Kayak Fishing ClassicS Tournament Trail Fall Issue 2012 by Kayak Fishing ClassicS

Fall 2012

Christmas 2012

ClassicS Adds Division

Changing It Up In 2013

Gift Guide

East Coast Series

Greater Competition

www.KayakFishingClassicS.com

When Fishing Matters 2

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Top anglers all over the world know that they see more fish with Ocean Waves and protect their eyes better than any other sunglasses in the world. You should do the same. Protect your eyesâ&#x20AC;Ś Catch the Wave! Ocean Waves : RX

What’s Inside

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

7 Gear Guide 2012

6 Editors Letter

See the best gear in the world. The Holidays are just around the corner.

What I want for Christmas

25 New for 2013

Casting Tips for Fly Anglers

Making it more competitive

36 Wooden Navy

32 East Coast Reds

29 Kayak Fly Line

Fast, Light & Strong

There’s Something about Reds

42 Anglers Health

53 Series Champ

Avoiding the Slows

Series Champ Marty Meakin

49 Anglers Corner

64 National Champ

58 Yak Yak

75 KFCNC 88 YakAngler 89 Our Sponsors 90 Host Sponsors

Fly MoJo

Joe Lineberry

78 ICAST Show Time

On The Cover:

William Lusk with 34 “ Snook

When you get out of your kayak it’s time for waders… Redington makes a great deal of the fishing gear that you need for any condition. When you are wade fishing you owe it to yourself to use the best protection that is available. Add another dimension to your fishing with the worlds best waders.

In 2011 the ClassicS introduced many anglers to the new DELTA fly reel by Redington. After nearly two series years on the water it has proven to be one tough, economical, fish thumping machine. Delta Fly Reels...It’s what fish hate and you will love.

For that special gift visit

www.Redington.com

Editors Letter

What I Really Want for Christmas And a Few Other Things Man, I got the same early Christmas gift this year as I did last year and I could not be happier. Last year all of you gave to me your overwhelming friendship and support and no one would ever mind receiving that kindness every year...year after year. Many of the faces are the same as many are of course new. Seeing your excitement at each tournament award ceremony as you receive your sponsor gear prizes will never grow old and will always give me great joy. Watching you becoming better anglers, wiser conservationists and your children growing a little taller reminds me what this is really all about. I thank you from the bottom of my hart. As for ‘a few other things’ I would like more free time to throw some feathers, catch that crazy huge snook that has been laughing at me for the past few winters and less wind on the water. Oh well, you can’t have everything but it’s close...very close. All of you make all of what we at the ClassicS and All of our Sponsors do so very worthwhile. Our Sponsors and all of us here at the ClassicS wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Great New Year filled with happiness, wellness, prosperity and kindness from your fellow man.

Thank you for a great 2012 Series Year,

Captain Pat Horrigan

Gear Guide 2012 Proven Gear that we know will stand up to the punishment that you & the fish dish out. The Best Gear is really what you want, not inflated prices. As many of our contestants know, we harshly test a manufacturers gear before we ever extend an invitation to become a ClassicS sponsor. Have you ever wondered why? It costs us plenty of money and takes a lot of time on the water. And you know what? We’re glad to do it because it assures us that you and others are being offered the very best fishing gear and affordable prices. Hey, it’s cool too! So onward to the gear that we know you want. This should help your friends and family to decide what to get their favorite angler for the Holidays too! Hey we know that you have been Good! To help you select an Under the Tree gift or a great Stocking Stuffer look for

It all starts with the kayak and Diablo Paddlesports offers some of the finest kayaks ever made. The Adios is our favorite and perhaps it is yours. Made for inshore fishing and sneaking up on spooky fish while affording Stand Up Sight Fishing are features that separate Diablo form all of the rest. Diablo also features a unique and rugged thermal construction method so your new Diablo will be in service for many years. Team Diablo fishes in the ClassicS so if you’ve seen them you know how cool they are. It won’t fit into a stocking so this one goes under the tree. Visit Diablo Paddlesports at

www.DiabloPaddleSports.com

Next on your anglers wish list may be a new fishing rod or two. Hey no problem, Deep South offers great multi situational rods at great prices that leave plenty of money for other gifts. Many of our anglers have won in our tournaments using a Deep South Fishing Rod and they just can’t seem to get enough of them. Might be the fantastic action, super sensitive tips or brutal fish stopping power. The champs can’t be wrong so put a few under the tree this year for your favorite anglers. Tournament Champ; Otis Coblentz

