Ashley Rae

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Ashley Rae

Home Water(s): The Bay of Quinte (Lake Ontario), Ontario, Canada

Experience:

Ashley was introduced to fishing at age 5 by a family friend. It has always been a recreational hobby but in the past few years she has made a name for herself in the fishing community. She began fishing local bass tournaments in 2008 as a member of B.A.S.S., and learned a lot about the local tournament scene. In 2009 she entered an online contest with the World Fishing Network called “Adopt an Angler” in which she created a video entry to be voted on by the public to win a dream fishing vacation. She really used her marketing skills to reach out to the local fishing community, which quickly turned out to be an international following and led her to winning an all inclusive deep sea fishing trip to Tobago! With the continued support, she has her own website, Facebook Page, YouTube channel and other forms of social media which have enabled her to share fishing adventures with anglers and supporters from around the world that support the 26-year olds passion for fishing. http://www.shelovestofish.com/

Ashley got into kayaking in May 2011 after having her eye on a Hobie for quite some time. “I actually had the Outback in mind for a year, and knew it was what exactly I wanted to get. For me it makes the most sense to be hands free for fishing, and kayaking gives me the ability to travel and fish new places without the expense of owning a boat. It’s such a stealth approach for fishing and an incredible way to spend the day on the water! I also enjoy the workout and how “green” kayaking is.” Ashley has an undeniable passion for fishing and now combined with kayaking, she plans to 'plant the seed’ and get others hooked on Hobie fishing!

Benton Parrott

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Benton Parrott

Home Water(s): Central Alabama

Experience:

Originally from North Carolina, Benton’s childhood was spent fishing with his family up and down the Carolina coasts. A move to central Alabama in the early 80’s introduced him to fresh water fishing, where he frequented the Tallapoosa River and Lake Martin areas – fishing from a canoe. In the mid – 90’s, Benton moved to the Mobile Bay, Al. area, where he has been since, fishing the lower delta, Mobile Bay, and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Now, as a seasoned veteran Benton finds himself fishing every kayak fishing tournament imaginable from the west coast of Florida to the bayous of Louisiana.

Brandon Butler

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Brandon Butler

Home Water(s): Midwestern smallmouth rivers

Experience:

Indiana, Colorado, Montana, and Missouri are the states Brandon Butler has called home. He’s fished the flats of the Great Lakes, south Florida swamps, alpine lakes at over 13,000 feet, famous rivers, nowhere streams, and countless waters in-between. Brandon pursues nearly all species of freshwater fish using a variety of methods. Bluegill, trout, carp, crappie, steelhead, salmon; Brandon chases them all, but if he had to choose one last trip, hands down, he’d float a small stream with a fly rod for feisty smallmouth.
As an outdoor writer, Brandon made his mark at a young age. He’s won numerous awards for his work, which appears regularly in such publications as Eastern Fly Fishing, Midwest Fly Fishing, Midwest Outdoors, and many others. His syndicated outdoor newspaper column, Driftwood Outdoors, runs on a weekly basis in a number of southern Indiana publications. Brandon is active in a number of professional outdoor communication organizations, including the Professional Outdoor Media Association, Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (Board of Directors), Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, Hoosier Outdoor Writers (Vice- President), and Missouri Outdoor Communicators. He is a life member of both Trout Unlimited and Federation of Fly Fishers.
Brandon lives in the country on a fish-filled five acre lake near Fayette, Missouri. He is the marketing manager at Battenfeld Technologies, Inc. Brandon can be reached at bbutler@driftwoodoutdoors.com. You can learn more about Brandon through is website: driftwoodoutdoors.com .

