A DAY ON THE WATER WITH GUIDE KEN LEVY

By Andy Kohly

Shooting Dog Editor

Recently I had the great fortune to spend the day on the water with someone I consider a true master of his craft.  Ken Levy, owner and operator of Ken’s Guiding Service invited me out to Saguaro Lake for a day of fishing. 

We met at the boat ramp at 05:30 and made our way out to one of the many flats that exist with the lake where we were greeted by Mergansers and other early migration waterfowl.  The air was calm and cool and the water had a slick almost oil like appearance as we started the day with a surface presentation.  The abundance of top water activity gave promise of hook-ups to come but as luck would have it, I managed to miss several strikes that should have produced fish.  Hey, I’m a dog guy!!!  In the meantime, Ken was able to boat and release several nice fish before we decided to change to a Carolina Rig. 

The Carolina rig employed one of Ken’s own concoctions. A worm patterned, hand pour with a name I’ll let Ken tell you about.  Having grown up fishing farm ponds I considered myself fairly knowledgeable when it came to bass fishing however I was in for an education as I Lost a VERY nice fish due to my inability to recognize and respond properly to a pressure bite.  Okay, maybe the rest of the world knows all about a pressure but in my experience, bass always hit hard and aggressively right?  Wrong!!!  One of the most enjoyable things about fishing with Ken that day was his ability to impart his wisdom in a way that was friendly, encouraging and most importantly down right helpful.   So suffice it say that the next time I felt a pressure bite, I was able to respond properly and was able to boat and release a very nice largemouth.  Having now been vindicated, Ken powered up the Nitro 910 and we snaked our way through the lake, to the river and base of the dam.  Mindful of the fact that most of the desert I have seen was viewed while on foot following my German Shorthair, I remain convinced that while it may have been a short trip up the lake, it certainly afforded some of the most breathtaking views I had ever seen in our great state.

Once there, I was in for another learning experience that proved extremely productive, drop shotting.  While this was my first time using this technique, I was rewarded with two very nice walleye.  The rest of the afternoon we alternated between drop shotting and crankbaits and were fortunate enough to boat and release several more very nice largemouths and smallies and a number of yellow bass.

As the end of our day neared I had a chance to reflect on the experience I had that day and felt very fortunate indeed.  While I had fished and hunted with guides before, I had never known one as personable, thoughtful and most importantly knowledgeable as Ken.  I know many of us have our guide horror stories but I for one can tell you that fishing with Ken was more like fishing with a life long friend than a guide.  Obviously Ken’s skill and mastery of the waters we fished that day were crucial to our success, so it’s understandable why many on the tournament circuits seek his council and advice.  Also, his ability to understand and comprehend fish and wildlife patterns, habitat and the like have made him a valuable resource the Arizona Game and Fish Department frequently calls upon for surveys.

In considering the events of the day, I realized that the day was much more than a fishing trip.  It was time spent with a true master who graciously shared his friendship and wisdom and took a sincere interest in not only my success but also my continuing education as a fisherman.  Moving forward, I am already dreaming about my next trip with Ken and I would encourage rank amateurs and tournament professionals alike, to give some thought spending a day on the water with Ken.

KEN’S GUIDING SERVICE

HOME (480) 987-0719

CELL  (480) 694-8995

E-MAIL  kensfishing@aol.com