STOREFRONT
Looking at small businesses
Gone fishing Two local fishermen grow their hobby into a fishing kayak business.
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by SHERRI LEDBETTER
Evan Taylor
Dr. Scott Moseman and Chad Sanders, owners of Hook 1 Oklahoma, host regular kayak fishing events at Lake Bixoma.
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TulsaPeople JULY 2014
When Tulsa child psychiatrist Scott Moseman needs to get away for a few hours, he goes fishing. But instead of traversing area rivers and lakes by motorboat, he prefers a kayak he can load into the bed of his truck. “In the last three or four years, and having three kids, I needed to get out for few hours and then get back quickly without the need to care for a big boat,” he says. “It’s nice and peaceful to get out in small bodies of water and fish.” Recently the medical director for the Laureate Eating Disorders Program turned his relaxing hobby into a business, becoming a co-owner of Hook 1 Oklahoma, a Bixby kayak fishing store. With his business partner, Chad Sanders, he sells fishing kayaks, fishing equipment and tackle. Kayak fishing is ideal for busy anglers who don’t have time to spend a full day on the water, Moseman says, although some people do enjoy taking a whole day or several to kayak fish. Quiet and environmentally friendly, fishing kayaks are man-powered by paddle or pedal. They’re also economical and lightweight. “People can load their kayak on top of their cars, in the bed of their trucks or use small trailers that transport multiple kayaks,” Moseman says. “The boats are light enough that you can carry them.” Kayaks are easy to maneuver and can accommodate traditional boating accessories such as fish finders, GPS receivers and anchor trolleys, systems that anchor one’s kayak from the front or back of the boat, he explains. They also provide other advantages over fishing by motorboat. “Sometimes you can fish in less than a foot of water,” Moseman says of kayak fishing. “If there’s not a ramp or a place to launch a regular boat, you can still fish in a kayak.” With Oklahoma’s approximately 200 lakes — many only an hour or so from Tulsa — the state has more than 55,600 miles of freshwater shoreline, second only to Minnesota, according to www.outdoorsok.com and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. This makes fishing a popular pasttime for many in the area. “A lot of people like to kayak down local river systems and the Illinois River or the Mountain Fork River because of the shallow water,” Moseman says. It’s also an activity he enjoys with his 9-year-old son, Jackson. Moseman’s interest in kayak fishing as a business began with a friendship. “Chad and I live in the same neighborhood and have children of similar ages who are friends,” Moseman says. The two became fishing buddies and even fish in tournaments together. Before the men became business partners, Sanders sold a hybrid kayak called the Nucanoe Frontier out of his garage. Successful sales pointed to a demand for this type of vessel, Moseman says. “We decided to start small, get a space and see what happened,” he says. Moseman juggles his busy medical practice with the retail store by ordering tackle and doing research after hours, while Sanders manages the store. “Chad provides the business experience,” Moseman says. Naturally, the co-owners would like to see the business become profitable, but that is not the primary driver for the venture. “It happens to fit within our passion,” Moseman says. He says he enjoys going to the store to talk fishing with the customers. “We really love that the store is a meeting place for anglers to go out on fishing trips,” he says, adding that the business also is a major supporter for the northeast Oklahoma arm of Heroes on the Water, which transports veterans for on-the-water therapy. Sanders and Moseman work closely with the Oklahoma Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail and the Razoryak Arkansas Kayak Tournament Trail to promote the growing sport of kayak fishing. For upcoming store events and to find out more about Hook 1 Oklahoma, visit www.hook1oklahoma.com. tþ