www.DeepSouthFishingRods.net

D.O.A. Lures and Big Fish just seem to go together. Top anglers like Joe Komyati know this and feed big fish D.O.A. Lures on a regular basis. He also wins tournaments on a regular basis and your favorite angler can too! D.O.A. offers a huge selection of baits. You won’t have any trouble getting your angler to tell you which ones he would like to have. Just ask him and you’ll see what we mean. Visit D.O.A. Lures at www.DOALURES.com

We know you are busy and time seems to always be an issue. We have the solution for you. We partnered with Yak-Gear a few years ago to help make shopping for your anglers kayak gear easier and it has. Yak-Gear carry’s many of our sponsors products and offers fantastic service. They are very knowledgeable about kayaks, kayak fishing and all the stuff in between. Please visit Yak-Gear online for a great shopping experience and help support our sponsors who make the ClassicS series possible.

www.Yak-Gear.com

Talk about bake and shake! These lures have the action all anglers crave. High Roller Custom Wooden Lures really turn on the strikes. Even when fish just are not on the chew, the High Rollers trigger the reaction strikes that are as good as money in the bank. Several of our tournaments have been won by anglers using High Roller Lures while other anglers just couldn’t get the job done. Anglers never seem to have enough lures because conditions vary, bait availability changes or the fish just won’t strike. High Roller is a great solution for your angler and at their prices you can afford to stuff a big’ol stocking full of them. High Roller Lures are carved from a special light weight wood, hand sanded and tuned to perfection. The super tough finish is hand painted on every single lure. The saltwater hooks hold up to the conditions that our anglers face time and time again and man do they stay sharp. That’s a must have and so are High Roller Lures. You can order directly from them but hurry and avoid the Christmas rush. www.HighRollerLures.com

Your angler is going to need plenty of flies to around for that new fly rod and we can tell you who has some great flies at fantastic prices. Take a look at RiverBum Flies and you will see what we mean. We searched the world over for a company that offered top quality flies at prices the average angler would smile about. Well we found them right here in the USA. The elf’s at RiverBum stay up late at night to fill all the orders. No worry, they get help from world class tiers from around the world. What you may spend for a couple of flies elsewhere will get you more then a dozen RiverBum Flies. And here’s another great piece of money saving info, their flies hold up to the punishment that saltwater fish dish out. We’re super glad to have them involved with us and so are our anglers. Visit them and order a mess of RiverBum Saltwater Flies today.

www.RiverBum.com

Lets face it, our playground is one of the harshest environments on the planet and it’s not always easy to protect ourselves like we should. Kokatat has it covered for you with there Seeker kayak boots. Soft, comfortable, warm when it’s cold out, cool when it’s not. Kokatat Seeker’s are easy to walk in and allow you to feel where you are walking all the while protecting you from abrasions, rocks and more. Seekers are also very quiet in your boat and we all know how important that is. Just ask our champs! The Seeker slips on and off easily and conveniently adjust to snug your foot. The mud won’t suck these boots off of your feet and leave you stranded. We found them to be one of the very best kayak boots on the market and your angler will too. Kokatat Seekers are a great gift idea and a must for every angler. Visit Kokatat at

www.Kokatat.com

Eye protection and seeing through the water are both imperatives for our anglers. We did a lot of studying and research before we determined that Ocean Waves inventive technology really are the world’s best sunglasses. When you put on a pair on OW’s be ready for a shock. You are going to see things that you just don’t see with any other brand of sunglasses. That’s a bold statement and that’s how impressed we are with them. Take the time to read about their 30 layer light filtering technology and then compare them to your shades. Keeping up with the ‘Cool’ is no place when it comes to protecting your eyes, although OW’s are pretty cool anyway. Ocean Waves also takes care of your vision prescriptions with no hassles. Hey stop in and take a look at their new store in the beach front district of Atlantic Beach, Florida the next time you’re on the East Coast or visit their online store at: www.OceanWaves.com Speaking of vision. When the sun isn’t shinning anglers still need to be able to see well and we have the answer for you. Princeton Tec has several lighting solutions for your kayak angler. They specialize in very high tech, low energy lights that will brighten the night so you can see where you are going and be seen by others. The Princeton Tec company offers multi light head gear with multiple lights in one neat little and light weight system. Fully adjustable lighting technology to adapt to any need from a broad beam, low brightness to up close intensity and far reaching super bright spot light. All from one little waterproof box that only uses 3 AAA batteries. Hey don’t worry, you won’t be buying batteries all the time like you do with other lights. The amazing little lights yield over 200 hours of lighting form those little batteries. That’s impressive and that’s why we chose them as our lighting solution and so should you. Visit Princeton Tec today at: www.PrincetonTec.com