Brendan Bayard

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Brendan “Choupique” Bayard

Home Water(s): Gulf Coast

Experience:

Brendan is known down in Louisiana as one of the “go-to-guys” for anything kayak fishing related. Whether it’s a simple tip on what lure to use for tomorrow’s trip out on the water, to the more complicated kayak rigging applications, Brendan is always looking to help his fellow kayak fisherman. As a founding member and moderator of the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club, Brendan has been at the forefront of kayak fishing since it took off in Louisiana. Brendan has coordinated and fished in many tournaments for the Louisiana club, and when he is not on the water he can often be found designing tournament shirts for various kayak fishing clubs through-out the country. Also you can catch weekly kayak fishing reports from Brendan on the “Outdoors with Don Dubuc” radio program Saturday mornings at 6:20am CST. radiotime.com

Bryce Molenkamp

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Bryce "Zeelander" Molenkamp

Home Water(s): Puget Sound, Seattle

Experience:

Trolling 15 plus miles through sun, rain, wind and ripping tides for a beefy Chinook is just an average day of hunting for Bryce “Zeelander” Molenkamp. Puget Sound is where the Z-Man calls his home, and dropping a 4 pound ball off the downrigger with the “lure du jour” is his fishing style of choice. Although the Sound is where Zeelander likes to spend most of his time, he frequently finds himself chasing Lingcod, Halibut, Steelhead, Sturgeon and even Musky in some of the Nation’s finest waters. As a moderator of the largest kayak fishing community in the Northwest NorthwestKayakAnglers.com , the Z-Man is always ready to lend a helping hand to the newbies. It’s the camaraderie, friendly competition and challenge of landing that record fish that make kayak fishing his life’s passion.

Chris Lewis

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Chris "Tex" Lewis

Home Water(s): Florida Panhandle/Northern Gulf Coast

Experience:

Chris Lewis’ fishing exploits from a kayak are quickly achieving legendary status. His resume of fish caught is as big as his original home state of Texas. Chris discovered kayak fishing while living in Destin, Florida. Originally a pier fishing enthusiast, he discovered the personal freedom and escape from the crowds that a kayak can afford. Chris helped to revolutionize the offshore kayak fishing craze that has spread across the Emerald Coast of the Florida Panhandle. His notable catches in a kayak from this region include Sailfish, Dolphin, Amberjack, Kings, Cobia, Grouper, and Snapper.
Chris now calls the beautiful fishery of Miami’s Biscayne Bay his home waters. There, he is once again helping to trail blaze the popularity of flats fishing from a kayak. Chris now tackles trophy fish such as Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit while stalking these South Florida flats.

Chuck Espiritu

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Chuck Espiritu (A.K.A "ChuckE")

Home Water(s): Northern California Coastal

Experience:

Chuck is an avid sportsman in constant search of new adventures from his kayak. He spends countless hours fishing off Northern California’s beautiful but very rugged coastline for big lingcod, Rockfish, Halibut, Striped bass, and Chinook salmon. His big game accomplishments include catching Yellow Fin Tuna off Baja Mexico’s East Cape and huge White Sturgeon around San Francisco Bay. Besides fishing, Chuck is also well known for trapping tasty Dungeness crab and hunting waterfowl from his kayak. He also has a solid reputation atop the derby podium, but he doesn’t just keep all of his secrets to himself. As a charter member and moderator of one of the world’s busiest kayak fishing websites, NorCalKayakAnglers, Chuck routinely shares his knowledge through the online forum and conducting local seminars.

Eric Harrison

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Eric Harrison

Home Water(s): New England

Experience:

Eric Harrison has spent a good part of the last 40 years fishing. He has fished from just about every platform from piers, to party boats, to large sport fishers, as well as from shore and kayak. The last five years he has been fishing from Hobie Kayaks, mostly around Boston Harbor and the freshwaters of New England.
Eric is a hardcore striper fisherman and fishes stripers year round from his Hobie Revolution up and down the coast of Massachusetts. His home waters are Boston harbor where the tides are usually 8’ to 10’ which create very strong rips which are magnets for big bass, especially at night. Most of his fishing is done from 9 pm to 5 am! Eric is also a fanatical plastics fisherman, rarely using bait, he spends almost all his time tossing plastics for every type of fish.

