The Kayak Fishing ClassicS has announced the first known Kayak Tarpon Fishing Tournament in the country. The Homosassa Hazard, Extreme Tarpon Classic is slated for May 21 & 22 and will be conducted on the famed Oklahoma Flats just south of Homosassa, Florida. The flats are treacherous for power boats due to numerous hidden rocks and oyster bars but are just right for the first ever Extreme Tarpon Classic.

The famous Bayport Inn located in Weeki Wachee, Florida is the Host Sponsor and is just a mile from Pine Island where the brave hearted anglers will launch their kayaks at daybreak on May 22nd. There are several changes to the format for this tournament for the safety of the contestants. To begin with the anglers will partner up. Two kayaks per team will allow for the unique scoring procedure. A 200 pound tarpon could cause havoc if brought alongside of a 30 lb kayak. To avoid this, once a tarpon is hooked, the team partner will photograph the aerial display that huge Homosassa Tarpon are known for around the world. Hook-ups will count toward the point scoring card. Aerial photos of the hooked tarpon will count for additional points. Anglers will use light leaders so the tarpon will break off with only a 6 inch piece of mono and steel hook in its mouth.

“We don’t want the contestants to fight these beasts for an hour or two and try to get it alongside the kayak. The tarpon has a greatly reduced survival rate if it is exhausted from the fight. The steel hook will rust out in 2 days and the fish will be fine. The anglers will have a special leader system designed to break in just a few minutes of battle, leaving enough time for photographs and marking up the score card.”

There are two fishing divisions in the ClassicS, fly fishing and light tackle. Albright Fishing Products has sent rods and RiverBum Flies has sent plenty of tarpon flies. This is the place for your Ocean Waves so you can see them coming. The light tackle division will be allowed to use live or cut bait on single, steel, circle hooks, also on special leaders. A tarpon, once hooked will jump about 6 to 10 feet out of the water. This makes for some spectacular photos and a great time for the contestants.

The CPR Weigh In will take in consideration the number of proven hook-ups, photographs, hooked jumps and a few other point generating situations to accumulate a team’s total points. The highest point total wins.

The area is known for huge tarpon early in the morning. The kayakers will lay in wait for them and then its game on. A 90 pound tarpon is considered small in the area and 175 lbs. plus is not uncommon at all. The cool thing about this spot is that boats don’t do well here. The water is crystal clear, shallow and full of rocks. It’s going to be Extreme. This is Tarpon Country, Put Your Game Face On.

For more info visit www.KayakFishingClassicS.com