Just wanted to take a brief moment to give you guys a little idea how we do it here at paddle and fin podcast. We use the anchor dot f m-- recording platform super easy distributes our podcast too many many different platforms. There's creation tools to allowed you to record and edit podcast right from your phone or a computer check out anchor dot f m orDownload the free anchor app to get started. Welcome. Welcome to paddle and fins the real down segment brought to you by my oh kayaking learn today. We have Brandon Tai Chi he went he won the Fletcher's pain tournament up there in Michigan. And then right here with me is John Graves the co-host. So how you guys doing? Good? How are you? I'm doing good. So let's get into this man. We know you won the tournament at a Fletcher's Pond and how much did Actually went off of that. Stop in 50. I believe mm this. No, 750 750. Okay. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. Nice perficient for sure. Yeah, that's what the myo tournaments are. Nice because they always have the big payouts. Yeah, what current what kind of cookie currently in I have a whole Beauty a 14. Okay. So John has as well thing's awesome. Yeah, is that how did you start in that or no? I had an Ascend. I was just looking to get on the water and happen to see it at Bass Pro. Tops and bottom assigned and then I wanted more stability and up early to do a lure and then I started going to tournaments and seeing people at paddles and I wanted that paddle. So I went to the Hobie. Yeah, this home is nice John your you had something to say I was asking him if he had seen the 360 and what he thought about that now I seen a when they released it on Facebook and stuff. Tough but can't wait to try it out. I seen you were at I casted you get to try it. I did not get to try it. They had the opportunity to try that on the first day Tuesday, as I was driving down there just couldn't get there fast enough. But yeah, what an incredible piece of Machinery. Yeah, that is pretty sweet that a that drive is definitely completely different. Everybody else's. So how long you been Tournament Fishing on this is my third year. I started with the cat series up here in Michigan. That was three years ago. I did a couple that year and the last year is when I really started doing a lot of them. Okay. What's the cat series kayak angler tournament series. I think their main ones down in Texas and then they have a like a Midwest doctor. Okay, they're all they're all. And Miss confirm from what I know. Yeah. And is this your first year fishing my oh now I pissed him all last year last year. I kept in this third and angler of the year last year left home. Okay. Got you. We just interviewed. So this is actually our last week. He he he finished second. I believe last year. Yep. I was I think I was right behind him. Okay. Yeah. He's a cool guy. We interviewed him last week and talked about his Billy's with the board and everything so Your your wins, how many wins do you have total? That was my first? Oh, really? Yeah. I had a lot of tournaments where just couldn't get the one big bite or lost a fist and finished in the top five top ten. And then finally this one I die fist really clean that day. Yeah, that's all I pretty much caught everything. I hook the whole day. There's a rose a really good feeling on your on your Big win and you start getting that feeling at some point in the tournament when you're like, you know what I've got it. This is something that's going to happen. I'm right there. I'm on I got it going. Was there any particular point in the tournament where you said? I need this tournament to end right now. Yeah. I actually that I was I made a move and called a 18 to 5, which is like it I think it three and a half inch upgrade at the time and when I caught that one out. Put me a couple inches ahead. And I needed it done. What time was that? There's about two and a half hours left. Oh that's brewed. It was around 11:30. Well, that's brutal because you're always waiting for that sandbagger. You know that one. Yeah, just kind of sandbagging that 19 S. Got to be, you know, yeah breaking your heart all the way until the way and I wasn't sure if it was enough. Yeah. I hate that feeling so Get through your game plan for Fletcher's pain. Did you do any pre-fishing? I did? I did do pretty pissed, huh? I was expecting. We good. Yeah, you're good. Good. All right. I was I kind of knew about the lake but never fished there. I knew there was a lot of wood and and stop it was shallow. So I didn't really do a ton of research for it kind of was just going to go preach this and see what I could find. Why was there no actually I paddled around for a couple hours and kind of just look around and try to find some areas. I liked and fist a little bit and I wasn't really catching anything and then I saw a bunch of thumb sticking out of the water. So I decided to go over there and I didn't really catch on anything on the stumps. I was kind of feeling discouraged and I just started wandering around on a big Splat that had a bunch of stumps and a bunch of weeds in it and was throwing a 4-inch yum Dinger and caught a couple 17 inches and then I started feeling pretty good that I had found some fish, but I wasn't sure to stop seventeen's we're going to be enough to winner. So I looked around Ohio. Yeah, I looked around a little more and try to fish them a little bit deeper spots and didn't really find anything and with about an hour lap die of my practice fishing. I threw a jackhammer on him. I made like three cast with it and caught two fists. So at that point I basically was going to go into tournament day with the Yum Dinger and Jackhammer and just roll with that. Yeah, I love this chatter base man. Those are awesome. Yeah sigh actually what I found they weren't relating to the wood for me. There was a it's a kind of pond weed. It's a big leaf weed and it's got a little like a Pinecone thing that sticks out of the top and just stopped above the surface of the water. And they were growing in clumps. So there'd be like a 10 yard by 10 yard Clump and you could just go through the flat flat and take out the clumps of those weeds and I was just passing the ChatterBait to the edges of them. Yeah. That's where the ChatterBait really shines. I've learned a lot about the ChatterBait this year and when you're throwing right right next to those weeds man, it seems like you're always getting hammered. Yeah, they were actually hitting most I would say 50 60 Anna Mae bites were on the fall from the cast and then the rest of the bytes. I was letting just sink to the bottom and then just