TYLER, Texas — In this week's Hooked on East Texas, we meet a man behind a new business in Tyler whose endless energy is helping to fill a blank space in the East Texas fishing community.
Lance McWhorter wears many hats. He's a talented chef and owner of Culture ETX, he competes on the Bassmaster Pro Kayak Fishing Tour and he combines his bass fishing passion with his business now to open ETX Paddle Sports. A first-of-its-kind shop in East Texas where bass fishing is big business and there is a void.
“Tyler doesn't (sic) have a kayak shop, we don't have a good bass fishing tackle shop. We've got big box stores, we've got things like that," McWhorter said. "And there was a hole that existed that needed to be filled, and nobody was filling it.”
These are not starter kayaks and not 100-dollar boats. These will set you back a thousand or more. McWhorter and his staff can add motors, fish-finders, and power poles. They say it’s worth it.
“We (have) everything that you have on a bass boat can be put on one of these kayaks and are regularly put on the tournament scene", McWhorter explained.
The boats may be modern, but kayak fishing offers an old-fashioned escape from the noise and chaos of the world and finding peace in the solitude of nature. That hits home for McWhorter, an Iraq war veteran.
“You know, and I just come home from Iraq", said McWhorter. "And it was one of those things that just centered me. I found a lot of peace on the water in a kayak, you know, and then the first time you catch her, you know, five, six pounds plus bass and one game over. I mean, that's just it, there's nothing more exciting."
McWhorter is acutely aware of the challenges faced by others who have served. He is concerned about mental health and wants ETX Paddle Sports to be a space where anglers can come together to share their love of the sport, but also to support one another in their struggles.
“Let me take you out on a guided trip to Caddo Lake for a day or two or three. Brother, your heads gonna be straight, you know, I mean, it's just one of those things where you can get out you can get on the water, it's quiet (and) it's peaceful. You can talk about it with each other or not," said McWhorter.
Fishing provides solace from the stresses of everyday life. But McWhorter also recognizes the importance of conservation and the need to protect nature.
“It's really sad to see everything that goes into these lakes," said McWhorter. "From garbage to like motor oil, or, you know, just water circulating through an outboard engine."
McWhorter wears many hats but at the end of the day, he is a passionate angler who cares deeply about his fellow veterans and the natural world around him. In the end, he hopes ETX Paddle Sports makes a difference.
“So it's like, just building that shop to where you can come in and create that neighborhood, that community, you know, a place for fishtails.”
McWhorter plans to add another hat. He just signed on to become a member of The Fallen Outdoors, an organization with a mission of creating outdoor adventures for veterans past and present.
We'll be highlighting the organization of a future Hooked On East Texas.