Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3906 Feb 28- Mar 13 | Page 22

20
Feb 28-Mar 13, 2020
VOL.39 • ISS. 6
Spotlight On Kayak Fishing...
Sponsered by
Kayak City
in Citrus Heights, CA
Kayak City.Com
916.565.1400
Hobie Bass Open Series Kicks
Second Season Courtesy of Hobie
In NASCAR, it’s like the perennial season opener in Daytona Beach, FL.
Racers slide on their gloves and tilt down their helmet shields while eyeballing
the competition. Off the starting line they swerve controllably to heat their
tires for traction. And then the drivers follow the safety car around the final
pace lap before giving it the throttle at the starting line.
For competitive kayakers, the scene is markedly different, but the antici-
pation and adrenaline fully equal. These hardcore, people-powered anglers
ready their paddles, spin their props or give the fins a few pumps of the pedals.
Knots are checked one last time. Rods strategically placed for a moment’s-no-
tice summons. And they
fixate on their watches
for start time, this year on
Lake Seminole in Bain-
bridge, GA.
Now in its second
season, the catch-pho-
to-release (CPR) format
B.O.S. continues
expanding the horizons
of competitive kayak
angling nationwide.
“The B.O.S. increases
the opportunities and
visibility for competitive
anglers, and lets them fish
at a very high level,” said Hobie’s Tournament Director and Southeast Sales
Representative AJ McWhorter. In addition to his official duties, McWhorter
has been a proud member of the Hobie Fishing Team for eight years.
Beyond the hand-to-fish combat on the water, McWhorter speaks to some of
the takeaways – besides cold hard cash – that benefit participants: “It’s about
networking, too. You’ll learn and grow as a kayak angler being around such
excellent talent. And whether you aspire to generate income in competitive
kayak fishing, or just want to elevate your presence in your own kayak fishing
community, the B.O.S. lends a fantastic platform.”
Lake Seminole
What is better than a 2 for 1? Try a 3 for 1… That’s the weekend special
for Hobie B.O.S. competitors fishing the season opener on Georgia’s Lake
Seminole. “The reservoir is like three fisheries in one,” says veteran kayak
tournament competitor and Hobie Fishing Team member Shane Williams from
Orange Park, Florida.
Williams, a fulltime power systems operator, sees each arm of Seminole –
Chattahoochee River, Flint River and Spring Creek – as completely unique.
He says the Chattahoochee is mostly stained; Flint River colored but not dark;
and Spring Creek, clear. To that, he expects bass to be caught and registered in
all three environments…but at the hands of very different techniques.
“Given Seminole’s diversity, anglers can fish to their strengths, making the
event very competitive no matter your style of fishing,” said Williams.
On a recent prefishing expedition, Williams fished everything from
grass flats to channel breaks and boat docks, to sprawling beds of
hydrilla and hyacinth. And he has some theories going into the tour-
nament: “It’s been a warm winter, and until the recent spells of cold weather,
the fish were still shallow, hanging in creek mouths and grass. By tournament
time, if the current warming trend continues, we might be looking at prespawn
behavior.”
Beyond the battle on the lake, Williams points out the even more meaningful
camaraderie the tournament scene bestows. “I’m sharing a rental house with
kayak anglers from all over the country. Some are driving in, and I’m picking
people up from the airport, too. Really looking forward to spending time with
these guys.”
Williams ends by describing Bainbridge, Georgia and Seminole as a “very
different environment than we’re used to fishing.” “It’s a quaint and historic
town, and you can still see some of the aftermath left by Hurricane Michael.
From the fishing side, it’s not about marked brushpiles and classic go-to spots.
This thing is wide open for everyone.”
Registration is now open for the entire B.O.S. 2020 season. Don’t miss out on
the action! Whether you’re just starting out and new to the competitive kayak
fishing scene or a seasoned veteran, this tournament series is for you.
Sign up at hobiebos.com
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