pop it off the bottom and the first pop they were heading that that's awesome. So Q only pre fish one day for that tournament now Thursday and Friday Thursday and Friday so but did both days go exactly the same pretty mods that there was this turn there was fish in those same areas that I caught him and I never found anything anywhere else. So I pretty much just left them alone. The ones that I found I was I was hoping that that was going to be enough that I can get a couple good bites out of there which obviously I did but I wasn't feeling that confident. Actually I didn't I've heard a lot of stuff about that Lake and I was expecting people to put up some really big numbers and yeah, but he always talks about are they talk about that Lake? They said everybody voted for Eternity to happen on that Lake all the Michigan or the myo angular Anglers voted for that Lake. Yeah. I don't I don't know if it's like some secret hidden thing or what but seems like we're gonna top that like my whole life. I've always wanted to go there and just never made it up there. So it's a pretty big. Yeah. It's pretty big it was bigger than I was expecting that actually limited me in my practice because I got there and it was bigger than I thought so instead of trying to cover a ton of it. I just picked out as an area of it and said I'm going to try to figure this area out really good. Yeah. So let's get to actual tournament day. You guys started at 6 a.m. Right? Yeah. Okay. And then how quick did you catch a limit? I want into it thinking I was going to get 75 inches in the first hour and it didn't go that way then I didn't it was a half hour and I still hadn't had a bite and then I finally my first fish that I caught was that about 635 I think and it was an 18 and a quarter. So I was I was glad to take the good one instead of having my limit that soon because I knew I was serving the other custom fish during the day. Yeah, John you got the leaderboard pulled up. Is that what you're looking at? I'm sitting here looking for it right now. I'm a guy that's all good. So you want to go through any other techniques and stuff you were throwing at Fletcher's our basement? About that first first came on on a 4-inch yum Dinger green pumpkin with the chartreuse tail was fishing a Texas Rig and had to wait Peg and I caught that first one and I that's what I caught most of my Christian practice on so I thought I was going to roll with that and I fished it probably another half hour without a bite and picked up the Jackhammer started catching fish and I never put it down the rest of the day. Yeah. I'm the same way I need. That move that I said where I caught the one that put me in the lead and that to Cass after that. I think I caught another one in job Creator. So and I lost my one Jackhammer to a pipe. Oh two or two and a half hours left. I think I had another blue chatter baby, but not a jackhammer and I think I caught one more fish the rest of the day. Well, that's crazy. What was the water Clarity? Yeah. It was pretty good where I was at I was fishing in six and a half seven feet of water and I could see the bottom perfect. Okay, so I kind of realized that even even if the water is clear that black and blue jig still works. I've been catch them in Clear Water on black and blue all year this year. So that's awesome practice days. It was soggy and no wind and then tournament day was cloudy and quite a bit more. Or wind and I said I was cast into those weeds. I was having a hard time before the song came up actually seeing those tops of the weeds from from the waves. Yeah, is there a speed boaters on that link and stuff now there's there's so many stumps in the lake that it's basically just fishing boats and even those only have certain spots that they can actually open it up on that's nice nice and a lot of our Lakes down here have a lot of speed motors and All that kind of stuff definitely turns into a pain when they're buzzing you yeah. So let's look smelly. Go ahead John. I'm sitting here just going through the pictures. It looks like an absolutely beautiful Lake up there. It certainly looks like a lot of fun. I don't know. Why in the heck I had for some reason my head. It was in Ohio, but it's not it's a Michigan. So yeah, but you know, it's really cool to see the ladies. He's stepping up into the term. Yeah for sure really getting up into the top three. So I see Jenna here. I'm not even attempt to pronounce her last name, but buddy she was right on you man. Yes. She was actually ahead of me. And that's who that that one that I caught I passed her on that with that bit. Well, that's all she she looks like. She's got a grin on her face. She's like, yeah, I was almost there and stuff, but that's really cool. I mean, I'm glad to see that but What Abby I'm going to put that on my calendar for next year that looks like a beautiful spot to fish. Yeah, I'd like to get up there as well. Are you KBS member? I am? Okay. Did you qualified this year then through that again? Yeah, that's awesome. Is this your first year qualifying now? I've qualified the last three years and I've never made it from one. So hopefully this year I've been down there. That's awesome man. Connors bells one of those. Yeah bucket list late. Eggs, yeah, how does that how does that make you feel qualifying? I mean, it's cool. I'm doing as long as I can make it it has that I haven't been able to make it down there. So heck my goal is just to qualify just to say I could I you know, I don't know if I'll be able to make it down there. But that's awesome. I can't imagine what it feels like to qualify for it. You know, Guntersville. Yeah. I mean when you were you talking about Guntersville, Alabama, Alabama, it's really It's it's not that far away. It really isn't. It just sounds like it's on the other side of the planet, but it's what right six hours away. It's just south of Chattanooga you go from but nigga. Well, yeah, I think it's I think it's right around nine for me. I think yeah, that's it isn't too bad last year in Louisiana. That was a hike so yeah that goes about a 14 and a half hour drive to that one saw that was definitely We made the decision of not going to that one. Right the year before that was Texas right now. I think it was Toledo band absolutely doable and I don't remember all Kentucky Lake. Yeah. I'll talk to you later. That's what it was. Yeah, you see you didn't make it to that one. I didn't I qualified for that one too and didn't make it out of it. Awesome. Yeah, that's how they got the the hoagie or the Hobie bass open series also coming up there at Guntersville in September so, you know