Headwaters Fishing Team: Port O Sac + Backstory on the 2013 Fresh Kats Tournement Series Winner.

Headwaters Team Paddler David Fowler, winner of the 2013 Fresh Kats Series.

I would like to start off by saying thank you to all the hard work done by all that made this years 2013 Freshkats series a success. There was some awesome prizes that were handed out from life jackets to fish finders and rods to paddles even a really cool fish cleaning station plus lots more. For me this years Freshkats series was the first time I have ever fished a kayak tournament. I have always fished tournaments off my bass boat and I was one of those guys who always said "man a kayak looks like a fun time but it takes so long to get anywhere its not fast enough and looks like too much work". Well ladies and gentlemen my name is David and I'm a kayak-aholic.

David Sporting his new Shuna Hooked Paddle donated by Werner Paddles as the Grand prize for the FreshKats 2013 season.

I never realized how much scenery is missed by launching the boat and putin the hammer down and doing 65 mph to my favorite fishing hole. Now don't get me wrong I still get the need speed but the boat has taken the back seat to the Jackson Cuda.

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We finished up this years Freshkats series at the port of west Sacramento it was a great tournament I don't know the actual numbers on how many of us fished this event but I want to say it was somewhere around 40 anglers possibly more. The port of sac is a great fishery with free access and a easy launch. It gives the average angler a chance to catch multiple species from pan fish to bass and stripers to salmon and I think they were all caught at this years event. I pulled into the barge canal access at about 6:00 am in the morning there was already guys getting ready for the days tourney so with high hopes I put the truck in park take a sip of coffee and look at the temperature on the dash and it says ice 28*deg yep it was a cold cold day.

Jedmo sporting his golden down jumpsuit to stay warm

I meet up with Jim and get signed in and make my way down to the water I put the Jackson Cuda in get seated and start my trek to the turning basin as I'm paddling a thin layer of ice is forming on the deck of my Cuda from water splashing up through the scupper holes. I start marking fish right away so I send down some secret agents (minnows) to do the dirty work. It was a beautiful and clear day with just a little chop on the water but cold about 10:00 I get a good take down but like every good fish story the fish got away. about 10:30 I met up with bill and victor from the headwaters team and they had drawn a big goose egg too no fish .check in was at 1:00 so at about 12:30 we make our way over to the launch and Victor hooks up with a keeper striper. It was a great day had by all with a nice amount of trash collected by anglers from the banks of the river and as always it would not be a true NCKA event without food family and friends so we all met at the pizza joint down the road shared stories and went on our way. I just want to say thank you again to everyone for great sportsmanship and to all the hard work from everyone who made this year a success cant wait till next year.

By David Fowler, Headwaters Fishing Team!