As the sun rises and shines its light onto the cool waters of the Coosa, a solitary man can be found. His bright red kayak floats there in the brown water, drifting in the morning mist while he ties a lure, his mind free from the trials and successes he experiences on a daily basis. There’s nothing in this water to take his mind away from the task at hand.
Landon Bertarelli is fishing today.
Bertarelli, a 23-year-old lifelong resident of Wetumpka, is blazing his own path in the fishing world as he is set to begin his career in kayak bass fishing this weekend at Wheeler Lake in Tennessee.
“It’s interesting and fun,” Bertarelli said. “And groundbreaking in that I’m the first in the area to give this a real chance and fish the trails others don’t.”
The story of Bertarelli’s fascination with Kayak Bass Fishing began in February when the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the Kayak Bass Fishing’s “Best of the Best” event pitting the 2016 Angler of the Year against the 2016 National Champion during the course of three days on Lake Jordan and the Coosa. It was at this event that Bertarelli met Chad Hoover, founder and president of KBF.
“Chad really helped me after I spoke to him about my interest in the sport,” Bertarelli said. “He even stayed with us during the Coosa festival a couple of weeks ago and has been a strong mentor to me as I continue to move forward.”
Hoover, along with Bertarelli’s father Frank, have been instrumental in preparing him as he takes to the lake for his first tournament this weekend and will continue his inaugural tour in September on Lake Guntersville followed by a KBF open event in October at Toledo Bend in Texas. He plans to finish this first season in November on Lake Pickwick located on the borders of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
One man alone can be an island but it never hurts to have a little help. And Bertarelli is receiving it in spades from two local sponsors as well as a rod sponsor he had been chasing for almost five years.
Mark Presnell, owner of Mark’s Service Center and Body Shop Inc., and Brian and Tom Overton, owners of Overton Properties LLC, have pledged their support to the young Bertarelli with whom they share a love of the outdoors and their community.
“Landon is the first in our area to invest himself in this sport,” said (Brian) Overton. “We love the outdoors ourselves and our community even more. The opportunity to help a young man make a name for himself as shed a positive light on our community was one we could not pass up.”
As far as a professional sponsorship, Bertarelli was somewhat concerned as he had been trying to create a package with Kistler Rods for roughly five years, but the innovative sport caught Kistler’s eye when Bertarelli approached them about sponsorship.
“It was strange but it makes a whole lot of sense,” Bertarelli said. “I’ve always loved their rods and they’re 100% American made which always a positive in helping a small business.”
Surprisingly, considering kayak bass fishing is rooted in the outdoors and on bodies of water, the sport has grown exponentially thanks to modern technology. YouTube videos blanket the internet and has an inspirational effect on sportsman looking for a new challenge. KBF also has in its hands in conservation as they honor the catch-and-release method during their events. The TourneyX app allows anglers to document their catch as soon as they land it – photographing the fish on a board and uploading it onto a database – and release the fish back into the water immediately.
The future looks bright for KBF as they continue to grow their brand and eventually create a professional “Elite” series for the organization. The purse for the 2018 National Championship is slotted at $100,000 and with the way the sport is growing it will be a matter of a few years before winners are taking home B.A.S.S.-like paydays.
The KBF has also taken a liking to Wetumpka and has two tournaments planned for 2018 and 2019. The “Best of the Best” event that spurred Bertarelli will be televised on the World Fishing Network in the fall and it seems a strong relationship is forming between the KBF and the Wetumpka area.
“This will ultimately bring a lot of interest into our community,” said Gerry Purcell, executive director of the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our area, which includes the Coosa and numerous lakes, is one of the most fertile areas in the Southeast and can be a destination for the KBF.”
With the support of his community and the tutelage of one of the sports founders, Bertarelli has his sights set high but is always appreciative and grateful for the opportunity.
“Fishing has always been one of my first loves,” said Bertarelli. “And fishing in a different venue has allowed me the opportunity to travel and experience places that I might not be afforded otherwise.”