Dr. Slick makes the finest fly tying and angler tools in the world. He really is a surgeon and wanted to have surgical quality fly tying and fishing instruments that just weren’t available, so he started Dr. Slick Company and all of us benefit from that desire. Thanks! I have been using them for over a decade and Dr. Slick was an automatic choice for us. I just had to share the news. Dr. Slick provides our anglers with a very high quality bullet nose pliers that won’t let you down… ever. They come with a cool pair of braided line scissors and a rugged holster to keep it all together. If your angler is into tying flies then look no further then Dr. Slick for what he needs. Buy him the best tying tools in the world and they will last a lifetime. Hey the prices are great too!

Take a look at the Dr. Slick collection of tools at www.DrSlick.com

Plano Tackle Systems has a great solution for keeping your valuables dry and secure while fishing. The Guide Series Waterproof Box will protect camera’s, cell phones, car keys, meds and more. If it fits, it stays dry! We know you have a big investment in your daily electronics and we want you to protect them from the harsh conditions of saltwater tournament fishing. Plano makes a great selection of the Guide Series Boxes and there is one that’s just right for you. Take a look at all of the Plano Gear and if you bump into Hank Parker, tell him we say Hey!

www.PlanoMolding.com

NEW! The Kayak Fly Line by Jim Teeny and designed by Capt. Pat Horrigan for kayak fly anglers world wide. If you fish the ClassicS you know about the new Kayak Fly Line. This is the first and only fly line designed just for kayak anglers. It shoots great distances with just one back cast as many top fly anglers are finding our all over North America. The hard mono core holds up against the heat and the silky slick High Performance Coating lets line slip through your fingers. Throw it while wade casting or seated in your kayak. Throwing 90 feet is a snap and the delivery is clean and soft. This is the perfect fly line for any fly angler and it makes a great stocking stuffer. Purchase the Kayak Fly Line and other great fly fishing gear from Jim Teeny and get it delivered in time for the Holidays. www.JimTeeny.com

Purchasing a new high quality fly reel can be a huge expense for anyone. Tournament tested quality, large arbor reel that your angler will be proud to have. Fully Machined from best aluminum stock, anodized finished, sealed drag, light weight, large arbor, counter weight, solid foot and much more. We tried to blow it up on some very large fish and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Now for the best news off all, the price is fantastic at under $260 in the US. It would be a good bargain at twice that. The lucky anglers that have won them in our series can tell you the same. They are now available for the public and the new DELTA fly reel would make a great gift this year for your fly angler. Check out the DELTA Large Arbor reels and all of the great gear at Redington.

www.Redington.com

When ultra light weight, precision paddling is important turn to Aqua-Bound Paddles. We did and we’re more then glad that we did. The technology that goes into each Manta Ray Carbon paddle delivers stiff horsepower and low swing weight, virtually eliminating arm fatigue. That’s critical to our tournament anglers who cast around 1,000 times each time they are on the water. At only 25.5 oz the two piece adjustable Manta Ray helps keep arm energy in reserve for a busy day on the water. When it comes to critical centric equipment chose Aqua-Bound Paddles. The First Choice in carbon technology. www.AquaBound.com

Scotty Rod Holders will keep your rods at the ready. Be it a fly rod or conventional, Scotty has you covered with a wide variety of solutions to your action rod storage. The systems are simple to mount and they rotate as well as adjust vertically for that perfect position. Scotty quality is very well known and for good reasons. Their gear will never let you down and they will never rust in saltwater. There is no better solution when you need both hands free or for landing that monster tournament buster fish. Scotty holders will never let you down and you’ll like their prices too. www.ScottyPaddleSports.com & www.Scotty.com