it's a good time to get down there and you know, wow to see what can transpire from a good wind a good fishing day through the Hobie bass open series next thing, you know, you're off to the Netherlands. Yeah catching some fish. Do you don't even know how to fish for? Yeah all expenses paid that kinda stuff. Yeah. That's a, you know invitation to the Hobie Pro world. So have you ever thought about About giving that event a try I would like to but probably not this year's could only fit so much into the schedule. So right I try to fish as many of the local ones in this unit. Ohio ones as I can but I haven't ventured too far from that yet. Yeah, what what place for you in the standings for regular viewer this year so far that that was my first I fist I fished the first tournament in Ohio. I Get well lake. It was and Michael. Yeah, it was cold and rainy the waffles Mahdi I didn't get a chance to get down there to pre fish. I just showed up in the morning and I got skunk that day. There's a lot of people did that I know that for sure and then I missed the Sinclair tournament. So this was the first one I actually scored so I think I'm 20th or something in Anger he appoints. Okay, I got you. Are you you fished still West Harbor tournament? I will I'll be there. Yeah. Well nice twist it twist it last year for the my own Tournament down there. Okay, and I I did the same thing. I kind of just Winged It On stowed up and finished and I was catching a decent amount of fish and then the thunderstorms rolled in and I got off the water. Yeah like that Harbor get pretty crazy during the thunderstorms. Yeah, it was it was getting pretty crazy for sure. There are still people fishing but soon as I started it started getting too crazy. I was getting out of there trying to wait it out. I was looking at Navionics of East and West Harbor that place don't look like it's that deep. No, I didn't Venture through the whole thing. I pissed the East Harbor and I kind of just found a shoreline with a bunch of Weeds on it fist six seven feet the whole time. I the i v. Yeah, it's about yeah, it didn't look like it was much deeper on the maps. I was kind of surprised. I was thinking open Harbor with like a little Canal going to help to the Eyrie. Right? Right. I've never been up there. So I have no idea you can you go into this one? I'm not going to be able to make it now. I got no got family coming in. I was planning on it, but I only get them see him twice a year. So yeah, John you going out there. So yeah the so this is something I'm thinking about. I'm going to be able to get away and actually do it'll be a cannonball type of an event, you know show up early and got off early in the morning and then fish and then probably head home type of thing. But so what what do I need to look for up there? And from the areas that I saw it was basically like I said, five six seven feet and a ton of weeds, right? I threw I threw a worm the whole day. I remember seeing some bass boats coming by me from probably locals around there and they were all throwing spinnerbaits. Just seeing what she has they were going by watching them. Well, there's one thing I have to say about a move and bass bed. If they're moving dead meat that that means they're not catching fish. Yeah, so it's that one that's sitting over in that little, you know part somewhere. That's just sitting there for a long time. It's catching fish. But this East and West Harbors not necessarily one of those bodies of waters that's been ravished by the grass kill and everything hat. Is it I heard some rumor of that. I'm not sure, you know, a lot of ears got that algae bloom too. So, I don't know if they're having any effect with that. They're either right? I'm looking forward to that event good. Camping up there that you know of I didn't Camp I did what you said last year. I did what you said you're going to do I left it to in the morning drill up and drop the kayak in and throw home right afterwards. Yeah, that's that feels good kind of you know, I like coming home with that stink on you know, that's awesome. Let's get into the mental prep before tournaments a do you have some kind of routine that you go through? I really don't No, we talked to Zach last week and he likes to roll up on the ramps. Listen in a DMX. Yeah. Yeah, I don't really have anything sponsor. I do know basically just my prop in the pre Fist and trying to figure out what I can get bites on and that's a simple man than I like it. That's awesome. So our what other tournaments you looking forward to this year. There's a the north the northern Michigan kayak Trail. I've been doing those ones this year. This is the first year of running that series at this to other three so far and they have one coming up on schedule log Lake up in northern, Michigan. That'll be a fun one. Are they the ones that put on the Saginaw Bay tournament? Yeah. Yeah, that was this week and I miss that one. Okay, and there was so many people. For now 13, I think yeah Zach fish that one. I don't know if his wife it. But yeah, all right, so we're not for we're not real familiar with any of those tournaments up there yet, but we're working on it. So there's some awesome legs up there get up there and Smallmouth country out there and that's my favorite. I mean immoral river guy though. I love the river small mouth. Yeah, we fist one of those tournaments was John Green and Duck Lake and I think there was three people that caught over 96 inches of small mouth. Well my socks well 96 inches five fish 96 inches. That's crazy. I honestly I don't have anything else unless John Doe so that monitors the Balboa and for tournaments. Ooh, that's right in my backyard for my oh, so I'll be about Belleville Lake okay. Yeah. I did see that when that that's there. That's Maya's last tournament of the year, right? Yeah. Okay, August 24th. I'm looking at it right now. Yeah, I'm not familiar with that one. Maybe I'll have to try to make it up there kind of far drive but John you got anything else for him. I do have one question. It's going to be it's going to be a tech question here. One of the big things that I heard down at icast. It was a lot of talk about Was the angles at which the kayak Anglers are set in those load those rods up. Hence a lot of the rods breaking on kayak Anglers were down at those low angles and stuff like that. Just asking. What's your favorite rod would you got one in particular that you really like to toss and slang and why my spending my spinning tackle? I throw 13 fishing bait blacks the lime green ones. I love those and that My casting setup lose custom Speed Stacks. Nice. Does