Okada To Fish With “The Dry One”
Category: npaa
Jun 8th, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jun 8th, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Touring professional walleye angler Joe Okada will be driving for the Yar-Craft team this season. Even though relatively new to the pro ranks, Okada, 30, from Fitchburg (near Madison), Wisconsin, has maintained a top-five ranking on the national pro-am circuits since 2009.
Yar-Craft national sales manager Ivan Williams said, “Joe is one of those up and coming pros, the kind of young, promotable spokesmen we like. We’re trying to attract the younger generation; our youth are the future. We need to get them involved, and Joe has the same vision.”
Currently Okada participates in youth events on tour via the National Professional Anglers Association and many similar events near home. He will be coordinating promotions with Yar-Craft dealers at tournaments, and attracting potential customers to ride and feel what he calls, “…an awesome multi-species rig.” He guides on Green Bay late into the fall and looks forward to the safety and durability a Yar-Craft offers.
Okada has selected the 209 TFX, a 20 foot, six inch model, one of six models available. The other tournament style boat is a 219 TFX at 21 feet, six inches. Both dual console models come with an optional walk-thru windshield. Yar-Craft also has 17 and 20 foot back-troller models and two 18 foot, six inch hulls; one for tournament anglers, the other is a fish and ski design.
Yar-Craft was purchased by Challenger Inc., the parent company of Bass Cat Boats, a company owned since 1971 by Ron and Jan Pierce, who remain active in their Mt. Home, Arkansas business. Williams said, “We’ve always been involved with fishing and serious tournament fishermen and have been leaders in fiberglass boat construction. We’ll take this experience and build it into the Yar-Craft line. In fact, we’re already improving the internal construction, creating even longer life-expectancy in each boat leaving the factory.”
Okada said, “I’m very excited to be moving forward with such a great company. Yar-Craft boats are well known for their superior big-water handling characteristics. This year, our schedule takes us to the biggest walleye waters around and I’ll be ready!” His other sponsors and marketing partners are Yamaha outboards, Optima batteries, EZEE Step Inc., EGO Net Co., Luck-E-Strike USA, ProMariner and Navionics.
JoeOkada.com
Facebook.com/joeokada
Twitter.com/joeokada
608.575.8597