Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:18 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:42 pm 
Offline
Hobie Team Member

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:39 pm
Posts: 82
Location: San Diego, CA
HOLY COW! What an amazing trip. Vince Console and I flew out to Jax on Wednesday last week to prep for the largest kayak fishing tournament in the world. 369 anglers were entered by Friday and ready to rock.

We prepped with some prefishing on Thursday after picking up a couple of loaner Revolutions from a local dealer. We didn't land any fish but I hooked a nice trout and a large flounder, lost both at the rail (no net). We purchased a couple of nets and hit the prefish the next day with the "Mayor of Chicopit" Frank Gregg. He's another Hobie fishing team member and about the nicest guy I've ever met in my life. We moved around all day in his skiff while he explained the theories and general wisdom behind targeting the slam species of redfish, trout and flounder. Unfortunately all the theories and wisdom in the world didn't turn on the bite. At the very end in the very last hole Frank finally landed a really nice red, about 28", but that was the only fish of the day.

I owe Frank and his family a huge thank you, they were very generous with their time and cooked an amazing steak dinner on Thursday night. Also, Zsolt Takacs took most of these pictures and freely donated them for us to use. He regularly publishes in Shallow Water Angler magazine out there. Jackie Smith was there and is always ready to drink me under the table and the other kayak anglers we met were nothing short of incredible in both their friendliness and willingness to share info with some left-coast newbies. Zsolt Takacs was also a great impromptu guide for me but we suffered the camera curse and I couldn't land a fish when he was around. He did take some of these pictures (the good ones) and it's greatly appreciated. If you haven't met the coach, make a point of it - he's badass.

Mike Kogan runs JKF and does a fantastic job, he brought me on stage at one point to talk a bit out the MLPA situation as a warning to what could happen in FL if they don't start organizing now.

Finally I have to thank Hobie Kayaks for making this trip possible, it was a real adventure and helped bring the kayak fishing community even closer together. We're going to get a chance to play host for some of the Florida guys this year (more info on that later).

I have a lot more pictures but these are some of the favorites...enjoy.

The tournament check-in party was very well organized and lots of fun.

Image

The local wing girls served up food and raffle tickets.

The tall guy in the middle is Mike Kogan, the organizer of this event...see him? There's a guy in this picture...there, in the middle...no really. Don't see him? Well, he's there.
Image

Tournament launch day! 5:30 am...
Image

Image

Image

Working topwater on the points....
Image

Zara Spookin...
Image

The Mayor with a Jack that came on a topwater...
Image

This was my flounder that tagged 5th place.
Image

Rory Gregg, The Mayor's son
Image

We never fished water deeper than 4' all day...
Image

Vince from Hobie trying to figure out the bite.
Image

Not staged - he was really asleep...
Image

Bluefish - this thing fought like a bat out of hell
Image

Oyster rakes are hidden at high tide and turn into rad structure to fish at the low, unfortunately they're sharp as razors and will slice any line that gets pulled across them. I lost a few fish that way...
Image

Burts
Image

This is the winner of the slam division, he had 65" worth of flounder, redfish and flounder.
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:43 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:11 am
Posts: 44
Location: Brooksville, FL
Nice report It looks like I missed a good one. Maybe next year...

_________________
Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught

Hobie Outback and wife has a Hobie Sport


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:06 am 
Offline
Hobie Team Member

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:51 am
Posts: 153
Location: Grantham, NH
Nice weather, good food, nice fish, good companionship, nice scenery.....what more could you ask for?

Great report and great pictures.

Thanks, Roger

_________________
Roger
http://www.aldenofsunapee.com/
Image http://www.NEKF.com/
Image
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:05 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:04 pm
Posts: 2
Location: Jacksonville Florida
I was really great. And it was nice meeting you. I was the 3 place red fish winner and I fish a 08 outback.

Hope to see ya in the Jacksonville area again.

Jason

_________________
How you feel only matters to you!
What you do matters to everyone else.


08 Outback


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: great report
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 4:01 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:31 pm
Posts: 141
Location: New Jersey
I was at JBAY

sounds like you guys had a blast

_________________
Al aka "YAKMAN"


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group