Frank Gregg

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Frank “Mayor of Chicopit” Gregg

Home Water(s): Northern Florida

Experience:

The Mayor, as he’s most commonly known in his home town of Jacksonville, FL, has been named rightfully so. Frank is Jacksonville’s unofficial ceremonial angler; he carries himself humbly, yet the information and insight the Mayor has relating to the underwater world is unsurpassed. Frank is the center of attention of Jacksonville’s supreme fishery, and when the Mayor speaks, the angling community in Jacksonville listens! In fact, you can hear the Mayor weekly on the Jax Kayak Fishing Radio Talk Show. Frank has won numerous tournaments over the years and was a dominating force in the Redfish Tournament Trail. With over 30 years of tournament experience under his belt, Frank has tallied more than $50,000 in prize money. He has racked up so many trophies that at some point in time he may just have to add an extension to his home in order to house them all.

James Ivy

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: James “S1tpilot” Ivy

Home Water(s): Mid Atlantic

Experience:

James’ first experience fishing out of a kayak was almost 20 years ago during a white water kayak trip on the Selway River in Idaho. It was 3 years ago when James first discovered salt water kayak fishing and it’s been hard keeping him off the water since. When James is not acting as an airline captain, he’s on the water in search of the next Red Fish tailing in the marsh grass. A regular participant in the BARF (Beaufort Area Redfish Flotilla) he’s always willing to be an ambassador for the sport and looks forward to guiding both the novice angler and the old salt; it takes very little persuasion to get James to introduce others to kayak fishing.

James Tesch

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: James (Jim) Tesch, aka Ninja

Home Water(s): Gulf Coast Texas (Upper and Middle Coast)

Experience:

Texas Born and Raised, Jim grew up fishing the saltwaters of the Texas Coast with a little freshwater mixed in for good measure. When not kayak tournament fishing, he can be found chasing speckled seatrout and redfish year round. However during certain times of the year, he will be targeting white bass during the winter and spring spawns, flounder during the fall migration and king mackerel during the summer months. With his vast experience and knowledge, Jim is always willing to give pointers on where to go and what to throw.

Prior to being promoted to the Regional Team, Jim got his start with Hobie as a Local Team member with Seaworthy Marine. You can find Jim helping out and answering questions at Hobie dealers, kayak demos and fishing/boating shows, speaking at fishing seminars and writing fishing reports/articles. In addition Jim is co-founder of a new Kayak fishing tournament (RockportYakAttack Charity Event) that has quickly become a Texas Hit.

2009-2010 Co-Founder and Co-Chairman RockportYakAttack Charity Event
2008 Vice President/Tournament Director Paddling Anglers in Canoes and Kayaks (PACK)

Jerry Dilsaver

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Jerry “Capt. Jerry” Dilsaver

Home Water(s): Coastal North Carolina

Experience:

Jerry came to kayak fishing after a very successful career in king mackerel fishing. After chasing kings across the southeast in center console battlewagons that skipped across the waves in excess of 60 MPH, he found the pace of his kayak to be relaxing, but also offering a new excitement. It didn’t take but one time of being dragged down a small creek and bounced off a dock and oyster rock by a determined over slot puppy drum (that’s what they call redfish in North Carolina) and he was hooked.

The determination and skills that earned Jerry a Southern Kingfish Association National Championship, a U.S. Anglers Association Angler of the Year Award, plus numerous kingfish tournament wins and high placings has already propelled him to the forefront of kayak fishing in his home waters. He is new to kayak tournament fishing, but has a history of success that promises he will be a contender at any event he enters.

Jerry is also a well-known outdoor writer and photographer. His articles and pictures have appeared in numerous publications including North Carolina Sportsman, South Carolina Sportsman Outdoors and more. His weekly fishing and outdoor reports are heavily read in several North Carolina newspapers and on-line CaptJerry.com. He is also a prominent speaker at fishing seminars throughout the Carolinas and tirelessly strives to promote fishing. He really loves to share his enthusiasm and excitement with fishing, and especially kayak fishing, with all who will listen.

