Zona's Awesome Fishing Show Season 10 Episode 1 Patrick Walters - Santee Cooper

Patrick Walters is the featured angler in the season 10 premiere of Zona's Awesome Fishing Show. Walters takes host Mark Zona to the Santee Cooper lakes in South Carolina, where they hunt for big bass amidst the cypress trees and flooded timber.

Walters is a young pro angler who has quickly made a name for himself in the fishing world. He finished second in the 2020 Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings and won the Elite Series event on Lake Fork earlier that year. Zona and Walters have a longstanding friendship, and their chemistry is evident as they joke around and exchange banter while on the water.

The episode begins with Zona and Walters launching their boats before dawn. They start out in a canal and immediately start catching fish, with Walters using a chatterbait and Zona throwing a swim jig. The action is fast and furious, with both anglers quickly filling their livewells.

As the sun rises, they move into the main lake and start exploring areas with submerged vegetation and flooded trees. Walters talks about his strategy for finding fish in the Post-spawn period, when bass are recovering from spawning and starting to feed aggressively. He targets points and pockets with a mix of jigs, Texas rigs, and topwater baits, while Zona throws a squarebill crankbait and a frog.

The Santee Cooper lakes are known for producing big bass, and Walters and Zona are not disappointed. They catch several fish over five pounds, with Walters hooking a monster that puts up an epic fight before coming to the boat. Zona is impressed with Walters' angling skills and ability to handle the pressure of tournament fishing.

Throughout the episode, there are plenty of humorous moments and lighthearted banter between Zona and Walters. At one point, Walters hooks a fish while talking about his admiration for the legendary bass angler Rick Clunn, prompting Zona to quip, "Rick Clunn just texted me and said he's not impressed." They also talk about their shared love of football and the importance of mental toughness in both sports and fishing.

As the day progresses, the fishing slows down and Zona and Walters start to experiment with different techniques. They try flipping and pitching in heavy cover, throwing topwater baits in shallow water, and fishing offshore structure with deep-diving crankbaits. While they don't have the same kind of success they had earlier in the day, they both agree that it's important to keep trying new things and adapting to changing conditions.

The episode ends with Zona and Walters back at the boat ramp, reflecting on the day's fishing and their friendship. They talk about the ups and downs of pro angling, the sacrifices they make to pursue their passion, and the importance of having a support system of family and friends. It's a fitting coda to a fun, entertaining, and informative episode of Zona's Awesome Fishing Show.