DRAKE HERD’S BOAT RIDE TO THE TOP
by Bob Jensen
Drake Herd likes to go fishing. He really likes to go fishing. In fact, at a young age, he decided that he wanted to make a career of going fishing. His goal, in one way or another, was to be involved in the fishing industry on the professional level. On several levels he’s achieved that goal. Following is Drake Herd’s Journey to the Top in the world of walleye fishing tournaments.
Drake was born in the Alexandria area of Minnesota, which is about halfway between Fargo and the Twin Cities. Alex, as it’s referred to by the locals, is home to some of North America’s most diverse and productive fishing waters. Surrounding Alex are lakes with enviable populations of panfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and muskies.
There are also walleye lakes in the Alex area. Lots of’em, and because of the stocking efforts of area sportsman groups, many are very good walleye lakes. All of these lakes have different personalities, and for a guy who aspires to excel at walleye fishing, this is a good thing. A young Drake Herd decided that he wanted to focus on walleyes in his journey to fishing stardom. The diversity of the walleye lakes that were within a half hour of his home enabled him to become very proficient at catching walleyes by employing a variety of techniques. More about that later.
Drake’s entry into the fishing business was as a guide. He guided anglers of all skill levels on the waters surrounding Alexandria. He then got into lure manufacturing.
Now about why being proficient at catching walleyes by employing a variety of techniques is necessary to consistently finish at or near the top of the leader board. The National Walleye Tour,(N.W.T.) the circuit that Drake competes on, holds their tournaments all across walleye country. These waters all have different qualities. Some are lakes, some are rivers. Some are deep, some aren’t. In some the primary forage for the walleyes are perch, on others cisco or tullibee are the primary forage. Each body of water is different, and different techniques are required for an angler to be consistently successful. A one-method angler might do very well on one body of water and bomb on the others. Due to his knowledge of a wide variety of techniques developed from guiding and fishing by himself or with friends, Drake has become comfortable using a variety of techniques, and this has enabled him to be at or near the top of most of the tournaments that he competes in. In the fall of 2021, Drake’s hard work and commitment led him to one of the highest honors in fishing: He was crowned Angler of the Year in the N.W.T.
Tournament anglers use the most current and best equipment available, and that’s understandable. They’re fishing for money, pride, and notoriety. However, Drake learned last year that “best” does not have to mean “expensive”. He fished the season with Lew’s Speed Stick rods. Drake believes that with this series of rods, he’s able to “have a rod for every technique that might come into play in a day of walleye fishing, and I have less invested in a full set than a lot of other anglers have in just three or four rods. With the money saved, I can put gas in the truck, buy a few extra baits, or buy our kids something fun.”
As the 2022 season gets started for the National Walleye Tour, 2021’s Angler of the Year, Drake Herd, is back on the trail with some of the best walleye anglers in the business. It’s almost “unheard” of for an angler to repeat as A.O.Y., but in 2022, it could be “Herd” of. Stay tuned.
Photo Caption-2021 National Walleye Tour Angler of the Year Drake Herd with a friend.
