This past spring I had the wonderful fortune to be a part of a kayak angling experience like none other.
If you live in Western Canada, heck, if you watch all the fishing show’s on the networks like I do, then chances are you’ve heard of Fishing the Wild West TV with Wes David (FTWWTV).
Wes David reeling one in
I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime during the winter months of 2021 when I helped Jackson Kayak and AQOutdoors thread the needle to join in sponsoring a Kayak Fishing 101 Television episode hosted by Wes David of FTWW.
It was a successful hookset, because in early June of this year (2021), FTWWTV, Jackson Kayak, AQOutdoors Aquabatics and myself, filmed a 2 day episode were we put host, Wes David, into a couple different Jackson Kayaks for his first kayak angling experience ever. In return, Wes put us on some fish of a lifetime!
To back things up a bit, and explain how this all came together in more detail…
I’ve known Wes David personally for years, as an extended family member, ever since he used to hold on tight for 8 seconds as a Pro Bull Rider in his younger years, to his conservation work within the prairie provinces, reading his published magazine articles throughout the Western Canada fishing community, and now to watching his show on TV. I’ve followed Wes throughout his successful career.
Wes learnt of my kayak fishing passion in years past when he and I would chat at the numerous outdoors shows throughout Alberta. Perhaps my persistent pestering of him to allow me to take him kayak fishing finally paid off!
We chatted several times throughout Covid, and 2021 was looking to be a good opportunity to stay more local, promote fisheries in our region, and most importantly -- continue the push to get people outdoors and discover what is in our backyards.
Photo of Trevor Thomson
AQ Outdoors and Aquabatics owner Simon getting in on the action
In conjunction with me being an ambassador for AQOutdoors, and a regional fishing team member for Jackson Kayak, I also chose to volunteer my time to help organize, grow, and plan licensed kayak fishing events on the WCKFT (Western Canada Kayak Fishing Trail)
(check us out on facebook and Instagram @WCKFT and west_can_kayak_trail)
The timing could not have been better, and the opportunity to promote our kayak angling community here in Western Canada in collaboration with FTWWTV was spectacular. Promoting the freedoms and limitless options kayak angling offers, on a TV show that encourages fishing in Western Canada, was in a league of its own!
The episode filmed will air in early 2022 on the Sportsman Channel, and I will be sure to share it with you here as well. In the meantime, take a listen to the podcast attached below with Wes and I prior to this year's filming.
Fishing the Wild West Kayak Fishing Podcast
Lastly, I want to send a huge shout out and thank you to Wes David, AQOutdoors Aquabatics, Jackson Kayak, and all the WCKFT community members that have welcomed me and encouraged me to grow my kayak angling passion.
Trevor Thomson
WCKFT Trail Director
Aquabatics Ambassador (Edm, AB, CAN)
Jackson Kayak Regional Fishing Team Member
Armoured Custom Rods Pro Staff
AQ Outdoors Contact
Edmonton: (p) 780 463-4892 (e) info@aquabaticsedmonton.com
Calgary: (p) 403 288-9283 (e) info@aqoutdoors.com