the integer open one one rod out of the kayak trying to land it. I died. I needed to pull it close to the boat and I grabbed the little bit further out the rod and snap the tip right off of it. That's what happened to me last weekend. It's a very common and that's one of the angles at which were doing that we're loading this thing up too much and just snap and 3/4 inches from the The end of that and so there's a lot of discussion in the rod making and starting probably develop a lot more rod blanks that are more specific to how we are loading those rods up is kayak Anglers. It was a lot of cool. I don't know nothing about building rods, but it was really neat to sit in there and listen over here that kind of stuff. So I'm curious your lose Speed Stick. Does it have the microwave guide system on yeah. There you go is it just happened to be one of those rods that you can toss for? Very like this is this is this is this is throwing the Tavor bait on all day as a present 7 1 medium heavy. Oh good. Yeah. Well, that's good to hear that's good to hear that you're using this rods and stuff. I was I'm going to ask that question a lot more of the kayak Anglers, you know, because I got a I got a really, you know, I started guy. I need to start wrapping my head around the tech of what these kayak Anglers are using out there and stuff and and you know going right to the source is the best way to do it. So I'm very cool. Oh, that's all we got with you tonight. So we appreciate you coming on to the show and talking fishing with us in high school. Yes, man. So congrats on the win and hopefully we see you sometime in the future out of the tournament. Awesome cool. Yep. Hey guys, don't spend all that money. I got some more jackhammers. Oh, yeah. That April 20 20 that kbf National Champion. Oh, yeah. That's a good idea. I'll see you down there. Pretty cool. Have a good night guys. You too, man. See ya. All right, man solicitor cool some of these let's get into some of these tournament Recaps. Did you go over any of them man anything caught your eye and the last three literally the last week of my life has just been all all all I cast and catching up with the folks that we have been talking about in these Recaps the seeing them face-to-face and stuff like that. That was absolutely amazing. Just absolutely amazing. So no my by the time I got back to the Lockheed enta which was only point four miles away from the convention center. There was a convenient walk. However, it's kind of funny. You think it's a short walk to the convention center, but you have to walk around the convention center, which is like another mile just to It's the front door, you know, that's how big that thing is, but now my due diligence and and tournament Recaps hasn't been so well, but it was really neat to see Eric Siddiqui Christine Fisher Ron Champion, you know, these are folks that I've been watching on YouTube watching a lot. I've had the opportunity to fish with him a couple times. To see Eric Siddiqui, you know who's a local kid done really good. He just grew up right down the street and to see him down there and all of them walking around in this world Hobie World jerseys just with big smiles on their faces, man. They were feeling good. The energy was absolutely amazing, but give me some of the term before we carry on to that kind of stuff. So I want to hear what happened. So I'm glad we got caught up on some of that Fletcher's pawn stuff. I'm anxious to get up to that location. Fish that but so what's what's the news what's going on out there? Oh, well, I got a few different tournament trails that we I've looked up and some of our local tournaments in the area. I looked at a kayak Bass Tournament Trail and Kentucky its KY Yak Tournament Trail. So yeah, that's that's a clever name. They had a river run tournament in the the I think it was the three fish limit Tony Hobbs one with forty five point five inches on July 14. Wow, that's you know, that's 45. It's not the biggest number put up there, you know was everybody just hitting a big old slow bite or was it just you know, that just right there shows you that man, you know you think oh man, I got 39. I got 45 46 47 inches when I don't know if I'm going to Top out in this if I have a chance at all next thing, you know, you're getting a check. The crazy thing is I'm looking at the leaderboard right now. Second place was five inches behind first place. So that's that's a big that's a lot of inches to come up with when you're yeah 30 minutes away from the end of a tournament. You're just sitting there slinging trash anything you can yeah, but that's a big lead. Yeah. Definitely. I yeah host definitely surprised that looking at that. At the other one I had was kike bass fishing Trail here in Ohio. They had a Raccoon Creek puddle jumper. Yeah. The winner was Matt Davis he won with 40 7.75 inches on July 13th. So another low numbers man. What's up with our Ohio bass man, what's going on? I mean, you know, is there ever going to be a day that we're going to be putting up a TV, you know inches up on the leaderboard here in Ohio, and that's supposed to be This almost. Okay. Is that what they had a 350? Yeah. I'm pretty sure is a free fish limit. Okay. Well that makes sense. Yeah here I'm going man these what's nice crazy? Yeah. Yes, you know, that's for sure because you know, look at those if there was a three fish limit up at st. Clair my Lord have mercy, you know, you got already got 60 inches up on the board. Yeah, this this Raccoon Creek tournament was a little bit closer second place. This was Wayne Schnack. He's a he's a real good fisherman here, Ohio. He's always on top of the leaderboards for the kbf month lease and he only lost that tournament by 1/4 inch now see there's when you're getting into some nail-biting stuff. You're looking at that leaderboard. You keep refreshing. You're like, oh my gosh. Yeah, but that's how you win in this court by quarter of an inch. Yeah, then like a lot third and fourth place here. They were Within. Three inches of first place, right? So Clayton has Kiki one are he didn't win? He he placed fourth in that tournament. He's a Jackson team member. So he's another big name to look out for he fishes a lot of KB of trails and everything. So yeah, he's kind of up there with the Dylan Fook ways and the Owen Chamberlain's yeah. It won't wear out there dropping the bomb on us. Yeah. Well, we're going to get into that because he didn't Fuquay had a really good weekend on Mississippi River. No, so actually I'll just go over that right now. It was the kbf Central Division for on the Mississippi River Brian our