Kingfish Connection: Congratulations on the big win in Orange Beach. Who are the team members of Force 10 and what are the different roles that each member plays?
Kevin Alexander: Thanks, Dan. Actually, the Force 10 Team that fished the FLW Kingfish Series this year is a combination of three different SKA teams: Chris Machacek and Terry Pool (Force 10), Brett Donahoe (Texas Contender), and myself (King Bling). We’re all close friends so when we heard that the FLW was launching a series of divisional tournaments we agreed to come together as one team to fish the new circuit. Brett, Chris, and Terry bring an incredible amount of knowledge and experience to the team. It’s this combination of talent that I believe brought us success this year. As for roles on the boat, Terry and I are on the rods. Chris is on the wheel. Brett is the gaff man and acts as the “conductor” once we arrive on a spot we’re going to fish.
Going into Orange Beach how did your team prepare? Did you prefish much? How did you like Orange Beach as a venue?
Overall, we really enjoyed Orange Beach as a venue. We arrived at the beginning of the week to allow ample time for pre-fishing. Sea conditions prevented us from getting out on Monday, but we were able to get out some on Tuesday and Wednesday. We were confident that there were fish out west, so we used most of our pre-fishing time to rule out some spots south and east.
How did the conditions, such as water temperature, altimetry, bait pods, etc., affect your decision on where to fish for this tournament?
We take everything into consideration when we are narrowing down which areas to fish. With the multiple fronts that moved through area during the week of the tournament, we knew the bite was going to be tough. Responding to the actual conditions we faced on the water would be the key to putting fish in the boat. On day one of the tournament our first stop was at a place that had been reported to be holding fish earlier in the week. Once we arrived at the location water conditions weren’t what we like to see so we headed offshore until we found the temperature break and water conditions we wanted.
How did the FLW Series’ boundaries affect your team on where you were going to fish? Were there areas outside of the boundaries that you would have liked to fish?
With the 6-8’ seas we had early in the tournament, boundaries weren’t the limiting factor. I know there’s considerable debate about boundaries, but it really isn’t a big issue in my mind. With 75 miles each direction along the beachfront and 75 miles offshore, that’s over 11,000 square miles of area to fish. A good team should be able to find a fish with that much territory.
You all seem to have been in a very consistent area. After catching a 34 pound fish on Day 1 you were in eighth place. How confident were you that you would be able to find a fish on the second day that would get you all into the Top 5?
With tough conditions and a slow bite, I had all the confidence in the world because of our team. Brett and Chris are like magicians when it comes to triggering a bite when there’s just no bite to be had. Then it’s up to Terry and I to be sure we get that fish to the boat.
Did your team's strategy change much between Day 1 and Day 3?
Our general strategy didn’t change, but we were forced to adapt to the sea conditions. On the first two days of the tournament the seas were too rough for us to reach the area we really wanted to fish. It wasn’t until the final day that we could make that run so we had to find similar conditions closer inshore.
On that final day did you see any of the other Top 5 teams fishing near you?
Early in the day we ran into Cat Daddy at a rig where we were both picking up bait. After filling our live wells, we each headed off in different directions. That’s the only person we saw all day.
Which of the 4 teams were you most concerned with?
We knew that any one of the other four teams was more than capable of winning the tournament, so we were really more focused on finding a fish that would give us a shot at the win. We caught a large number of fish on the final day, but until the weigh-in was over we really didn’t think our fish was going to be big enough. Fortunately, we were wrong.
As one of the top teams from Texas you all have done well in Division 8 and have won events there. Is this your biggest win as a team, though?
Brett, Chris, and Terry have been racking up an impressive number of finishes for years in Texas. This was my rookie year in the sport and the first time this team fished together. So, yes, it was by far our biggest win.
What did you think of the 3 Day format? Did you enjoy having a camera man on your boat for the final day? Do you feel that this added more pressure on your team?
