We asked the six USA competitors some questions just before they fly to the Netherlands for the Hobie Fishing World Championship IV. The competitors are on the edge of their seats waiting for their chance to compete against some of the top kayak anglers from around the world. Are they prepared? What can we expect from these top anglers? Find out what they said when we interviewed them before the tournament starts.
Scott Brenneman is a well versed kayak angler hailing from Seattle, WA. After competing in the Oregon Rockfish Classic and earning 2nd place in the tournament standings he was announced a Hobie Worlds qualifier shortly after 1st place winner Kenneth Dickens passed on his invitation. Anglers from this area are extremely in tune with the surrounding ecosystems. The instinct Brenneman will bring to Europe will likely give him an edge when he starts developing a pattern.
While spending some quality time with his family he graciously answered our questions about the upcoming Hobie World Championship.
What species do you think is going to be easiest to pattern?
Not sure. I will be experimenting will some new lures and techniques that I think will do well for pike, zander and perch. Perch and zander are the most familiar to me even though I haven’t fished for them before. We have perch and walleye around the Seattle area that I fish for from time to time. But the pike, I look forward to pike the most and hopefully the gear I am bringing is what they are looking for.
How much of a challenge will it be to fish in freshwater for the tournament when you are primarily a saltwater angler?
I feel like saltwater and freshwater are very similar fisheries. Both fisheries have similarities as far as fish behavior, forage preferences and patterning that can cross over. Paying attention to details is especially important with patterns I will be using. Hopefully the knowledge I’ve acquired by fishing both salt and freshwater will help in finding out a pattern quickly.
How much will traveling affect your performance in the competition?
Traveling is very easy on me because I am an airline pilot. In fact it will be interesting to fly as a passenger because I rarely get to experience that. My bags are packed and ready to go, filled with all the tackle that entices even the wariest zander. I’m hoping my experience with traveling frequently will give me the upper hand as many others will be adjusting to the time change.
As a paddle kayak user, Scott had a completely different perspective about fishing in the Hobie Fishing World Championship. He will have to learn how to adapt his techniques because all the competitors will be using new 2015 Pro Angler 12s outfitted with the hands free MirageDrive system. After listening to Scott this will likely not be a problem for him. We are excited to see how he does throughout the competition and what he discovers fishing for unfamiliar species.
To learn more about Scott and Hobie Fishing World Championship IV, visit: http://www.hobiefishingworlds.com/.
