decided the bass boat idea was a little out of reach and decided to save up his money for a new kayak. Chris went to the Oklahoma Kayak demo day and owner Dave Lindo recommended getting a Tarpon 100. Later that year Chris was able to purchase the kayak and he was set. Chris recalls his first trip in his new kayak with his father and lab Ralph to Lake Murray. As the day went on Chris had no bites until a 12" largemouth annihilated his Rat-L-Trap. "I still catch fish today and feel the exact same excitement and exhilaration that I did that day with that 12" largemouth."
We all have that body of water, that pond, that boat dock that began our fishing passion. These are the places that we fished at a young age and molded who we are today. As we continue to grow the sport of kayak fishing and hone our talents one thing remains the same, the place where it all began. Tight Lines.
- Avery Metcalf
Ryan Hendricks is an angler from Broken Arrow who grew up on the banks of Lake Hudson near Pryor. Hendricks is starting his 2nd year on the OKA tournament trail and has big expectations for this upcoming season as he is ranked 15th in the OKA preseason rankings. Hendricks is no stranger to the bass boat scene as his dad had a bass boat growing up where Ryan would spend most of his time during the summers fishing on Hudson and on his Grandparents dock on Ft. Gibson. " I remember getting so mad when we would take the boat, but it was loaded with skis or a tube because I knew we weren't fishing for the day." Ryan's main goals in those early days were to catch giant slabs of crappie or whatever was biting that day. As Ryan got older he wanted to get off the docks and banks and start exploring water of his own, that is when Ryan purchased a cheap sit inside kayak. " It was not easy with that kayak, it was so wobbly and rough on the back." Ryan wanted to start competing but had found the OKA as the season was winding down. Ryan did however find the Tulsa Kayak Bass - a - Thon and got the competition bug from there. Ryan has since upgraded his kayak and now is eager to comepte in 2020.
Angler Danny Bowen has been a main staple of the OKA since the beginning days of the organization. Bowen comes in 12th place in the OKA preseason rankings but his fishing skills were honed long before many current OKA anglers were even born."My oldest fishing memory is catching a big bass on a Hulah Popper in a pond on my grandparents land. I can remember that the pond had lily pads in it because my dad waded out to get the fish untangled from the pads. He was as excited as I was about the fish." As Danny graduated from College he was hired at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife's Holdenville office. "I started fishing Holdenville from the bank with limited success, until my supervisor saw my interest in bass fishing, being an old tournament fisherman himself offered to let me use a two-man boat he had and I was in business." From there Dannys fishing experiences began to expand fishing Sardis, Eufuala, or any lakes around the McAlester area. Dannys kayak adventure began almost 20 years ago when he talked to a fellow ODWC employee about their experience with fishing out of kayak. "I searched for a yak I liked and finally found an Ocean Kayak Ambush from an RV dealer in Albuquerque that agreed to meet me in Norman." "Im more eat up with it now than I have ever been."
One angler whose fishing story is just getting started is Chris Montgomery. Chris comes in at 2nd place in the OKA Preseason rankings. "My fishing career began in middle school when my buddy asked me if I wanted to go fishing at a pond he found." After that first trip Chris learned about Kevin Vandam on Youtube and watched hours and hours of content. As Chris become a little older he decided the bass boat idea was a little out of reach and decided to save up his money for a new kayak. Chris went to the Oklahoma Kayak demo day and owner Dave Lindo recommended getting a Tarpon 100. Later that year Chris was able to purchase the kayak and he was set. Chris recalls his first trip in his new kayak with his father and lab Ralph to Lake Murray. As the day went on Chris had no bites until a 12" largemouth annihilated his Rat-L-Trap. "I still catch fish today and feel the exact same excitement and exhilaration that I did that day with that 12" largemouth."
We all have that body of water, that pond, that boat dock that began our fishing passion. These are the places that we fished at a young age and molded who we are today. As we continue to grow the sport of kayak fishing and hone our talents one thing remains the same, the place where it all began. Tight Lines.
- Avery Metcalf
Young Danny Bowen on the right and brother Tim in 1967
Chris Montgomery Tarpon 100
The 12" Lake Murray Bass
Grew up in North Dakota so fished mostly walleye, bluegills, yellow perch, and northern pike. Caught one smallmouth and the way it fought was awesome. Lived in Pacific Northeest so trout and salmon were my target. Started fishing for bass 2015 so learning and reading a lot. Met great people kayak fishing.
ReplyDeleteAwesome stuff! What do you fish for now?
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