By Wendy Biles
Every year Gambler Lures hosts a free kayak tournament in Florida. The only requirement is that you have to clear every bait/lure out of your kayak, except for Gambler baits. This year’s tournament was on the Kissimmee Chain and by chance, I had that weekend off from my 2 other Trails. As my husband (Mike) was watching me load my gear, it occurred to me that he could sign up and join me! Being on the Old Town Pro Staff, I have 2 kayaks in my arsenal. We have a bass boat that he and my son use for the Bassmaster High School Series nearly every weekend, so he knows how to fish, but what better way to get his feet wet in a kayak tournament than in a free one!
We made a mad dash to a local retailer to purchase any Gambler bait we could find. It was slim pickings with only one style available and that was the Big EZ. I spent nearly an hour helping him download the tournament App, how to take a picture of the fish on the measuring board as well as proper hand placement, etc. and finally, how to successfully upload the picture into the app, which serves as a live leaderboard during the event.
After only getting a couple hours of sleep due to late planning, we were up early, guzzling coffee and headed to Lake Toho. We launched just before daylight and I’m trying to remind Mike of everything he needs to do to stay legal (rule-wise) and safe for the tournament. Lines-in was 7:00 and at 7:10 Mike is yelling my name. He had already caught his first fish and apparently, had forgotten everything I told him! He was filled with excitement and couldn’t remember what to do first, so I walked him through getting his fish uploaded. At that moment he could see that he was in first place which was obvious because it was only 7:10! I had started moving in the direction I wanted to fish and just as I got out of sight, he’s yelling my name again! This time he is screaming that he just caught a 5-pounder and needs my help to make sure it gets uploaded properly. As much as I love my husband and was so proud of his performance, my competitive side was screaming in my head. Like any good wife, I made my way back over to him, let him model with his fish for pictures and made sure he uploaded it properly. I then informed him that I was leaving the area, and he was on his own the rest of the day!
He was able to catch his 5 fish limit and was hovering around 3rd place most of the day. I wasn’t too far behind, but I needed a big bite, and the day was about over. To my surprise (and ultimate payback), I landed a 6-pounder right beside him! I made him take pictures of me with my fish and he watched me move up to 1st place on the leaderboard! Of course, I wanted him to enjoy the experience of his first kayak tournament, but I didn’t want him to beat me! When the tournament ended at 2:00 and we made our way to Camp Mack for the awards, I was thrilled to receive a check for 1st place. Mike received $50 in Gambler Bucks for coming in 5th which he can use to buy more bait.
