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Norman,
OK - Entering the 2008 Elite Series season, Oklahoma pro, Kenyon Hill, had a new outlook.
After opening the season with back-to-back top 12 finishes in the Sunshine State, Hill logged top 50 finishes at Falcon Lake, Clarks Hill, Lake Murray, Kentucky Lake, and Oneida Lake. Sprinkled amongst those results was a win on Clarks Hill. The win, coupled with three additional final day appearances, trumped Hill’s 2007 performance where he made just five top 50 cuts and failed to make a final day appearance.
The veteran Oklahoma pro credits much of the success he had throughout the 08’ season to events that occurred off the water prior to the start of the year. “Two weeks before the season started, my dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and they gave him two to four weeks,” explained Hill. “That was a real wake up call and put everything in order in terms of importance. I just really started fishing for the day. There’s a lot of politics that go on in bass fishing and I just threw all that out the window and fished pretty much wide open. That decision really lent to a lot my success.”
Hill started off the 2008 Elite Series season on fire. Beginning in Florida, a state where Hill has, “a love/hate relationship” with when it comes to bass fishing, he posted back to back top 12 finishes.
“I just settled down and went fishing and had some good tournaments. I had a chance to win the Toho tournament and just didn’t come through with it, but that’s the nature of fishing,” lamented Hill. “Sometimes tournaments just fall into your strengths and I had figured out a topwater bite in Florida and that’s what I stuck with. It probably wasn’t the most consistent but it lent itself to
bigger bites so I had a lot of confidence in the technique.”
The crowning moment of Hill’s 2008 season came in May on Clarks Hill Lake where he claimed the third win of his career. Heading into the early May tournament, Hill didn’t know what to expect. “I also have a love/hate relationship with Clarks Hill,” he explained. “I’d had some good finishes there, but in two other tournaments there I think that I just turned the lights off and left - I was dead last.”
During the tournament, Hill focused on one specific area of the lake and utilized a trio of offerings including a pencil popper, Carolina rig, and Sebile Magic Swimmer swimbait.
After accruing the majority of his weight on a Carolina rig to make the top 50 cut, the Magic Swimmer proved to be Hill’s savior on the final two days of competition and it very nearly never made it into his Triton. “Going into the third day, Peter Thliveros had two of these new baits and he tossed me one,” said Hill. “It turned out to be a key lure to win that tournament.”
On the morning of the third day, Hill had bass repeatedly swipe at his pencil popper without hooking up. On a whim, he decided to try the new swimbait that Thliveros had given him prior to take-off. “Within 15 minutes after picking up that bait, I culled my first fish,” recounted Hill.
“There was one little point that I had been looking at but never fished in practice and on the third day, I pulled up there and they were loaded on it. I culled up to around 18 pounds and they were still busting when I left. I told my partner that I could win it right there and that’s the same point where I caught my five pounder and seven pounder on Sunday.”
Hill ranks the victory at Clarks Hill atop his impressive list of career achievements. “This is probably the best of my three wins,” he said. “The first one, you say to yourself, ‘I finally won one.’ The second time you win you’re like, ‘well, the first one wasn’t a fluke.’ This one was extra special because I immediately sent the trophy home to my dad and I got to share it with
him.
While Dr. Hill passed away in July, the Clarks Hill trophy still resides is his home. “It’s still over at his house; I just haven’t picked it up yet,” said Kenyon. “I’m not big on trophies. Most of mine are still in the boxes that they came in. I’ll probably move it down to my boat dealer, Nichols Marine here in Norman, and let them show it off.”
Although unknown at the time, Hill’s victory led to a relationship and eventual sponsorship by
Sebile, the company that makes the Magic Swimmer which Hill relied on for his victory.
“Because we all have busy schedules, we just recently found time to sit down and talk,” said Hill.
"I believe in their products and I like the philosophy of their development. A lot of their baits are way out there but they’re cool once you actually look at them and see how they work.” |
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Looking back through the 08’ schedule, Kentucky Lake, where he finished 7th, was another tournament that stands out for Hill. Entering the final day, Hill was one of four Oklahomans in the top 12. Prior to launch on the final day, a BASS emcee typically plays music over a loud speaker system to amp up the crowd that has gathered to watch the anglers launch.
For Hill, the music is a little loud for the early morning hour. However, Kentucky was different. “Kentucky was fun because I had them play the University of Oklahoma Boomer Sooner song over the loud speaker system before the final morning take off because it was pretty much an all Okie deal,” laughed Hill.
Hill sums up his year rather simplistically – “I didn’t really change the way that I fished all year. I had some stinkers and I had some good ones and that’s just the way I fish. Sometimes I land on both feet and sometimes I don’t. I worry about how I finish after I check in at weigh-in and other than that, thinking about it while you are on the water is just a distraction.”
Since end of the 2008 season, Hill has remained busy. After finishing 19th in the Central Open on Kentucky Lake, he headed down to Falcon Lake for the annual Texas/Oklahoma Shootout where he led Team Oklahoma in overall weight caught.
“It just seems like my whole fall and winter is gone.” lamented Hill. “I’ve got some plans through November and then inevitably boat shows pop up in January. I’m also going to practice up on the Red River until that goes off limits in December.”
Speaking of the Red River, Hill is looking forward to competing in his 4th Bassmaster Classic. “I like the red river. It’s primarily a shallow water fishery and I’ve done well there in the past. It doesn’t intimidate me and I don’t dread going there like some guys do. I think that I can do well.”
Hill plans on taking the same strategy into the Classic that he employed throughout the season on the Elite Series. “I’m going to fish more like I have this past year and pretty much ignore all the pomp and circumstance that goes on around me. It is a fun time and there’s a lot of fun to be had there, but I’ll just probably settle down and focus on what I’m doing.”
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