5 | PRO-FILES


RIVER BASSIN' DIRECTOR, DREW GREGORY (RIGHT)


CONGRATULATES ROCKY LY ON ANOTHER VICTORY. PHOTO: RIVER BASSIN' TRAIL


ROCKY LY


HOMETOWN ATLANTA, GEORGIA


LEADERBOARD 32 tournaments since 2010 with 28 top 10 and six first-place finishes


SHOOT-OUT 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.


50 … KAYAK ANGLER


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.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84