"READ THE RULES!" SAYS PRO GUIDE ERIC HENSON, "I'VE SEEN TOO MANY ANGLERS SUFFER
WHEN THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE RULES." PHOTO: ERIC HENSON
PRO-FILES | 2
ERIC HENSON
HOMETOWN SARASOTA, FLORIDA
LEADERBOARD Nine top-10 finishes in Kayak Fishing Classics, IFA, Kayak Bass Series and online events
SHOUT-OUT Casting Kayaks guide service (
www.castingkay-
aks.com), Johnson Outdoors, Costa del Mar, Yak-Gear, Bending Branches
TARGET Snook, redfish, trout, tarpon
WINNING DRIVE I look for a tournament with an honest staff who don’t bend the rules for anyone.
KEY TO SUCCESS Understand all aspects of fishing such as moon phases, tides, habitat, food sources, weather and seasons to know when, where and how the fish will bite.
PREFISH I arrive a few days early to scope out the area and conditions. I pick up a Top Shot chart of the area that includes a detailed navigation chart marked with the best fishing locations.
TOP GEAR High-quality sunglasses. Having the right eyewear and being able to see into the water is the difference between night and day. I use Costa Del Mar’s 580P lenses for the ultimate in protection and glare reduction. My clients always say, “I have polarized sunglasses, why can’t I see the fish?” Not all shades are created the same.
FISH STICKS Yak-Gear Mud Stick anchor stick! When I see a fish, I drop the stick to stop on a dime. Get too close or run over the fish and it’s gone.
ROOKIE ADVICE Read the rules. Tournaments print the rules for a reason. I’ve seen too many anglers suffer when they didn’t know the rules—including myself.
VICTORY LAP At a Kayak Bass Series tournament in Ashton, Florida, a cold front dropped the temp into the 30s and I woke up with the flu. I put on my big- boy pants and paddled out unable to feel my fingers and toes. I hit every corner of a shallow lake without a bite before I decided to paddle to the springhead where I figured the water would be warmer. It was already one o’clock and weigh-in closed at 2:30. My parents called to ask if they should meet me at the weigh-in. I told them I had nothing to weigh. On the way back to the launch, I made a cast at a steep bank. Boom! Fish on. Decent bass. Next cast. Another nice bass. Third cast and I had my limit. I made one more cast to upgrade, and hooked a fourth fish that spit the hook at the boat. I went from nothing to a top-10 finish in three casts in the last minutes of the day. I always tell people, never give up.
www.kayakanglermag.com…47
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