Jerry is also active on several fisheries boards and organizations in North Carolina. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association since 2001, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Southeast Regional Advisory Committee since 2004, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Saltwater Tournament Committee since 2008 and was appointed to the North Carolina Sea Grant Fisheries Research Grant Committee in 2009.

John Chapman

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: John “Upthecreek” Chapman

Home Water(s): Florida

Experience:

If you have fished the flats, creeks or muddy ditches in and around Jacksonville, Florida, you have likely run into John Chapman (Chappy to his friends) and know why he earned the nickname UptheCreek. John was brought to Jax by the U.S. Navy where he serves as a Naval Aircrewman and Rescue Swimmer. Though he loves to probe into the backwater of northern Florida, John is also a regular at kayak charity tournaments and online kayak competitions where he has established an impressive resume of accomplishments chasing red drum flounder and spotted sea trout.

John travels extensively with his job and uses this opportunity to chase a multitude of species in many enviable locations. He has bested trophy fish from stripers in Rhode Island to tarpon in Florida and everything in between. He began fishing when he was only knee high to a grasshopper (he isn’t much taller now) and the passion has never faded. In his native South Carolina, he began fishing with his dad for bass, catfish and bream and still enjoys chasing big mossy backs in the shallow flats of the Santee Cooper Lake system. John is also a member of the KayakBassFishing.com Pro Staff where he frequently shares his insights and experiences with anglers of all skill levels.

John Donohue

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: John "JD" Donohue

Home Water(s): Southwest Florida

Experience:

JD has had a love of fishing as long as he could walk to the trout stream behind his PA home as a young boy. A 25 year semi-pro hockey career cut into the time he could spend on the water, but when he hung up his skates 5 years ago, it was fish on! Now John is a fishing correspondent for the Herald Tribune and the subject of many features in both print and TV fishing programs. Although he has several tournament accomplishments, John is more about the experience and about passing along the passion of kayak fishing to others. If snook or redfish are your target and you want to catch them on artificial baits, you can find him at goal89@gmail.com.

John H. Myhre

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: John H. Myhre

Home Water(s): Northern Wisconsin, Hayward area

Experience:

John started fishing with his grandfather when he was only 5 years old and has been an avid outdoorsman and angler ever since. For the last 30 years, he has been a northern Wisconsin licensed fishing guide. John guides for all species including trophy smallmouth bass, but is probably best known as a trophy musky guide.

He has fished many lakes in the Hayward area including the famous Chippewa Flowage, as well as famous rivers like the Chippewa, Flambeau, and Namekogan.

He is an active member of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and the Outdoor Writers Association of America. John has written for several magazines and publications in the past including Musky Hunter and Esox Angler. For the last 20 years he’s been hosting and producing outdoor radio shows. You can find him currently airing 7 short nightly shows and a half hour show every week covering a large area in NW Wisconsin.

Up until 2010, John and his wife Linda also owned and operated a small resort in the Hayward area for 14 years as well.

Jose Chavez

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Jose Chavez

Home Water(s): West Central Florida

Experience:

Jose has been fishing all his life and got his start offshore, fishing the barrier reef in Belize. After moving to Tampa, he started pier and wade fishing before making a transition into kayak fishing in 2006.
His passion for kayak fishing and photography has made him a frequent contributor to Kayak Angler Magazine and other publications such as Florida Sport Fishing and Costal Angler Magazine. Additionally, Jose is a contributor to various fishing and photography websites and is a forum moderator and tournament director for the Hard Core Kayak Angler’s Club; the largest kayak fishing club in Tampa Bay and one of the largest in Florida with well over 400 members.
Despite having an excellent redfish, snook, trout, and tarpon fishery, Jose frequently takes road trips all over Florida; his adventures have taken him from the muddy creeks of Jacksonville to the pristine waters of the Dry Tortugas. In addition to recreational fishing, Jose also fishes many of the kayak fishing tournaments throughout the state.

