Kong Yang named 2019 MKA Motherlode Series Angler of the Year
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:29 pm
Lake McClure: 4th. Place with 50 inches
Lake Don Pedro: 10th. Place with 51 inches
Lake Tulloch: 3rd. Place with 53.75 inches
“I was outside in my garage cleaning my fishing gear when I received the unexpected text message from the tournament director asking me to give him a call. I called him back and the first thing he said was, “guess what just happened, you are the 2019 MKA Motherlode Series Angler of the Year.” I was surprised, shocked, and super excited all at the same time. Going into this competition, I did not think I would make it to the top 15 on any of the three Motherlode lakes, nor had I thought I would be 2019 Angler of The Year”, said Yang.
He went on to describe that there were many challenges this season that he had to overcome. “Two out of the three lakes that were chosen for this whole competition I have never been to. Also, I was not sure if I would have the time to pre-fish due to work, my two small children, my wife in her nursing career, and on top of all that having to take care of my father who had just had a stroke early on this year. Despite all these obstacles, I took a risk, signed up, and joined the competition”, said Yang.
When asked about what led to his success Yang reported, “Time on the water or pre-fishing is one of the key factors that helped me finish top ten in every tournament. During pre-fishing, I make sure I use my time wisely. One strategy I used during pre-fishing was to divide each lake into three sections where my kayak can get to in less than an hour. While pre-fishing I make sure I pay attention to the water temperatures and contour changes by using my Lowrance fish finder with Navionics. The Lowrance fish finder and Navionics, I would say, has cut pre-fishing time in half due to all the awesome features it contains.”
When asked about boat positioning and handling, Yang went on to say, “Kayak positioning is another key factor in helping me get more bites. Positioning your kayak correctly will help keep the bait in the strike zone longer. Fishing a spot thoroughly from different angles has helped me get that extra bite that I needed in every tournament this year.”
When it comes to bait selection, he keeps it simple. “My baits selection for all three lakes were the same. For finesse fishing I used the Z-man finesse TRD worm in green pumpkin and watermelon red. For a search bait I used a 3.8 Keitech and a Lucky Craft ghost minnow Staysee 90. With the water clarity being very clear I downgraded to a 6 lb. line at all lakes”, commented Yang.
Yang wrapped up the interview with, “As the season comes to an end I would like to thank Motherlode Kayak Angler for putting on a great event and all the sponsors that helped make this event possible. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife and kids for always sporting me with my fishing addiction. Tight lines everybody!!”
Up next for Yang is the 2019 MKA Classic (TOC) on Kelsey Bass Ranch on June 22nd. Let's see if he is able to keep his streak going and pull off the win.