Maybe you’ve been slaying the fish every time you slide your kayak into the water. After all, you’re on the water every weekend. You’re the classic obsessed kayak angler. Then again, maybe you just really like to kayak fish and only get out when your busy schedule allows.
Either way, the odds are good you’ve heard that there are a bunch of kayak tournaments nearby, and you want to join the fun. Maybe the tourney results you’ve seen online or in print have you thinking, “The fish those tournament guys catch are nice, but they’re no better than the fish I tangle with on a regular basis.”
And if the competitive aspect of tournament participation isn’t for, you may be part of the growing contingency of yak anglers who participate in these events for the social aspect. Kayak tournaments are a great place to meet new fishing partners, share tales of the ones that got away, and build friendships with other anglers of all skill levels.
What Kayak Fishing Tournament is Right for You?
Now, you need to find out where these tournaments are being held, how to register and what details you need to pay special attention to that will quickly help you maximize the experience. Whether you’re “in it to win it” or just looking for a great way to escape the daily grind, kayak tournaments have a place for everyone.
One of the great things about kayak tournaments is their inexpensive nature. Unlike pro powerboat tournaments, yak tourneys aren’t about who can afford the fastest boats. For example, in no-motor tournaments, all anglers start out on a level playing field as long as you don’t have a hole in your kayak. The key to being successful truly lies in your ability to locate, catch and photograph fish in a timely fashion.
Keep in mind, today’s fully rigged kayaks often have multi-function display electronics (and possibly live sonar), plus propulsion systems in the form of trolling and electric motors. So be careful when signing up for kayak tournaments to read the rules — some tournaments allow more than others. Don’t take a knife to a gun fight. Competing against a kayak angler that’s rigged with 360-degree, sidescan or live sonar, plus a Minn Kota trolling motor, means you better be similarly outfitted. Fish-finding and vessel range are important in tournaments.
The majority of kayak events are CPR (catch, photo and release) format. This is beneficial to our fisheries as the fish are released to be caught again, and you are not burdened by having to drag a stringer of fish behind you all day.
Use Social Media For Fishing
So, what are the best ways to get information to locate the tournaments in your area? Today, many of us find that social media serves as the hub for almost everything in our lives. My number-one source these days for angling information is Facebook. You can get information about where the fish are biting, cool rigging tips for your kayak, new products hitting the market, and what kayak tournaments and gatherings are going on around the country.
I turned to a real pro to see how he got his start. Past Inshore Fishing Association champion, Benton Parrott, fishes more tournaments a year than the average angler. Parrott attributes his start to social media, where he saw different tournaments being discussed and thought that they looked like a good time. He friended as many people as possible who also had interest in kayak fishing, and next thing he knew, he was traveling from his home in Alabama to almost every tournament he could reach, from Texas to Florida. Benton is the exception to the rule, but definitely shows how the competition and camaraderie can be addictive.
Personally, my start was a bit different. I’ve been at this kayak fishing thing since the beginning. Years ago, I got my first kayak and set off to learn how to fish out of it. Back then, the only way to obtain fishing information was through magazines and seminars at local tackle shops. The problem was that those writing articles or hosting talks in shops had almost nothing available when it came to catching fish from a kayak.
Through one particular online forum I found my first major kayak series, called the Extreme Edge. By fishing that series, I became friends with anglers from all over the Southeast and met some participants who went on to become best friends. While placing in the larger tournaments is always the goal, it’s the friendships and experiences that last in my memory.
Different Types of Kayak Tournaments
Once you fish a tournament, you will be part of a network giving you access to as many tournaments as you care to participate in and probably a bunch of new fishing partners. These days, kayak fishing has become part of the mainstream, so now your local shops, TV series and magazines keeping close track of the kayak tournaments.
There are several different types of kayak tournaments. There are a few national tournament trails, plus plenty of regional series as well. Some are kayaks-only, while others are built into much larger rodeo-type events. Probably the most common are the club tournaments. While some fishing clubs put on a series of events, others concentrate on a big annual blowout.
Tournaments are great for anglers of all skill levels; most have a bunch of categories that give anyone a chance to walk away a winner. There are pro-style circuits that have little in the way of frills, but the payouts are great. You can be guaranteed that a bunch of kayak anglers from a large, surrounding area will be in attendance.
Then there are charity tournaments, events truly designed for the whole family. They have a ton of added value; you get a captain’s bag that usually has a tee or tech fishing shirt, a bunch of quality tackle and coupons for local merchants. Most have large, picnic-style meals. And even if you don’t place, raffles are loaded with amazing prizes, often including kayaks and great original artwork.
