Not Humble? Fishing Will Humble You

Fishing is nothing if not humbling. That is why they don't call it Catching. Zachery Warren is learning the ways of Kayak tournament fishing and he recently had such an experience. He was participating in an Oklahoma state-wide tourney benefiting our military. With a choice of venues, Zach chose Durant Lake. The morning was overcast with light rain, and a potential for thunderstorms. Zach launched his Kayak and started fishing a sexy shad Baby Bomber on his Lew's Mach series medium combo. He had gotten four smaller ones in the boat fishing shallows near a point drop off. Then the storm hit along with hard rain.

Zach moved out from the shallows to the edge of the point and started dragging a Carolina rigged Strike King Lure Company green pumpkin Rage craw. He landed his first good fish- 19.75" from a submerged tree at 14 feet. It was raining so hard he could not take a photo suitable to submit for the tourney, which drove him to get to shore and use the shelter of his truck for the photo.

When he returned to the kayak, it had taken on enough water to pump so he put his

electronics away deciding to play it safe, and wait out the storm cell under shelter. After a 2 hour wait he was able to return to fishing the shallows with a Texas rigged Strike King Rage structure bug in green pumpkin. He struggled to cull anything so he returned to deeper water throwing a big bite 1/4 oz shakey head with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. He picked up a decent fish, afterwhich the bite stopped completely.

He moved to another point and switched to a drop shot with a Reactions Innovations Skinny Dipper. He was able to add a really nice fish off a submerged tree in 22' of water. Just as he was photographing the fish, it flipped off the measuring board in back into the lake. Oh the ones that were photo shy! Zach finished in 7th wondering what might have

been.

Zach has qualified for the Oklahoma Kayak Anglers State Championship, September 29, on Lake Murray. He takes some valuable lessons into that tourney about taking pictures in the Kayak. Also some lessons on where to find the quality fish vs. a quantity of fish.

Zachery Warren is a Kayak Bass angler originally from Oklahoma and now residing in Denison, TX. He has a real passion for the no motor, limited electronics nature of kayak angling. He has fished a number of online tournaments to test his skills and he is now moving to local and state tournaments along the Texhoma border. We appreciate Zach sharing his favorite tricks and tactics with the 360Nation.