Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/554642
W hoever coined the phrase "Silence is golden" must have been a fisherman. As dedicated anglers, we invest in expensive trolling motors, stalk rivers in chest waders, and work stealthily with paddles and poles to avoid the loud splashes and intrusive outboard noises that send fish bolting for cover. But for large lakes and big bass, few strategies can compare with the simple, silent tranquility that comes with kayak fishing. While a kayak can't achieve the distance or speed of a modern bass boat, it offers unmatched affinity with the water and the surroundings. The roar of the motor is replaced by the distinctive call of a great blue heron, the subtle whispers of wind and wave, and the compelling splashes of rising fish. With a kayak, you can stalk shallow coves and hug shorelines near fallen trees and aquatic grasses, the kind of cover that appeals to timid baitfish and the bass that prey on them. Plus, there's a deep personal satisfaction that comes from using one's own strength and energy to connect with the water through boat and paddle. I n late May I had the pleasure and privilege of witnessing the action at the Second Annual Hobie Bass Open, which took place at Kentucky Lake Dam Village State Resort Park near these challenges, anglers caught more than 420 bass of various species during the tournament. Scores were based on the length of each fish, and the three longest fish over both days determined each angler's final placements. Tyson Peterson of Lexington, Kentucky, with a final score of 116 inches, took first place along with $3,000 cash and a Power-Pole Micro anchor. Peterson put in two consistently strong days of fishing, landing more than 20 bass on the second day alone. He also will join 2014 Hobie Fishing World champion, Steve Lessard, and 2014 Inshore Fishing Association champion, Benton Parrott, as part of Team USA at the fifth annual Hobie Fishing World Championship on Shang Lake in Changshu, China. The tournament will run from November 9 through 16 of this year. Overall, the top seven winners earned cash prizes, including New Jersey's Tom Michael, who took second and $2,000, and Kentucky's Jay Wallen, who won third and $1,000. During the tournament, Hobie representatives partnered with a local dealer, Hooper's Outdoor Center, to host a Hobie Fun Fest so attendees could field-test Hobie's MirageDrive foot-powered kayaks. Parents and children shared the tandem Mirage Oasis, Fishing from a kayak increases your stealth, and if you're really good at it, may pay your way to China. Carly Altizer i s h i n g F n his way to winning the Second Annual Hobie Bass Open, Tyson Peterson carefully lands a largemouth. O Paducah between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley—an area better known as the Land Between the Lakes. Seventy-three of the world's finest kayak anglers, seeking to represent North America at the Hobie Fishing World Championship later this year, participated in the event, the second of five qualifiers being held in the United States and Canada. Anglers coursed the water using only human-powered kayaks during this two-day catch-photo-release tournament, and pitted their endurance and knowledge of bass fishing against sporadic storms, heavy winds, and choppy waters. Despite S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S 1 0 5 photograph by www.garynski.com