2010 Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail / Lake Harding
I had the pleasure of fishing the 2010 Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail stop at Lake Harding over the weekend. http://kayakfishingtrail.com/tournaments/
After years of fishing in a center console boat it was cool to get back to basics and fish out of a kayak like I did when I was teenager. The crew from the Georgia Kayak Trail was outstanding and really run a tight yet relaxed tourney.
The format for this trail is different from anything I have ever fished. Each stop on the trail is a catch-measure-photo-release event using the length of fish in inches to determine the score. Contestants can submit a total of 3 fish, but, not more than 1 of each qualifying species for their total score and each stop has different qualifying species depending on the fish that are native to that body of water.
As with most tourneys the weather was less than perfect. Temps around 48 degrees at the start then adding 12 mph winds and rain rain and more rain. So I really had to dig deep and figure out the current in such a light craft. I let the current work for me and fished the seams between the current and some slack water eddies that I found near a shallow flat of cypress trees. Between the Bass Pro Shops Cat Maxx Rods, Gamakatsu hooks and Catfish Reaper Bait Enhancer the catfish didn't have a chance. I figured with the current being so strong and the bass nonexistent I would focus on the cats and it paid off. I caught over a dozen fish that day with the biggest being enough to put me in 4th place out of a field of 52. And for the series that moves me into second place! http://kayakfishingtrail.com/standings/
Here are a few pics from the shotgun start and the prize presentations. The conditions were rough but the environment was great. I look forward to keeping my momentum alive at the next tourney stop this May in the North Ga Mountains.
I had the pleasure of fishing the 2010 Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail stop at Lake Harding over the weekend. http://kayakfishingtrail.com/tournaments/
After years of fishing in a center console boat it was cool to get back to basics and fish out of a kayak like I did when I was teenager. The crew from the Georgia Kayak Trail was outstanding and really run a tight yet relaxed tourney.
The format for this trail is different from anything I have ever fished. Each stop on the trail is a catch-measure-photo-release event using the length of fish in inches to determine the score. Contestants can submit a total of 3 fish, but, not more than 1 of each qualifying species for their total score and each stop has different qualifying species depending on the fish that are native to that body of water.
As with most tourneys the weather was less than perfect. Temps around 48 degrees at the start then adding 12 mph winds and rain rain and more rain. So I really had to dig deep and figure out the current in such a light craft. I let the current work for me and fished the seams between the current and some slack water eddies that I found near a shallow flat of cypress trees. Between the Bass Pro Shops Cat Maxx Rods, Gamakatsu hooks and Catfish Reaper Bait Enhancer the catfish didn't have a chance. I figured with the current being so strong and the bass nonexistent I would focus on the cats and it paid off. I caught over a dozen fish that day with the biggest being enough to put me in 4th place out of a field of 52. And for the series that moves me into second place! http://kayakfishingtrail.com/standings/
Here are a few pics from the shotgun start and the prize presentations. The conditions were rough but the environment was great. I look forward to keeping my momentum alive at the next tourney stop this May in the North Ga Mountains.
I had the pleasure of fishing the 2010 Georgia Kayak Fishing Tournament Trail stop at Lake Harding over the weekend. http://kayakfishingtrail.com/tournaments/
After years of fishing in a center console boat it was cool to get back to basics and fish out of a kayak like I did when I was teenager. The crew from the Georgia Kayak Trail was outstanding and really run a tight yet relaxed tourney.
The format for this trail is different from anything I have ever fished. Each stop on the trail is a catch-measure-photo-release event using the length of fish in inches to determine the score. Contestants can submit a total of 3 fish, but, not more than 1 of each qualifying species for their total score and each stop has different qualifying species depending on the fish that are native to that body of water.
As with most tourneys the weather was less than perfect. Temps around 48 degrees at the start then adding 12 mph winds and rain rain and more rain. So I really had to dig deep and figure out the current in such a light craft. I let the current work for me and fished the seams between the current and some slack water eddies that I found near a shallow flat of cypress trees. Between the Bass Pro Shops Cat Maxx Rods, Gamakatsu hooks and Catfish Reaper Bait Enhancer the catfish didn't have a chance. I figured with the current being so strong and the bass nonexistent I would focus on the cats and it paid off. I caught over a dozen fish that day with the biggest being enough to put me in 4th place out of a field of 52. And for the series that moves me into second place! http://kayakfishingtrail.com/standings/
Here are a few pics from the shotgun start and the prize presentations. The conditions were rough but the environment was great. I look forward to keeping my momentum alive at the next tourney stop this May in the North Ga Mountains.
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