Oklahoma Kayak Anglers

  The 3rd installment of the OKA Angler Spotlight continues with an angler out of the Oklahoma City area Treavus Gage. Gage a family man who is married with 3 kids has called OKC home since the early 90s. " I was born and raised in Hugo, Oklahoma and I moved to OKC in 1992." Gage has fished with the OKA for several seasons now and is looking forward to a breakout 2021 season. However, Gage hasn't always targeted bass and is just recently entering the competitive fishing scene.  "I bought my first kayak to fish for crappie. I was looking for someone to fish with so I Googled kayak fishing in Oklahoma and that's how I discovered the Oklahoma Kayak Anglers. I viewed OKA Facebook page and decided to ask to join the group. I never had fished for bass but thought it would be cool to enter the tournaments." As every angler knows bass fishing can be humbling and add tournament angling to the list the sport can be downright frustrating. " I didn't have conf

By Avery Metcalf As everyone is excited to kiss 2020 goodbye, the new 2021 season brings exciting opportunities for competitive kayak fishing. This time last year I was coming off a frustrating and disappointing 2019 OKA season. I had finished 14th in the AOY standings and failed to make the money cut in every event I competed in except the Hobie BOS Satellite Event on Lake Tenkiller were I finished 3rd and cashed a $500 check. Several other anglers had lower than expected AOY finishes including 2020 Angler of the Year Jason Ray, who finished 7th in the 2019 AOY standings. After all the 2019 tournaments had ended and the new 2020 schedule was released anglers Luke Aryan, Jason Ray, and I decided to keep fishing throughout the offseason and did it pay off! Luke Aryan caught more inches in a single event than any other OKA angler in history at 105.25" at the Sooner Lake Fundraiser. I improved by 7 places in the final 2020 AOY standings and cashed a check at OKA Event # 8 and even wo

By: Chris Jones I was born and raised in Henryetta, Oklahoma fishing local ponds, Eufuala, and Dripping Springs. My grandfather taught me more than I can even remember, focusing more so on soft plastics than anything. This year was my first year with the OKA, and I used the knowledge that he gave me to secure 20th overall, and runner up for NOY.  Chris Jones I served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 10 years, finally 'retiring' at the beginning of this year, in which I now do finish carpentry for new residential housing. It gives me adequate time to prefish and fish in most tournaments. I hurt myself this year by not participating in the two monthly tournaments for the OKA in which I believe I could of maybe taken the first spot for NOY or moved up into the top ten for AOY. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the most part by playing volleyball, softball, and golfing. When the weather doesn't permit the outdoor activities I enjoy, you'll usually see me sitt

We have made it to the end of a crazy and unprecedented 2020, but before you set your eyes on the new year a single kayak tournament remains! The Oklahoma Kayak Anglers and Natural State Kayak Anglers will renew their Border battle series on Chimney Rock Lake to find out which club has what it takes to be named Border Battle Champions! Bragging rights, and good ole fashioned pride will be on the line Saturday, December 5th but more importantly it will be a chance for kayak anglers from the two border states on Chimney Rock/ Pumpback / W.R. Holloway to get together and tell fish stories and forge new friendships.  The Natural State Kayak Anglers based out of Northwest Arkansas were founded in 2012 by then president Jeff Malott. NSKA has since expanded to an Arkansas central region trail to go along with their Northwest Arkansas (NWA) trail. Malott, who now runs the Kayak Bass Nation (KBN) Podcast  and an admin for the KBN Facebook page recalls the first and only border battle taking pla