host of paddle and fin he competed in that but the winner of that tournament was Tony Hutchinson. He had 80 1.75 inches on July 13th, right? So this is the crazy thing though. I looked at the top top. Top 1 through 6. Dylan Fuquay was six place. He he lost by an inch. So the top six spots were less than an inch. That's just a slugfest. I mean that's like watching the WWE Smackdown, you know, we're pins are just going back and forth and back and forth. You're doing everything you can to at least get that fish. It's got another inch or two inches on it. Hmm. Yeah, I'm sorry. I watch that leaderboard all day long and I was I was just amazed how close it was getting. I was like man to Dylan Fuquay. He started off really hot. I think he was first at one point and then he got knocked down a few spots as the day went on but that kids on fire man. I think that kids like a bass whisper. He has to be. I mean, it's impressive what he's doing. Yeah. I know so his dad does a lot of support for him and it's cool to see a dad and a father-son combo. They're doing what they do, but I was at I was in Lake Barkley down at the Hopi bass open series there and which I did horrible by the way and but and and this is why I was over in the lake Barkley side. And I thought you know, this is a good place to Camp Land Between the Lakes. I got me a nice little spot. It was sort of like a free-range camping you pay $7.50 you get to go wherever you want to and so I found a nice little spot and I woke up. The next morning and I'm getting out and I'm stretching I look over and there's this pickup truck and it's laying over kind of on its side a little bit and windows were all fogged up and a guy jumps out of the pickup truck and he stretches a little bit and we're both kind of drinking coffee and I've kind of sitting there and lo and behold he introduces himself as a Fuquay and I was like, wait a minute. I've heard that name, you know. Well lo and behold Dylan was in the the truck and Dylan Feelin It that well that's a time so me and his dad had the opportunity to talk about Dylan I was like is that the Dylan Fuquay that just crushed everybody in the KB after all tournament, you know, it's like yeah still in That's My Boy and I said, so what what's this kids on fire? What's going on? He says Dylan has the opposite of the ability to pull up to a just a body of water and sit there and look at it and focus on it for about you know, a few minutes and say nap is dead and let's move just like that you can do this stuff. No, I'm like, okay, that's kind of cool. You know. Yeah, it's alright, whatever right? Well, well the next day tournament day. Guess what? They're gone. They're gone. Well, I probably should have listened because I went out there and I struggled so bad that water was so dead. The bite was so dead, you know, and of course Dylan moved out and they both did I think he did really, you know, not too bad in the bass open series down. But yeah, that kid is on fire and he's gonna be a lot of fun to watch Owen Chamberlain out of Tennessee that kids are absolutely on fire. I've had the opportunity to fish with oh and a couple times since in tournaments. I met them down at a kbf, Tennessee tournament going on down there. I met them there. They have family back here in close to Cincinnati, Ohio and we went out to a cow and Lake we went out there and he was down. Anyone catching fish that day, that's all. Yeah. He's that kids good as he's going to be a lot of fun to watch. Yeah, definitely a lot of fun to watch. There's another guy to watch here. It's coming up with these son next tournament. I'm about to recap here. But out of the northern Michigan kayak trail that Brandon was talking about a few minutes ago at Saginaw Bay the winter, you know, this name Bogdan chorus debts key. Yeah, how can you miss that one right there? He won the kdf FLW tournament. Well, he won the Saginaw Bay tournament last weekend with ninety three and a half inches. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, that's bring on board. Yeah, and I think second place was like 8 inches behind them or something like that six inches 78 something like that. So he pretty basically destroyed everybody else. I mean it wasn't even close so that that guy is impressive and I watched his YouTube videos all the time just to pick up little stuff. He does this. He's a good fisherman man. Yeah else to say. Yeah, no doubt. So speaking of kbf events though. When's your next kbf event? You got anything on the schedule? I don't know if I do or not because you know, you're gonna get in that Championship, you know, you're going to get in there. It's just a matter of time. Yeah, it's just Matter of time. Let's see. I think the next event that I'm going to fish is the Cincinnati kayak Trail at paint Creek. I think it's August 24th. Maybe are you got paint Creek? Hmm, you know, you know what goes on out there. So yeah, so if I can try if I can place well in that tournament like I might be able to qualify. But yeah, I'm not banking on it this year. This year was mainly to get my feet wet in the tournament scene. And this is my first year fishing tournament. So basically just getting my feet wet and getting a feel for it and you know if it happens it happens, but I'm not I'm not I'm not like pushing real big for it. I haven't been fishing tournaments every week trying to qualify, you know, so right I'm just I'm just seeing where it takes me right? Absolutely and that's probably the best attitude to have. You know, my first year. I just went nuts. I went absolutely nuts and I just entered tournament after tournament I travel Up and down I-75 left and right and spend a lot of money and traveled a lot was away from home a whole lot and my main goal was to why I don't know because I still need to learn how to fish man. No, but my main goal was to qualify for the national championship. I like to a no aim high. Yeah, and it wasn't until the beginning of this year when I just had nothing really on the calendar and just kind of was a little bit more kick back and into the social media aspects of it having fun and low and behold the next thing, you know, you get a call and you've you're on the roster and now it's so I think your approach is you know spot on because you definitely have the skill and the you know, the head of a good kayak angler and competitive one too. So Yeah, I'm just wrapping. I'm really hoping there's more River tournaments that pop around the area because I feel a lot more comfortable on the river. If we have these River tournaments. I feel like I have a better chance to qualify, but I'm still learning those