By: Nathan Henthorn
I would assume that most of us got into kayak fishing for
similar reasons. Personally, it was an affordable and accessible way to get on
the water and do what I love. Once you get in the addiction is inevitable, and
with that kayaks we are in now along with the tournament scene has evolved
dramatically in recent years.
Competitive kayak fishing has expanded and new clubs have
formed nationally and locally to where you can choose events based on what is
important to you, and preference is different for all of us. For some, it is
being loyal to one local trail and chasing that AOY. Others may put national
events priority. After work summertime jackpots are a great option as well! For
most, it’s a combination of the few, but it is great to have options.
Personally, I choose to fish events based on geographical
location combined with what weekends I am available. I have fished with the OKA
since 2015 and Natural State Kayak Anglers since 2016, and usually fish a few,
but not all, tournaments with each club. I live in far Northeast Oklahoma, and
NSKA based out of northwest Arkansas have events pretty close to where I live.
Just this year alone there we three events with some really good Oklahoma water
in play.
On weekends where there is not an OKA event, I encourage you
to check out other clubs schedules and fish events on bodies of water you may
not be super familiar with. This is a great opportunity to sharpen your skills
as angler and get know new people beyond just being their friend on social
media. River Valley Kayak Anglers out of Fort Smith area is another club that
usually has some awesome Oklahoma water in play for events. South East Kansas
Kayak Anglers is a newly formed club in 2019 that is growing and has great
events right across the border.
While we see more national organizations now than ever
before with Hobie BOS, KBF, and now BASS, local clubs will always be what makes
kayak bass fishing great. They are the backbone that allows anglers from all
skill levels and geographic regions to come together and enjoy friendly
competition. I firmly believe the OKA has some of the best sticks around, but
local clubs all across America are full of folks who can flat out fish.
See you on the water,
Editors Note: Nathan Henthorn has completed 39 tournaments on tourneyx with 2, 2nd place finishes, a 3rd place finish and 13 top 10 finishes with multiple clubs. With the most recent 2nd place finish at OKA Event #8 at Lake Tenkiller. Henthorn has also compiled 2,500.25" on tourneyx with an average of 15.15" per fish.
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