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Tag Archives: Kayaks

A Note of Thanks to the Ketch Pro Team

17 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by Henry Veggian in Bio, Kayak Fishing Posts, Writings

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Tags

Bass Fishing, Fishing, Kayaks, Ketch Product Co., science, Sports

The history of modern sports is a history of athletic feats and great stories, but it is also a history of product innovation. From Thomas Alva Edison and Samuel Colt to Stephanie Kwolek and Steve Jobs, American engineers and scientists have mustered tremendous creativity to lead American business in the modern world. Their products are artful and useful. Tournament anglers use them and depend on them in order to succeed; for example, Stephanie Kwolek’s innovations in polymers for the DuPont Corporation were fundamental to the plastics we use in fishing lines and kayak design. Over time, we trust the materials and designs. And I trust my Ketch measuring board like no other product I own.

I’ve been tournament fishing from a kayak for 8 years. During that time, I have watched many friends obtain some lucrative sponsor deals, pro staff arrangements and other agreements. In exchange, they often give their time by promoting products on-line, working trade shows and spreading the gospel of kayak fishing at paddling demos, seminars, etc. It’s easy to make fun of kayak anglers and their sponsor deals. What isn’t easy is to put in the work: build a resume’ in competition, write articles, produce videos, work the industry shows, etc. Fishing is an art and also a business; it can kill your love of the sport but it can also help you achieve your dreams. In the best-case scenario it can grow your love for kayak fishing and expand the positive economic impact of our sport. Joining the Ketch Pro Team is a best-case scenario.

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Video

Bowfin Country Field Journal: Kayak Topwater Largemouth

22 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by Henry Veggian in Field Reports, Kayak Fishing Posts

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bass, Henry Veggian Kayak Fishing, jordan lake, kayak fishing, Kayaks, Topwater Fishing

Topwater fishing, late May. The clock said noon but it was still early morning in the cove. Contrary to popular belief, bass will strike all day on topwater in low light, depending on circumstance and presentation. Stealth is essential; I was in 4 feet of water and the cove was only 30 feet wide. A single paddle bump on the kayak would have spooked every fish.

They never heard me coming.

 

Bowfin Country Fishing Journal: Landing a Bowfin from a Kayak

04 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by Henry Veggian in Bowfin, Kayak Fishing for Bowfin, Kayak Fishing Posts

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Tags

amia calva, Bowfin, jordan lake, Kayak Fishing Posts, Kayaks, Landing a big fish, living fossils, rough fish

Battling an angry, powerful fish from a kayak can be a nerve-rattling experience. Anglers must first contend with the thrill of the fight and the steps required to land the fish. Those steps include adjusting the drag setting on the reel, preventing the fish from running into and being wrapped on underwater structure, and any number of other movements (such as holding the rod in one hand while using a landing net with the other). In some cases, a large fish can haul a kayak into dangerous water.

Small, less bruising fishes such as Bluegill, Crappie or White Bass may not prove a great test of strength or kayak management but the motions required to land the fish remain the same. My topic here is how larger sport fishes – Alligator Gar, Muskellunge, Steelhead, giant Largemouth Bass or Bowfin – amplify the mechanics of landing a big, angry fish by requiring added strength as well as attention to detail. And all these movements are  amplified, sometimes to deafening volume, by a tangible risk of physical harm to the angler and the fish.

What will happen when I pull this large fish into the kayak, and its powerful jaws, teeth or tail are in my lap?

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Birth of a Sport: The Rise of Kayak Fishing

17 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by Henry Veggian in Essays, Kayak Fishing Posts, Writings

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Tags

birth of a sport, chad hoover, kayak, Kayak Bass Fishing, kayak fishing national championship, Kayak Fishing Posts, Kayaks, kbf, Kentucky Lake, paddle sports, paris tennesssee

I wrote “Birth of a Sport: Kayak Fishing” in 2016 about the state of kayak fishing after the 1st KBF National Championship. The article was originally published in the spring 2016 issue of Pacific Standard magazine as part of a series entitled “Economy of Scales.”

The file below is a PDF copy of the main text, without the photos included in the original on-line publication. A link to the archived copy, with photos, is included in the file.

a-sport-is-born-bc-site-copyDownload

Hank’s Kayak Fishing: A Brief History

25 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Henry Veggian in Kayak Fishing Posts

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Tags

Bass Fishing, Bowfin, Henry Veggian Kayak Fishing, Kayak Fishing Posts, Kayaks, primitive fishes

Kayak Fishing offers the advantage of stealth to the angler in the boat. A kayak can navigate water that a bass boat or even a john boat cannot enter without running aground or scaring fish – assuming the angler is quiet and controls the vessel. To fully enjoy a kayak as a fishing platform, an angler must be willing to explore,  learn new techniques, have strong paddling skills and take safety precautions. For these reasons and others, kayak fishing has been my preferred style of fishing since 2011.

I was first introduced to the sport by an officer of the UNC Fishing Club who worked at a large kayak dealership in Greensboro, N.C. in 2008. I began to practice, seek out new waters and later, fish in tournaments (primarily for Largemouth Bass). Over the years, I’ve compiled a strong record in competition. Here are a few highlights:

I. Tournament Kayak Fishing Record

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