Kayak Bass Relocating, Seek to Turn Ditto into “Fishville”

Chad and Kristie Hoover fell for Huntsville hook, line and sinker.

The married couple, owners of Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF), decided to move the operations headquarters from Hendersonville, Tenn., to the Rocket City at Ditto Landing Marina on the Tennessee River.

The announcement of the move was made during a press conference conducted by the Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) on a sunny Wednesday at Ditto’s Kingston Pavilion.

“We’re so thankful and so blessed to be here in Huntsville,’’ company President Kristie Hoover said. “Everything around the city just screams home to us and we are so thankful for the opportunity to be here and grow attention to all the bass fisheries that are all around us.’’

She added the Southern hospitality they’ve received.

“We’re both from the South,’’ she said, “so we appreciate that.’’

Kristie is originally from Chattanooga while Chad, KBF’s founder and lead presenter on its Youtube channel, hails from Ferriday (La.).

“I’m not originally from Alabama,’’ he said, “but I got here as fast as I can and I’m not leaving now. I’m going to be dug in like a tick.’’

KBF will bring their national championship to Huntsville in 2023, ’25 and ’31 as well as one of their annual tour events to the headquarters. Each national championship is expected to bring an estimated economic impact of $3.5 million. The venue is expected to generate more than $16 million in economic impact over the next 10 years.

KBF’s first tournament on the Tennessee will be Veteran’s Day.

The plan is for KBF, which has a nationwide trail of tournaments, to eventually move into an old East Harbor Master’s house once it is renovated. The facility will house the production studio, host seminars and be the hub for their activities for FishOPS – a non-profit charity designed to focus on supporting Veterans Advocacy, Public Servant and First Responder organizations.

Mayor Tommy Battle said KBF’s addition is part of the city’s master plan – the BIG Picture. He called it the new “it-sport’’ in fishing.

“One of our goals was to merge and make better use of our recreational assets at Ditto Landing along the Tennessee River,’’ he said. “Today, we’re here to announce a new company to Huntsville that will help fulfill the vision of our community.’’

While kayak fishing has become a popular sport and grew during the pandemic since fishing is an easily “distancing’’ endeavor, KFB was founded in 2009.

“It’s an emerging sport but just like anything else people say, ‘Man, this thing just blew up,’ ’’ Chad said. “But I’ve been doing this since 1996, and we’ve been doing the tournaments since 2009. But, really, it did hit stride about six or seven years ago.’’

The idea of relocating to Huntsville was borne during a conference when Kristie and CVB Sales Manager/Sports Joel Lamp were having a conversion. Kristie mentioned a possible relocation and, according to Lamp he asked her, “Why not Huntsville?’’

The couple bought in.

“I have to admit that I loved Huntsville because I’m a retired Naval Officer and spent all of my career in aviation,’’ said Chad, an aeronautical engineer. “I’ve always been an aviation enthusiast, so space has always intrigued me.’’

He intends to give the city a new identity.

“I want to turn Huntsville into ‘Fishville,’ ’’ he said. “That’s my goal over the next six years.’’