By: Jason Scott Thomas I grew up in Henryetta, OK. That put me in frequent great fishing at Eufaula, Dripping Springs, and Okmulgee Lake with my dad, who tournament fished in the 80’s/90’s. I learned a great deal from him, and he always let me try new things (just don’t get hung up too much). I still learn from him, we all forget some great memories, but he doesn’t forget colors, weather, and where at when it comes to fishing. I bet a lot of us know that feeling. I’m now a dad and teaching my boys about fishing, and I love it. I have an incredible and beautiful wife, and two boys (4 & 2) who keep me ready to take on each and every day. For work, I’m the HR leader at Boeing (Oklahoma City) where we work on and support Military and Defense aerospace products (this video still pumps me up  https://youtu.be/HvxfarP5ENY ). My other hobby/passions are golf (lowest I’ve ever been is a 3 handicap), and collecting/selling sports cards (Vintage, specific modern…my kayak and electronics were

I began fishing competitive kayak tournaments in 2018 and it was a trial by fire. I was new to fishing lakes and reservoirs as I had grown up walking, wading, and canoeing the small creeks and rivers of northeastern, Oklahoma. Obviously I was hooked fishing 12 tournaments excluding jackpots. The lakes were new and exciting and I had little to no experience on any of them. It was during that 2018 season where I learned what my strengths were for success. Small, moving water with hard to find access points. If it was available to fish I would locate an access point on the main inflow of the tournament lake and make that the focus of my tournament day. This water is routinely over looked by tournament anglers, but fished correctly can pay dividends on tournament day.    1. Fish are more condensed        Bass are creatures of habit and follow seasonal changes and weather patterns to migrate from deep water to shallow water and back again. However, in small rivers, and creeks bass are conde

OKA angler and board member Michael Galbraith Sr. finished 4th place out of 167 anglers at the Inaugural All - American Kayak Classic on Truman Lake in Missouri. The AAKC is a championship level tournament comprised of the top kayak anglers from around the country. AAKC invites are handed out to each individual clubs top anglers by Angler of the Year points. Several other Oklahomans placed high in the event which helped Oklahoma receive 3rd place honors as a group. Anglers Jacob Weickum, Steven Giblet and Josue Rodriquez finished 14th, 15th, and 16th place respectably. The OKA looks forward to sending more anglers to the AAKC in future seasons.  Michael Galbraith Sr. is an angler who hails from the Guthrie - Stillwater area. Competition fishing hasn't always been the reason to wet a line for Galbraith. "I grew up fishing as a means for food and not for the sport or competition." Galbraith has been on the competitive kayak scene for 4 seasons now and has recently started t

Let the Google Mapping, YouTube searching, and prefishing begin! The 2021 OKA Schedule is out and man does it hit different than 2020! The lakes range in size from 102,000 acres down to 688 acres and every size in between. The OKA will travel from the Southwest Deseret region of Oklahoma through the big bass central region. Up to the Sandstone Hills of Northwest Tulsa and across to the Boston Mountains of Eastern Oklahoma and finally to the piney forested Ouachita Mountains in Southeastern Oklahoma. There are also several new changes to the schedule such as long standing Toadfest and Dogs Days online events have changed to 1 month adding 2 additional events now known as Spawnfest and Summerfest. The OKA has also added the Big Bass Clash, a 2 day event right in the middle of the schedule. Anglers can qualify for the Big Bass Clash by scoring a 20", bass in Toadfest or Spawnfest. Day 1 of the Big Bass Clash will be ran concurrently with the Central Region Road Runner and will have t

My Grandfather use to always say " The years go by faster as you get older", and as the years add up this cannot be more true. The OKA released the 2020 schedule last October and worked hard to gather new sponsors, keep longtime sponsors and recruit new anglers and maintain the familiar hammers the OKA sees on a season to season basis. Now with a flip of a page on the calendar the OKA looks forward to 2021. Kayak fishing in Oklahoma has taken a steady increase over the past few years and we as group expected a big season with a revamped board, social media presence, and sponsorships. However, the OKA did not expect the outpouring of support and attendance from anglers across the state and region. Some put the huge turn outs mostly on Covid - 19 and that may be true. Still the interest must be present for people to participate and judging by 2020 we have a ton of interest.  The 2020 season kicked off March 23rd at Lake Murray in southern, Oklahoma. As normal, high cold winds d