ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
CATCHING UP WITH POLARIS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR KYLE HALL
By Kyle Wood
PHOTOS BY CHARLES WALDORF
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It seems with each passing year that younger and younger anglers are making their names known among the professional ranks . The 2020 season was no different , as Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit newcomer Kyle Hall made four consecutive day-three cuts ( or better ) to end the season and clinch the Polaris Rookie of the Year title . Though the 23-year-old from Granbury , Texas doesn ’ t have the regional accolades some of his fellow rookies do , that didn ’ t hinder him one bit on the big stage .
Here ’ s what the newly minted Rookie of the Year had to say about his spectacular first season on the Pro Circuit and what ’ s next for the rising star .
Q : You ’ re a young dude and obviously have a knack for fishing . How did you get started ?
I started in the back of the boat when I was probably 4 or 5 years old with my grandpa . He took me every weekend . At one point I got tired of it , but I didn ’ t have the heart to tell him I didn ’ t want to go this weekend .
We used to fish in this little club back home , and I was probably the only youth angler – I think I was , actually – so I would just fish against all the old men out of the back of the boat . They ’ re all fishing doubles on the front and I ’ m back there in the back minding my own business , taking naps when I wanted to . I was still young . I used to bring my umbrella with me , and those are some of the best naps I ever took was on the back of that boat .
My dad got me into it after my grandpa passed away . The day I sealed up Rookie of the Year was eight years to the day of my grandpa passing away .
No way . Man , that ’ s cool .
It was . It was a pretty emotional evening for me when I won .
Q : Speaking of ROY , you ’ ve had a little time to think about it now . What ’ s it feel like ?
I ’ ve had to do a lot of interviews , which is good because of how terrible I am at them – I ’ ve had a lot of practice here in the last couple of weeks . I kind of celebrated – not really celebrated , but
38 FLWFISHING . COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020