Rachel Walka

Hometown: Secaucus, NJ

Ever since I was a little girl, I was always drawn to the water. It seemed that water was the air I needed to breath. My mother would always take my sisters and I to the beach, while my father worked and on the weekends we would go fishing as a family. At a very young age, I made the decision that someday I would be a Marine Biologist. In May 2001, I received my B.S. in Marine Science: Concentration in Marine Biology, but my career path took me in a different direction.

In November of 2018, I ran and completed the NYC Marathon. After the race, my doctor told me I needed to find something else to take up my time, so I began fishing again, after about two decades off from the sport. With just a few weeks spent on the water, I was told it was time to run less and to fish more; that is exactly what I did.

In March of 2021, I began kayak fishing on my Native Slayer Propel 10 and it has changed my outlook on fishing and on my angling lifestyle.

My first season in my kayak has been an absolutely amazing experience and has led me to become a part of the 2022 TBO Regional Kayak Fishing team. I look forward to challenging myself as a kayak angler, by exploring more uncharted waters, more states and entering more tournaments. I cannot wait to work with the TBO National Kayak Fishing team, as well as the Regional Kayak Fishing team to be able to share stories, experiences, attend trade shows and express our love of the sport to everyone we encounter. The water powers me, and my current ProStaff position with Nocqua keeps all of my kayak fishing accessories powered and running. My inflatable belt pack PFD keeps me safe on the water. 

When I am not on the water, there are responsibilities on the land that keep me busy. I am a mother to my son Jake, who is involved in a variety of sports and activities. I am also the daughter of US Army Sgt. Walter Walka (Purple Heart recipient-Vietnam War), as well as a 2021 Breast Cancer survivor (my mother). I listen to music more than anything and I love to laugh.

I will leave you with one last thing: ‘the water is the best prescription (n)ever written’ … rJw because it was both never and forever written, all at the same time.

This is such an amazing opportunity. Looking forward to 2022!