The 3 Day format adds another dimension of excitement. Just making the final cut to fish the third day is a great experience. Having a camera on the boat was a lot of fun as well. It really didn’t change anything on how we fish. We’re constantly joking around, so I guess we did tone it down a little to ensure a ‘G’ rating.
As a whole, what did you think of the inaugural FLW Series Championship? What did you like and what would you change?
We truly enjoyed the entire experience. The only downside was that since the final day was delayed until Sunday, most of the other teams had to leave for home so we couldn’t celebrate with all our friends from Texas. The FLW has done a tremendous job putting together the Kingfish Series this year. I can’t think of anything they could have done differently that would have significantly improved the Championship.
Why did you decide to fish the FLW Series Championship, as opposed to the SKA Championship?
The SKA is a great organization and we would have loved to compete in Fort Pierce as well.
However, like many teams, participation in this sport is a balancing act with family and work. As a team we could only manage participating in one national championship this year. We very impressed with how the FLW Divisional events were run the season. So with this in mind, the prize structure available, and the shorter travel distance the choice was easy.
What are your plans for next season? Will you be fishing more tournaments after this big win?
We don’t know yet what next year holds in store for us. We’re waiting to see the schedules come out for next season before we make any decisions on which events we’ll be fishing. You can bet we’re hoping to come back and defend the title in Orange Beach next year.
Do you believe in networking with other teams in order to be successful fishing the trail? What do you think makes a great king mackerel team? Team work, networking, local knowledge, equipment? Who is the best in the sport right now?
As for teams, networking, local knowledge, etc… I believe all of these are important factors in being successful. Putting together the right mix of team members provides the foundation to be good in all of these other areas. Team chemistry can make or break your season. Everyone on our team brings value to the combined effort. We each have different strengths and the key is combining these in the proper way to get the results you want.
There are a number of great teams in the sport right now. Lured Away has had an incredible run this year and deserve to be at the top of KC world rankings. There are more teams than I can list that are also at the top of the game right now. So, instead of forgetting to mention someone that should be listed, I’ll leave the rankings to you.
Where do you see the sport of kingfishing going? What changes do you think should be made to improve the current situation that the sport is in? Do you see one organization to be superior? Or do they both serve their rolls?
This is an exciting time of growth in our sport. It really seems like this sport is trying to make a transition to the next level. I see the entry of the FLW into our sport as a positive thing. They are bringing a very successful sponsor driven model from their bass tournament trail and are translating this to kingfish. The FLW and SKA are two very different organizations with different objectives. I do see both serving a role in the future.
With this evolution, I see two primary areas where our sport is encountering growing pains. One of the more difficult transitions kingfishing is trying to undergo is the creation of a true “pro-level” tour. Let’s face it; at this point in our sport one of the key factors in being able to compete at the “pro-level” is having the financial wherewithal to do it. This doesn’t necessarily result in having the best of the best competing at the pro level. Even with sponsorships, it is a serious commitment of money and time for a team to make that transition. This is an area where the FLW is helping by bringing the attention of large corporate sponsors to our sport.
The other area of difficulty is drawing more participation at the entry level of the sport. Being a newcomer myself, I can definitely say there is an intimidation factor for someone who is considering jumping into this. No matter what anyone says, with 3-5’ seas the guy waiting in the check-out line in the single-engine 22’ boat is looking at the wrapped 36’-er with trips next to him and wondering if he can effectively compete. The SKA has the edge in addressing this aspect of the sport with the Class of 23. However, I think the FLW’s boundary concept also helps in leveling the field.
FLW Outdoors seems to be very open to suggestions for next year’s season. What suggestions would you make to them? Would you like to see them keep the championship in Orange Beach next year?
We are really impressed with the responsiveness of the FLW to input from the anglers. There have been a number of good suggestions from teams I hear they are going to implement next year. From a personal standpoint, we’d like to see them spread out the dates for the Gulf Coast Division next year. Having all three events in June is going to make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to manage from a scheduling standpoint. In any event, having the championship in Orange Beach again would be great. We hope to make it back!
