Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Bass Club in New York E-mail
Saturday, 24 October 2009 06:11

kayak Fishing ClubKayak angling as a competitive collegiate sport is becoming an increasingly popular idea among university fishing teams.  Campus fishing clubs in New York, Florida, Texas and other states have discovered the value of kayaks as a means for experienced anglers in their ranks to put in more time on the water, as well as recruit and train new members.

Story and photos by Paul Shipman of Kayak Fishing Magazine

kayak Fishing Club
Kayak fishing is appealing to students for a variety of reasons. The perception that kayaking is an extreme sport by many college-age adults resonates well and adds to the interest and excitement. Kayaks also offer cash-strapped college students the ability to fish offshore in an economical manner. Because kayaks allow anglers to fish in virtually any accessible body of water, they provide a fantastic way to learn more about fish habits and how to catch them. This means increased catch success for student anglers, many of whom are new to the sport of fishing.

The ease of purchase, storage, maintenance and transport of kayaks make them a logical fit for university fishing clubs. Considering that a fully equipped fishing kayak can cost as low as $1000-$1500 versus tens of thousands of dollars for a bass boat, it is no surprise that student organizations across the United States are eagerly joining the kayak angling revolution. 

One such team is the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Bass Club in New York.  The club’s 20 or so members are primarily focused on freshwater bass fishing, with teams competing in the 2009 National Guard FLW College Fishing Series. The FLW tournament series provides university fishing teams with free use of a motorboat and travel allowances to compete in traditional bass tournament venues across five regions.  There are no entry fees to compete but the number of two-angler teams that each club is able to boat is limited. This limitation left RIT’s club officers wondering how they might provide quality fishing experiences for their members who aren’t able to participate in the FLW series.

RIT Bass Club President, Corey Smith, and fellow club officers and advisors put their heads together and decided that kayak fishing was the answer to their dilemma.  “We thought that the addition of kayak fishing as a club activity would provide a great way to teach new members how to fish. Practicing to fish from a kayak might also give us an edge in the larger boat fishing competitions in the future,” says Smith. 

RIT Bass Club members look forward to the day when they have a club bass boat to enter in traditional tournaments, but they are also excited to promote kayak fishing as a stand-alone competitive collegiate sport. This year, RIT team members will participate in regional kayak fishing tournaments and host their own charity event. They are also actively seeking sponsorship for kayaks and equipment.

For a growing number of young anglers, the kayak fishing seed is planted even before college. The Federation of Student Anglers (FSA, fishingstudents.com) is a team-oriented high school fishing program that has provided hundreds of Texas students with training and experiences in kayak fishing through its Intro to Kayak Fishing Courses. Due to its success in Texas, the FSA is expanding its promotion of kayak angling into other Gulf States. This effort at the high school level no doubt contributes to the formation of even more college teams.

Kayak fishing teams have already sprung up at Texas Tech University, the University of Texas, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran University and Baylor. At the University of Central Florida, The Reel Knights have acquired funding for club kayaks and members have begun competing in bass tournaments. As more college teams develop, many questions remain about the future direction of kayak fishing as a competitive sport. Should the college kayak tournament series adopt the rules of professional bass tournaments? Or, as RIT’s Bass Club asserts, should it stand on its own as an entirely new competitive sport?


Paul Shipman, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Biological Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is co-founder of the Western New York Kayak Association, a regular blogger for www.fishgator.com and a member of the East Coast Kayak Fishing Team. He resides in New York’s Finger Lakes district with his wife and two children

 

 

You must be registered to post a comment.


Login

Newsletter

Subscribe here to receive FREE email issues of Kayak Fishing Magazine.

Most Popular

Choosing a Fishing Kayak
Like many kayak fisherman, my first fishig kayak was a mistake and I only used it a few times.  There wasn’t a lot of information available.  Things have...
Effective Trolling With Your Kayak
  While trolling is a mainstay of saltwater fishermen and also popular for targeting suspended fish in deepwater lakes of the northern US and Canada, it’s not the way most...
Electric Kayaks – an in Depth Look
Bassyaks, Torqeedo and Torque I have been living with electric kayaks (EK) since July of 2009. I have done so in order to get a much better understanding of their potential,...

Random

Spending Time with Kayak Fishing Guide Josh Harvel
Since I’m spending time in Florida I try to hook up with as many fellow kayak fishers as I can.  That includes guides.  The first guide I got together with is Josh Harvel, aka...
Road Trip Winter 2009 (Part 1)
The past two winters I managed to spend a portion if not all of my winter in Florida. I had planned on doing so again this past winter. My friend Dee was retiring and has a...
Pedal Driven Kayaks
These are kayaks that you propel by using your legs opposed to conventional kayaks that you paddle using your upper torso.  I’ve been using Hobies version, called the mirage...

Latest Kayak Reviews

Lifetime Sport Fisher
 
5.0
Cobra Kayaks Tandem
 
3.0
Perception Sport Pescador 10.0 Angler
 
4.0
Hobie Mirage Outback
 
4.0
Current Designs Tailfin
 
5.0
Hobie Mirage Outback
 
2.0
NuCanoe Frontier 12
 
5.0
Native Watercraft Mariner 12.5 Propel Anglers
 
4.0
Hobie Mirage Outback
 
5.0
Pelican Castaway 100
 
2.0
Stealth Pro Fisha 575
 
3.0
Field and Stream Eagle Talon
 
5.0

Latest Equipment Reviews

Body Glove 3T Barefoot Max
 
5.0
Body Glove 3T Barefoot Warrior
 
5.0
Body Glove 3T Barefoot Warrior
 
3.0
Columbia Drainmaker
 
5.0
Sperry SON-R Sounder Shandal
 
4.0
Garmin VIRB Elite
 
4.0
Polaroid XS100
 
4.0
Backwater Paddles Assault Hand Paddle
 
5.0
Backwater Paddles Assault Hand Paddle
 
5.0
Stohlquist Piseas
 
4.0
Wheeleez Tuff Tire Kayak Cart
 
5.0
Boga Grip
 
4.0