Hop Nguyen

I started fishing as a toddler, going with my dad and big brothers to Fort Loudon Dam and fishing from the bank. We would fish into the night and build a campfire for warmth and light. My favorite fish to catch as a kid was the Skipjacks, aka Tennessee Tarpon. They were plentiful and easy to catch while putting up a good fight for a kid. 

As I got older, I found myself drawn to bass fishing. My aunt had a large pond where she would let us go fishing and I learned how to fish with artificial lures to catch bass. Two of my favorite lures as a kid, Roland Martins helicopter lure and bubblegum worm. My brother was able to buy a bass boat and we returned to the dam and fish for stripers, flathead and blue cats, walleyes and big smallmouth bass. 

After college, I had to get a job and found that work took over my life. I went many years without really fishing at all. At 35, I bought my first kayak, a Vibe Yellowfin 100. It was the perfect starter kayak and rekindled my love for fishing. Since then, I have been in 7 different Vibe kayaks, met so many new friends, and been on so many fun adventures. My new passion is floating rivers and fishing for bass, specifically Shoal Bass. Can't wait to go on my next adventure!

Home Town: Maryville, TN