I had barely slept a wink. A late night at the house making last minute plans, combined with the excitement (and uncomfortable sofa) led to minimal sleep. But I didn’t care. The coffee pot churned and the house buzzed with eager excitement as all of us loaded up and set out to start the day!

The drive down to Shreveport was relatively uneventful. I made it to Cincinnati Saturday evening where I stopped to visit my cousin for the night. It was great having a home cooked meal and a bed to sleep in; rather than fast food and sleeping in hotel F-150.

One year ago I followed along as anglers I had never met competed for a $100,000 top prize. The conditions on Kentucky Lake were tough that year, but it was exciting none-the-less. I knew then, in 2019 it would be my turn to take the wheel (or paddle) and see what I could accomplish against some of the best kayak anglers in the nation.