Josh MacNaughton

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Josh MacNaughton

Home Water(s): Gulf Coast, TX

Experience:

Josh, a native Texan growing up near the Gulf Coast, has always been drawn to the water as long as he can remember. It only took one fishing trip with a childhood friend to get him hooked on the sport. “Fishing was love at first experience” Josh chuckles, “I knew it had to be in my blood, everything came so naturally.” Josh also credits the sport of fishing for “keeping me out of trouble” in his younger years. Josh has recently introduced his fishing addiction to his three year old twin boys: “They love it!”
MacNaughton began kayak fishing in 2007. Josh explains: “Kayak fishing meets all my needs, it’s economical for a growing family, zero fuel cost, stealth like in getting me on top of my honey holes, being one on one with nature and the battle bringing in the big ones is priceless.” MacNaughton’s kayak of choice is Hobie Pro Angler in yellow, which he has been nicked named “the bus.” Josh applauds Hobie on their wide variety of kayaks, “there is one to meet each angler’s needs.” His wife, Tatum, loves her Hobie Outback.
Josh admits since the first time he wet a line, that he’s had a deep desire to become a Professional Angler some day. MacNaughton is new to the Kayak tournament scene entering his first one in 2010, where he took to it like a fish in water, and received the most points from the three Texas IFA Kayak Fishing Tournament events making him Texas Angler of the Year. Josh said, “last year was exciting, fishing tournaments and meeting other kayak enthusiasts”, and he looks forward to the future.

Marty Mood

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Marty Mood (A.K.A. "PA Hillbilly")

Home Water(s): Coastal/Inland Maine

Experience:

Marty’s angling skills are superior, his knowledge of the underwater world is vast, and his ability to land big fish in the most unlikely of circumstances exceeds even the most seasoned angler’s expectations. Marty grew up fishing for trout, steelhead, and bass in Central Pennsylvania and has extended his quest throughout his life for many of America’s game fish (both fresh & salt), ranging from redfish in the Gulf Coast of Mexico to striped bass in the coastal inlets of Maine.

Nathan Bull

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Nathan Bull

Home Water(s): Northern Ontario Lakes

Experience:

Nathan’s hunger for the outdoors is what introduced him in to kayak fishing. As a child, he would go backwoods camping and canoeing in the vast province of Ontario with his father. For over a decade Nathan worked as a general contractor in construction so he didn’t have much time to camp or fish, but a few years ago, he rediscovered how much fun it was and got back in to it in a strong way. He didn’t have a boat, so would borrow his sisters kayak, and a few months later after having a lot of fun on the water, he bought his own kayak and rigged it out just for fishing.

Now Nathan is trying to spread the joy of kayak fishing to as many people as possible through creating kayak fishing videos on youtube. He has caught many species of fish from his kayak, but he has a clear favorite: “I love to catch all species of fish, but if I had to pick one, it would be brook trout.”

Nick Yunker

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Nick Yunker

Home Water(s): Northeast

Experience:

The Northeast is where Nick grew up and where he spends a majority of his time on the water. Over the past 25 years, he has targeted many species of fish. Those include Stripers, Bass, Trout and Salmon to name a few. If he’s not on the river, Nick can be found pedaling big waters on his Hobie® Pro AnglerTM or Hobie® RevolutionTM.

Nick’s involvement with the outdoor industry, particularly paddle sports, started 15 years ago with his Dad. Travel and tournaments have created great opportunities across country to hook up on many of the fish he seeks.

Rob Wendel

Hobie Fishing Team - Regional

Angler: Rob Wendel

Home Water(s): Great Lakes

Experience:

It has been said that Rob was brain washed to love fishing. It must be true because there is nothing more difficult than getting him off the water. He spends countless hours searching for trout and salmon in the Great Lakes. Considering himself a brown trout enthusiast, he has caught many fish in the twenty pound range. Rob also spends much of his time promoting the sport and teaching people how to kayak fish the Great Lakes.