TKAA Kayak Fishing Tournament 2011 Results

Written by; Wayyne Bradby,

TKAA Charity Tournament Director

Satellite view of TKAA HQWith 240 registered kayak anglers from 9 states, the 2011 Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association's 7th Annual Kayak Fish for Charity event was the largest in the event's history.  Despite the usual unsettled weather and some last minute changes in the venue, the event was a success that keeps growing each year.

The tournament supports two charities that help wounded warriors in their rehabilitation process and we were proud to have 25 warriors from 4 different groups in attendance and fishing with us.  Heroes on the Water had three chapters (Tidewater, Central Virginia, and Ft. Bragg/Cape Fear) and there were also members from Project Healing Waters.  The money raised from this event will go towards establishing new HOW chapters and continue to fund ongoing needs of chapters already established.   For more information on these very worthy causes please go to www.heroesonthewater.com or www.projecthealingwaters.com Both charities are geared toward helping the men and women who have given so much to our country.  The tremendous support we receive from our sponsors and participants makes this event possible and enables year-round programs to be established for these veterans.

As usual, none of this would be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.  We had 93 sponsors that donated over $42,000 in product that was used for prizes and raffle items.  Hobie Kayaks was the primary sponsor with the donation of Hobie Pro Angler kayak for the slam division.  Other major sponsors included Hobie, Yak Attack, Nu Canoe/Tar River Paddle Sports, Appomattox River Company, Hook1, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Wild River Outfitters, Release Reels, Kokatat, Kayak Bass Fishing.com and Wilderness Systems, Hogy Lures, Anglers Innovations/Long Liners, Temple Fork Outfitters, Yak-Gear,  TICA rods, and Malibu Kayaks.

There are always a several highlights at the TKAA tournament and this year was no exception.  A TKAA club member donated a kayak for the HOW/PHW groups and we sponsored a friendly, chapter challenge with the chapter catching the most total inches of fish winning the kayak for their group.  With a total of 299.25 inches caught (a lot of 10” speckled trout) the Ft. Brag/Cape Fear NC HOW chapter was the recipient of a brand new kayak.

Fishing was tough again this year, although we managed to dodge the major storms that seemed to erupt all around the area, but left our main fishing areas relatively clear for at least a part of the day.  One participant had his estimated 35” redfish turned into a 14” redfish courtesy of a shark.  Another member hooked a seagull, which we refused to recognize as a species. Still another member, in a quest for strangest catch, came up with an orange highway warning cone from the depths of the Chesapeake Bay.

Only one angler (out of 240 registered) came in with a slam.  Conner Harrison of Mechanicsville, VA took home a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler kayak with a 49” slam total. In the species division, 13 year-old Emma Thompson of Virginia Beach, VA again took the female division for the second year in a row with a 25” redfish.  The complete summary of all winners is listed below.

We also had 3 brand new members of what TKAA refers to as “The Order of The Turtle”. Members of this dubious group have the common bond of having “turtled” their kayak.  Fortunately, except for lost gear, the only thing that was hurt were feelings.  They were awarded special prize bags to help replace some of the equipment lost.

While those are fun stories, probably the most poignant story was relayed to me the morning after the tournament by one of the HOW chapter coordinators.  She had one of the vets in her group came up to her after the event and talked to her until the wee hours of the evening.  After he left, the local coordinators for the vets asked to speak to her.  They told her that it was the first time since he had arrived in the program that he had ever spoken that much to anyone.  They were in absolute shock.  The apparent difference that a day of freedom on the water can have on a person is just amazing.  That is what this program is all about.  Getting these men and women back into what we take for granted as “the regular world” is what this program is all about.  If we can just help one man or woman feel this way or affect them in such a positive manner, then it is worth all the effort we put forward and makes the participation by both anglers and sponsors well worth the effort.

Here are the 2011 results:

2011 TKAA KAYAK FISH FOR CHARITY
TOURNAMENT WINNERS

Hobie Kayaks Slam Winner (largest red, trout, flounder)

Conner Harrison Mechanicsville, VA Slam Total 49.0” slam
(Hobie Mirage Pro Angler)

Appomattox River Company Speckled Trout Division

1st-  Scott Inge Raleigh, NC  20.75” (Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160)
2nd- Lavern Phillips, Virginia Beach, VA   20.125”
3rd-Forrest Short  , Yorktown, VA   20”
4th-Jason Balonis, Portsmouth, VA     19.75”

Tar River Paddlesports/Nu-Canoe Redfish Division

1st- Jack Daughtry Columbia, MD 31” (Nu-Canoe Solo Adventurer Kayak)
2nd- Chris Haduck, Carrollton, VA   18”
3rd- Michael Williams, Richmond, VA   17.75”

Wild River Outfitters & Release Reels Flounder Division

1st- Ken Cussick Windsor VA  23” ($500 WRO certificate  & custom Release Reels reel)
2nd-Larry Newman,   Brick, NJ   22”
3rd-Marty Mood,   Yorktown, VA   21”
4th-Bob Dainton, Pittsboro, NC   20.25

Kokatat Striper Division

1st- Hunter Lackey Glen Allen, VA   30”   (T3 Nova Dry Suit)
2nd-Christopher Adams  Chesapeake,  VA 26.75”
3rd-Donald Jackson  , Portsmouth, VA   23.5”
4th- Tom Powers, Portsmouth, VA  22.75

KayakBassFishing.com/Wilderness Systems Largemouth Bass Division

1st- Ray Montes Virginia Beach, VA 18.5” (Wilderness Systems-choice of any kayak)
2nd- Charlie Hill   Newport News, VA   14.75”
3rd - Jim Walton   Richmond, VA 13.5”

Old Dominion Kayaks/Malibu Kayak Female Angler Division
(largest fish, any targeted species)

1st- Emma Johnson Virginia Beach, VA 25” redfish
2nd-Andrea Nunnnally   Dunnsville, VA  19.5” flounder
3rd-Joanna Heckert   Bethesda, MD   15.5” trout
4th- Josephine White   Chesapeake, VA  14” flounder

Dick’s Sporting Goods Youth Division
(largest fish, any targeted species)

1st- Drew Camp Carrollton, VA   18” trout (Field & Stream kayak)
2nd- Mitchell Olsen   Mechanicsville, VA   14.5” Striper

Heroes on the Water/Project Healing Waters Challenge
Fort Bragg/Cape Fear, NC H.O.W. Chapter 299.25” total length (Moken 12 kayak)

Croaker/Spot Slam
“Kayak” Kevin Whitley Norfolk, VA 25.75” total   (TICA rod)

Most Species Caught
Damian Hall Chesapeake, VA   9 total species   (C-Tug cart)

If you weren’t able to make this years event, we hope you'll consider the 2012 tournament.  Hope to see everyone again next year!

Wayne Bradby
TKAA Charity Tournament Director