Sacred Grounds: A Highlight of Lee Cox
Practically his entire life, Lee Cox has been an outdoorsman. At the age of two, on the banks of the Tar River, his grandfather introduced him to the sport of fishing. Throughout his childhood, Lee, his father, and his best friend, David Pearce, spent every birthday in a truck camper on Hatteras Island fishing Cape Point for trout, flounder, and bluefish. In his teens, Lee invested entire summers alone in Buxton honing his angling abilities, in addition to developing his budding skillset in surfing.
Lee is one of Trusty Sail & Paddle’s valued PRO Staff, a group of local influencers and brand ambassadors whose active presence in the Crystal Coast fishing community help our small business stay connected to the broader outdoor network. Today, we are featuring Lee Cox in our PRO Staff Highlight Series!
It was through Instagram that Lee first became connected to Trusty Sail & Paddle. Noting our enthusiasm for watersports and our knowledge of inventory, he sought to become a part of our organic growth model. “Their enthusiasm is infectious,” says Lee, “Having the Trusty Sail & Paddle connection has upped my fishing experience... I rely on them not only for my kayaks, but also tackle and gear from manufacturers such as Garmin, Shimano, ZMann, Mirrorlure, Old Town Hats and Sun Protection Apparel, Landing Nets, and GoPro Accessory Mounts from YakAttack.” Our partnership with Lee helps keep both parties engaged in our online presence.
Lee fishes from an Old Town Salty PDL 120, purchased from Trusty Sail & Paddle. “I highly recommend this kayak if you are serious about fishing,” he notes. Finding the majority of his favorite fishing spots too shallow for his Parker 23 SE, Lee’s Salty allows him to engage in a stealthier approach, much further in. “My catch rate increases when kayak fishing,” he says, “I also like the fact that I am more connected to the water and in tune with all the fish indicators around me.” Aboard his Salty, Lee likes to keep things simple and remain laser focused on fishing, scouting sometimes up to twenty miles a day aboard his kayak, patterning fish. “The places that the kayak affords me to go have much less pressure on them and are therefore better for fishing, [which] allows for a much better experience.”
Among Lee’s favorite fishing destinations is the Crystal Coast’s own Down East region, a rural area bordered by the North and Neuse Rivers, as well as the Core and Pamlico Sounds, seeped in rich culture, and far removed from the more densely packed Bogue Sound beach towns. “Down East is a special place that still preserves local culture and traditions,” Lee reflects. Here, “fishing grounds are sacred and trout and drum spots are precious. I mainly only kayak Down East to have less of a footprint in these areas.”
The majority of the time, Lee fishes alone. “My fishing is really more of a spiritual thing for me.” Nevertheless, Lee expresses his enjoyment in fishing with close friends such as John Gunter, David Pearce, Will Boykin, Chase Simmons, and Alan Willis, and reflects fondly on figures influential in his journey to becoming a skilled angler, including his grandfather, his parents, and Captain Jay Blount.
When asked what he likes best about fishing from his Old Town Salty, Lee answers, “Hands down – the pedal drive and simplicity. The drive train can easily be brought up out of the way to paddle when going through the shallows. I love the fact you can back pedal to stay in one place like a spot-lock on a trolling motor. It is one fast platform and can get me to my spots so much faster [than competing brands]... The hands free ability to cast and cover more ground allows me to locate concentrations of fish so much easier and faster.” Balanced against the noteworthy speed of the Salty, the kayak also offers Lee a stable and sturdy platform to stand up and leverage a drum out of the marsh grass.
Drum are among Lee’s favorite fish to catch, following Trout, both of which he catches on topwater lures. Nearshore, his favorites are Atlantic Bonito, False Albacore, Spanish Mackeral and King Mackeral, using live bait. When offshore trolling, Lee goes for Wahoo and Sailfish.
We are grateful for our partnership with Lee Cox, and thankful to have such a knowledgeable and experienced fisherman among our PRO Staff! Follow Lee on Instagram @lee4996!