Lakes. So I'm like pulling them right? I would love to see those River tournaments come up a little bit more too. And it's funny that you well, it's not funny that you say that but but it's interesting that there is not as many rivers that we Around here and in Southwestern, Ohio and the tri-state area. It's interesting that there's not that many River tournaments. And in fact the loved one canoe and kayak tournament was the first one I have ever seen on tourney X I've never seen one before and so that was why I was so anxious to get involved on and that one I'm glad I did because that's where I met you and and Jason the other guys and stuff like that, but you know, unfortunately, I guess for the rivers it's just So questionable and the conditions and stuff like that. And that's that's really the challenge that you have partner. It's hard to plan those kind of things on the river especially with the weather. We've had this year gross. I don't know. I just I know Todd and Rich and Jason they'll all be listening to this episode. So if you hear this hit hit we want River tournaments. Yes, I don't care how they go about it. Just lets Could Happen yeah, just do do one a lot, you know do one a lot there on the even on the little Miami. That's just a fun little the gmr would be a great place to have one and oh, yeah, I mean, there's so many cool spots but you know do it boys give one of those Jacks and kayaks away every time you do it too. Oh, yeah, it's perfect kayak to give away on a river tournament to down. I got some upcoming. Tournaments that I want to share with everybody just to you know promote these tournaments and then, you know try to get more people to get involved in these tournaments to make them aware of it. So first one I have here is a demoniac tournament Series in Missouri. That's ran by Richie. I can't pronounce his name Lori or something like that Richie Lowry I think but anyway they had Yeah, they have one at Stockton Lake in Stockton, Missouri on July 20th. And the guy to look for in that tournament is Brian Hillman. He's first in the angler of the Year standings for their Tournament Trail. SoLaughter keep an eye on that one. That would be fun one to watch. I've never fished in Missouri and my life. I haven't either and it sounds interesting. I look at leaderboards and they always put up some decent numbers. So right right second one here. I have I'm always so interested in XIII here. A lot of names come out of the eve come out of this tournament, even though it's on the other side of the country the yakka Bass Tournament Trail. They're fishing the Delta and Lodi, California on July 21st. And of course the guy to watch for in that tournament Trail is Greg Blanchard. He plays - yeah third in the kbf month kbf National Championship this year. So yeah, and he knows how to fish California. I mean, he did really well with the Lake Shasta and the Hobie bass open series out there. You know, that kids really a lot of fun to watch you watch his YouTube videos or Very valuable videos. They're sort of keep it simple kind of videos, you know, it's just him kind of catching fish and turning around and showing you the camera and stuff but and sometimes I think that he does give a few of those techniques that he probably should keep buried. Yeah, but he's very open with how he fishes and he's very he's a he's a social media fisherman. That's for sure and definitely like his Facebook page as YouTube videos. Laughs he's a good dude to watch. I'm addicted to his videos man. I watch him basically the night. He releases them every night right before I go to sleep. Yeah. Yeah. It's like twenty three thousand subscribers on his YouTube channel, and that's pretty incredible. That is crazy. I got seven. I don't have any I appreciate a big shout out to the guys that are going down to kbf Tennessee Trail down there. There's a bunch of fine, Tennessee kind. Fishermen down there. That is I really fell in love with the Tennessee crowd down there around Lake Chickamauga, but they got a July 23rd. They have a fate Sanders are not a four flippers. They're at Station. Camp is going on but August 3rd and 4th. Is there closer their closure down there at Percy Priest open Lake and that's part of their kbf. Tennessee Trail going on down there a bunch of good folks. If you get into Percy Priest I heard that's a really exciting. Like that's a fish ambulance whole Blake. Yes that quite a bit. Yeah, and you know, he's got to be there. Oh, yeah, I watch these videos on YouTube also and he's always on that leg Yeah Yeah Big shout out to his dad Phil to another son father combo that's out there really just hitting it up. So it's really neat to see them both the out there and there. Hobie's man, I think they are that's what they're in. Does this Dad compete to you know, I don't that yes, he does but I don't think to the extent Owen does but yeah, I think it's done. Is that certainly how can you not? Yeah. Now that's interesting you say that because I don't believe that Dylan Fuquay is Dad competes while he's out there. He's from what I understand his that his dad's focused on his son, you know and support him while he's out there doing the stuff, but that's it's good to see that stuff. Yeah. K BF a Texas region, they have a tournament coming up on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, July 20th the guys to watch out for for for that tournament Dwayne TAF, of course crush your former national champion. And then Brad case I've seen his native. Yeah. Yeah, that's gonna be. Yep Guillermo Gonzalez to man. Is he popping in that guy's big in the Hobie bass open series, but he knows Texas like the back of his Hand, you know, I'm sure if he's in on that mix there. I'm going to look here in a second if he's a in that tournament because I didn't I didn't see him. Yeah glare Mo man, you know. He'll be a lot of fun to watch. Yeah, I remember you bringing him up one one other segments. Let's see here. And it's a fun name. He might be one of those guys that signs up later, but I don't see his name yet, right. Maybe not maybe he's just some of those cats interesting some aren't crossing over, you know, they're not crossing the beams man. You know, some of them are staying in the Hobie bass open series and others are you know going to BF only but and some of them are hitting them both up hey wouldn't it be cool to qualify for the get the you know, the the kayak Bass Fishing national championship and also qualify for the Hobie bass open worlds or something like that. I mean, wow, what a fun year. Yeah, that would be awesome. And it's just a quarter of an inch that