You know their names from the leaderboard. The guys who always seem to pull it off, no matter where they fish or what they target. How do they do it? From tackle choice to sitting on a fish, these pros give advice on how to get your name on the trophy.
Angler: Rocky Ly
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Leaderboard: 32 tournaments since 2010 with 28 top 10 and six first-place finishes
Sponsor Shoutout: Jackson Kayak, Boca Bearings, Hmong Kayak Fishing Club
Target: Bass
WINNING DRIVE
Tournaments are a race against the clock. Every cast counts. When I’m reeling in one cast, I’m already thinking about my next cast. Maximize time, keep your lure in the water and fish hard. Use a watch and set alarms to stay on the move and make the weigh-in.
KEY TO SUCCESS
The real competition is angler versus fish. Don’t worry about the other anglers, kayak fishing is an individual sport. You control what you can mentally and physically. No one is going to catch your fish for you.
PREFISH
I fish a few days before the tournament to get a handle on the water. Just as important as finding productive areas, I eliminate unproductive areas. This helps me set my strategy. TOP GEAR I keep my soft plastics organized in a binder. I separate worms from creature baits and organize by color. At a glance I know what I have. I can grab a lure quickly instead of digging through my tackle box.
FISH STICKS
In the gin clear river water, I often go to finesse fishing with a light-action Daiwa Steez spinning reel and rod spooled with eight-pound monofilament and rigged with a weightless plastic worm. In the 2014 River Bassin Championship, I was using a big swimbait but I couldn’t get the big fish to commit. I switched to a finesse worm and quickly caught three shoal bass totaling 61.25 inches to win the tournament.
ROOKIE ADVICE
Look for a tournament that stretches your fishing abilities. It’s fun to fish your home waters, but to get the full experience, head to unfamiliar waters.
VICTORY LAP
I had gone the whole morning of the Kayaks and Greenbacks tournament in 2015 with only two bites. I fished everything: docks, points, open water. I was ready to pack it in when I cast out my lure to clear the wind knots. Fish on! While I was measuring that fish, I had my bare hook dangling in the water. Whammo! The fish must have been hungry. That fish won eighth place and put me in the money.
This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2015 issue of Kayak Angler. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
