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

Status:
Regional Team

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.

Accomplishments:

• 2007 NorCal Kayak Angler of the Year
• NCKA Charter Member and Forum Moderator
• 1st Place 2004 Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing Derby
• 1st Place 2007 Bendo at Mendo III Kayak Fishing Derby
• 2nd Place 2007 Monterey Bay Kayak Fishing Derby

Angler:   
Jason "Talltails" Callaghan

Status:   
Regional Team

Home Water(s): 
Florida Panhandle

Experience:
Fishing the Great Lakes for muskies, the Minnesota boundary waters for walleye, the Colorado Rockies for cutthroats, and the Alaskan sound for halibut and salmon, Jason "Talltails" Callaghan is truly a scholar of sportfishing.  Jason currently calls the expansive grass flats of Florida's Panhandle his home waters.  There he can be found stalking the flats and numerous river mouths fishing for redfish, spotted seatrout, tarpon, sharks, and other big game species year round.  For the past several years Callaghan has been very successful in both kayak and boat tournament trail events.  In and out of the water, Jason spends a good deal of his time helping to promote kayak fishing through forums, charity tournaments, and other kayaking events. 

Accomplishments:

• 2007 Angler of the Year--Forgotten Coast Kayak Anglers Tournament Trail

Angler:   
John “Upthecreek” Chapman

Status:   
Regional Team

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.

Accomplishments:

• 2nd place 08 Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic Red fish division
• 1st place FCKA July Slam
• 1st place 09 321fish.com March Kayak Slam
• 1st place Jaxkayakfishing.com Kayak Classic Slam
• 1st place 09 Jacksonville Kayak Classic Red fish division
• 1st place 321fish.com Turkey Bowl Open
• 1st place 2009 IFA Kayak Tour Event Red fish
• 1st place 2009 IFA Kayak Tour Event Spotted Sea Trout
• 1st place 2009 IFA Kayak Tour Event Slam Division
• 1st place KayakBassfishing.com Biggest Spot tail (red fish) Challenge
• 2nd Place Overall Team Division – Kayak Wars 2009
• 4th Place Individual – Kayak Wars 2009

Angler: 
Jerry “Capt. Jerry” Dilsaver

Status:
Regional Team

Home Waters:
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 www.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. 

Accomplishments:

• 2007 inductee into the Southern Kingfish Association Hall of Fame
• 2001 Southern Kingfish Association National Champion
• 1998 U.S. Anglers Association Angler of the Year
• Outdoor writer and photographer
• Board of Directors—Long Bay Artificial Reef Association (2001-present)
• North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Southeast Regional Advisory Committee (2004-present)
• North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries Saltwater Tournament Committee (2008-present)
• North Carolina Sea Grant Fisheries Research Grant Committee in (2009-present)
• Tournament Director—King of the Cape Classic (2002-2007)
• Tournament Manager—Brunswick Islands Saltwater Classic (2009-present)

Angler: 
John "JD" Donohue

Status: 
Regional Team

Home Water: 
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.

Angler:
Frank “Mayor of Chicopit” Greg

Status:
Regional Team

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.   

Accomplishments:

• 1st – 2005 Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic

Angler: 
James “S1tpilot” Ivy

Status:
Regional Team Member

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.   

Accomplishments:

• 3rd – 2008 First Annual Border War

Angler:
Nick Yunker

Status:
Regional Team

Home Water(s):
Northeast

Experience:
Nick has grown up exploring and fishing the Coast and inland waters of Maine, New England and even New York for saltwater, warm water and cold water species.   Spin cast, fly fishing, and ice fishing, have allowed Nick to enjoy the constant flow of seasons in his native Northeast.  

Additionally, Nick regularly fishes the western states of Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.  Exploring fishing in Florida including many Bass waters, Sanibel & Captiva Islands including the Ding Darling Preserve, as well as mangrove fishing and tidal passes fishing for Sea Trout round out Nick’s experience pursuing the ever rewarding tight line.

Nick’s family history definitely influenced his gravitating to fishing and the water, including Sea Captains, Maine woodsmen and a Charter Captain from South Florida.  When Nick was in grade school, kids would often talk of Disney and ventures of the sort.  Nick’s version of Disney dreams manifested into camping and fishing, and remains the same as an adult. 

Nick has pursued fishing as his personal retreat for over 20 years.  Nick can be found riding rollers in a kayak, hiking mountain streams, surf casting and dipping a line through ice to find the one fish that says, “Go home, you‘ve caught enough, it‘s getting late”.

Angler:
Rob Wendel

Status:
Regional Team

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.