wins it in hand. Just takes a quarter of an inch. Yeah, that's I couldn't even imagine. We got the kbf Southeast region of Kentucky Lake July 20th the guys to watch out for that are already signed up for that one Mike LC J Wallen and Adam Riser my Kelsey man. What a fire that dude's got a fire Little Spirit going on inside of him and he's doing amazing. He's on top of it. He feels But I know Mike is looking for a rod sponsor out there, I believe and it would really need to see him get set up and that's one tremendous and Bassett. ER of kayak Bass Fishing is just a good all-around person had an opportunity to really spend a lot of time with Mike down at icast. I was somewhat lobbying for American tackle to take him in as a rod sponsor, you know, we are manufacturers and Distributors of Of just probably the greatest Rod building components out there, you know, so it would be really neat to put that deal together, but Mike's got some people that are interested in but my Kelsey man keep watching him. He's going to be a lot of fun to watching the future and man. I love how genuine he is like, yeah just watching him on watching him on video. It's just like you can tell how genuine that guy is. Yeah, he would be he would That good person to win a back-to-back Championship. It would absolutely change his life and it already like he said it did somewhat changed his life. It's give me ability to go into the next step and was his fishing but when they crowned him national champion last year, I was watching the award ceremony on Facebook and just like the expression on his face and the like watching like that huge weight. Just come on your shoulders when he was holding the Trophy, I was like, oh my gosh, I got chills watching it. Dude. I've cried. I cried and narrates. I'm not lying to you. I'm one of those people I think it's like a disease of some sort that we cried everything man. I'll be like it a freaking Fourth of July parade. See some old World War Two vet being carted around in a black of a white convertible Corvette and I'll start tearing up over, you know, glory and stuff, but I'm sitting here watching Mike get that Crown the champion. The emotion the the energy that was coming off of him, dude. I'm freaking how many miles away in my pajamas and I'm watching it and I'm starting to tear up and choked up and I could feel it. So when we were down at ice cast I wanted to tell him I had that feeling and and dude, that's how powerful that moment was next thing. You know, I'm crying again. Look at the name on my God. And I certainly if there's going to be a back-to-back kbf Championship. I hope it's my Kelsey. I hope it is. Yeah last one I have here is of course the kbf trail at a East and West Harbor we talked about that earlier. It's co-hosted by kbf bio kayak Anglers and the Buckeye kayak fishing Trail, so I'll be watching that one as it goes on all day. A real close eye on it because there's there's quite a few guys that I know that are in that tournament Kurt Smith's me and you both know him personally. So let's see is Bert going to be in that Bert good how I don't see his name yet. There's only 24 signed up through tourney X. He's a sleeper. He's asleep or man. You gotta watch Bert. He's like the General Patton of kayak Bass Fishing, but he'll be like he likes sleep on you and he won't sign up until like six hours before you can cut off time. So he's a he's one fun to watch man. He cut he caught st. Clair on fire that photos day and he came out and top five. I know he could I bet he smoked down probably three or four cigars that night. I ran into him during the Buddy best tournament in the paddle and fin tournament on Counting Lake. Yeah. I was like Burt here. Like hey, what's up? He had a cigar in his mouth. I'll get you and it was hundred and two degrees outside. No, he's over there chugging on that cigar. He's like a maze looks like he's like Brad Pitt Fury. That's awesome. Yeah, he said that because he was an army tank specialist. By the way. I said proud Army soldier few other guys that are signed up here that other people might know Jim Heinrich Josh Gallimore. Sure. Let's see Jared McComas. He's a part of the maokai killers board met him last weekend at the pedal and Finn meet up. And also Chris two hours. I keep seeing his name pop up and he's usually he's pretty high up there all the time on the leaderboard. So I'll give him a shout out. Right and yeah, you're not signed up yet, but you will be right now, you know, I'm kind of time going to think about that here in the next couple days. I'm you know, I'm I'm focusing my energy and my funds and all that kind of stuff on Guntersville for the Hobie bass up and series. I want to try to get Guntersville. So I will be taking probably a trip down to Guntersville at least a couple times before September and then of course the kbf national championship there in 2020 and April. So I want to try to get the no Guntersville spot much as possible. But boy, I'm itching man. I want to go. Our get the middle some turmeric because I haven't been doing that many this year, you know, and usually I'm cranking out one to two a week. But whether it's an online state tournament or it's at location type tournament, but I've really heard a lot about East and West Harbor I'm ready to do a drive again. I got The Kayaks already. I was out there today playing with them. They're just sitting at me going when we gotta go a fun band. So it's possible. I'll know in the next couple days whether I'm Into that awesome. Well, that's all I got for tournament recap tonight. So you did good. I did my homework. So you did I'm glad you look like that one dude, that would be doing his homework. You know, I'd like me, you know robbed look here at icast and you got you got a good excuse. I was on a field trip. That's for sure. That's how so I'll let you go ahead and Shout out your sponsors before we end it man. There's no there's absolutely that at the top. There's no way I can really think about the sponsors without thinking about American tackle and I absolutely as a Pro Staff here in the Midwest and they're located headquarters and and Florida there which is not far from Orlando. And so Vita, Florida. Oh Vitae Evita some say tomato some say tomahto, you know that kind of thing, but but I absolutely did not recognize what American tackle did outside of sell and great products Rod Building Products blanks grips, the microwave guide system some soft Plastics the new Bushido crankbaits and stuff like that blah blah blah, right. Outside of being a great family The Hangout we've got to know him on social media a little bit. I did not know what to expect when Austin tie the social media marketing kind of manager of all the has crazy Pro staffers in which there's over a thousand around the world around the world and okay when he put the golden ticket. This thing right the green ticket exhibitor means that you can get in before anybody else when he gave that to me and I walked in there. My mind was frickin blown man. You could feel the energy. He takes me over to the American tackle booth and my mind was blown again and I started looking around what American tackle does then for the next three days. I got myself within hula-hoop space of It's about Rod building about distribution about packaging about copyright laws about how American tackle will help you through. All of that sticks. You've got such a huge fan base. Now, you're going to come out with your signatures flipping stick the flip and sticks, right, you know and sticks from the Hicks or Hicks from the sticks. You come up with anything American tackle will I'll help you through the process to your specs Build Your Rod Stamp Out 10 put your labels on them. They'll distribute these things for you to help you with copyright laws and they will also Stamp Out 10,000 of them for all of your fans at you got this is just one thing that American tackle will do so they just don't sell fancy hooks the sharpened I'd Hooks and they don't the break Pro Staff Bates and all that kind of stuff. They will help you with an amazing amazing resource when it comes to whether you're creating a lure or you just want to come out with a great Rod as Bill or or if you're just a simple rod builder go to American tackling or products or American tackle.com and you can find all their great stuff. But what I would like to give a shout out about is this little thing right here that fancy little design. It looks kind of Star Wars like in fact, I think I see one right there on your brand new. Pro Staff Jersey that right there ladies and gentlemen is the microwave guide to sign and you might not think that that's a big deal when it comes to flipping A Rod or flipping your lure. You just want to get your lure out there to the Target area. You don't think how it gets there. Well this raw or this guide right here the microwave guide Has won six industry worldwide boards, and there's nothing else out there in the fishing industry world that can claim that there's nothing except this right there and I'm telling you there's people that are taking pictures of this stuff right now want to reproduce it over and far-off countries. That's how cool this is, but there is absolutely nothing like the microwave guide like there if your rod builder, you know what I'm talking about. Out if you got to lose Rod, you got the microwave guide system on it. I bet you it's one of your favorite rods. This thing here was exciting to be around and watch just how this simple Innovation right? There was key in American tackle. That's who's doing it. That was cool the products that were out there were amazing but nothing stands out like the marriage just this little simple beautiful thing right there so I can tackle. Oh definitely. I love my American tackle. Rod with the microwave guides dude, so that things just like you always say so sensitive that you can feel the fish thinking about it. You can feel them thinking about it if they're just sitting there looking at it you're going on. Yeah. I know this microwave guys, that just sends my line right through it. So long cast. It's just crazy. Yeah. I've never had anything like it. So you got Precision you got accuracy you got less wear and tear on the rod and you got less wear and tear on you. You I mean you're out there to tournament especially that cow and leg tournament where it was what 16 hours of a hundred degrees out there. You are slinging probably six seven eight hundred tongues, possibly if not a thousand times and when you got that efficiency in your casting through something like the microwave guide, it makes absolutely all the difference in your arm wear and tear and all that stuff, you know, and I'm old man. My shoulders only got so much and especially when A kayak in urine is very vulnerable positions, you're trying creative ways of flipping stuff when you have something as efficient as the M20 microwave finesse set. This was the award winner there. No big deal and it won in fishing accessory. So imagine a diecast how packed that category was and that simple little microwave 20 finesse set. Brought it home for the sixth time. Yeah, it's good stuff. All right, we got shoutouts for the podcast here a huge. Thanks to bona fide for myself American tackle company, of course for me and John Rock Town Paddlesports in Illinois. Huge. Thanks, shoutout to Loveland canoe and kayak. Yes hammered lures Coyote sunglasses. Sweet. Our Brewing fish mob lures Southern Lake company and my oh kayak Anglers and then as always if you have any use Plastics that you need to ship or if you're going to throw away throw them in a box and ship them to three one six Pinewood Drive Camp Hill, PA 1 7 0 1 1. He uses those Plastics to melt them down and make new lures for Heroes on the water. So it's cool little Cool little program. He's got filet. Oh, definitely we all support so absolutely and one little thing that I'd like to shout out here at the end of it. I know there's a whole bunch of rednecks out there listening to this podcast right now. If you're not a redneck you're going to be one in a minute because I want everybody to try out what's called the Port Arthur. This was something that was really cool. It's not that fantastic looking and no big deal. It's nothing like the microwave 20 guide system, but if Want to catch some catfish look up limb lines and how to catch fish off a limb line, but also look up Port Arthur limb lines and you can order these things by the Dozen in fact sticks. I got a number of these and we need to give a few of these away on the podcast here some point in time, but everybody out there check out limb lines and check out limb lines and look up Port Arthur limb lines. Give these guys a big shout out on your Facebook page. Going to love these little things. I can't even describe how to use them because it's too much little kind of detail and I'm not ready to get that redneck. Yeah, it would be fun to use. So that's all we got today guys will see you guys next week and tight lines and smooth paddling. Yes so long guys.
Sticks and Crankbait Johnny talk about his tournament victory at Fletcher's Pond for MI-OH Kayak Anglers Trail. The boys also recap a bunch of tournaments across the nation and more upcoming events. 