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a company that will keep your angler dry, organized and safe. PrecisionPak makes some of the finest gear in the word and it certainly is very will engineered with the kayak angler in mind. Our anglers are crazy about PrecisionPak gear and so are we. Once you take a look at them you will see that they go way beyond making a jacket for kayaking or a tackle storage box or a fish pack and on and on. Quality is the game here and it resides in their name. We are very proud to offer you such outstanding products by PrecisionPak at such fantastic prices. Want to put a smile on your kayakers face? Put a couple of pieces of PrecisionPak gear under the tree this year and have your camera ready. We look at a lot of gear throughout the year and nothing compares to it. No other company pays so much attention to the details that make for great products like PrecisionPak does. Take a good look at all of great products that they make. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be glad you did. www.Precision-Pak.com When it comes to protecting your kayak investment Suspenz Kayak Storage Racks are the best. Prevent kayak hull warp and distortion and add years of life to your kayak. Keep it tracking true and up out of the way. Suspenz offers a huge variety of storage solutions for your kayak including suspending hoist systems, wall mount and free standing racks. Suspenz makes it easy and affordable to keep everything neat and protected. Tournament tough, high quality affordability are just a few of the features. Cradle your kayak with a Suspenz. Your kayak will thank you. Visit Suspenz today for your complete solution at: www.SuspenzKayakStorage.com

Bending Branches Paddles are world famous and used by many, many tournament kayak anglers. Their aluminum shafted Slice paddle is one of our all time light weight favorites. The Slice Angler kayak paddle is designed with you in mind. The handy hook retrieval system is built into the blade for removing snagged lures. This is one super tough, rugged piece of gear that no angler should be without. Bending Branches is most widely known name in paddles and fulfills any paddling need for any condition. Now that’s tough! When you’re in heavy seas or have a long way to go you will be glad that you have a Slice Angler paddle. We know you can’t go wrong here so take a look at the Bending Branches selection on their site. By the way, the Slice Angler is adjustable and available with a tape measure right on the shaft. Good Fishing…

www.BendingBranches.com River2Sea WIDEGLIDE is one the most unique and effective fishing lures that we have ever encountered. Designed by the legendary angler Larry Dahlberg for River2Sea and we all know how serious he is about Big Fish. The WIDEGLIDE zigs and zags from side to side in a high performance walk that drives fish crazy. Cover more water with every cast and watch your fish catch rate skyrocket as the big tournament busting fish slam the WIDEGLIDE time and time again. River2Sea offers a wide selection of lures for any style of fishing, be it saltwater or fresh. Catch more bass, tarpon, reds, trout, snook, you name it and the WIDEGLIDE will catch it. Visit River2Sea and be sure to watch Larry’s video by clicking the link below. www.River2SeaUSA.com http://www.kayakfishingclassics.com/River2Sea-Lures.php

Ever angler likes marine art so we are pleased to bring you one of the very best such artists around. Steve Whitlock Game Fish Art is nothing short of amazing and is one of our anglers favorites at every Awards Ceremony. Steve has spent a lifetime perfecting his unique technique and balance of game fish art upon nautical charts. Not only is Steve Whitlock highly skilled with a brush, he also brings fish to life with pencil in a photo like quality. Highly skilled to say the least. We wanted to round out our sponsor gear with a selection of fine art that everyone is sure to enjoy. We know you and everyone that sees Steve Whitlock Game Fish Art will agree. You may purchase directly at:

www.SteveWhitlock.com

Gyotaku is an ancient Japanese form of record keeping that village angles used to track when, where and what they caught throughout the year. Gyotaku has evolved into a major art form largely to the artistry of world famous artist Jim Roberts. Visit his site to learn all about Gyotaku Art and enjoy his many famous works. Jims artwork will make for some great Christmas gifts for home or office. You can purchase directly at:

www.ReelDreamsFishPrints.com

Looking for another unusual gift idea? Look no father then. Artist Jeanie Beline creates the unusual in marine art and is becoming very well known for her imagination. She looks at a piece of distressed shipwreck wood and sees a canvas for paintings and wood carvings. Jeanie creates wall clocks to sea turtles, gator paddles to fish art boxes and all form distressed wood that she finds. View her work and visit with the personable artist on her website at: www.WildlifeFromScratch.com

Lights, Camera, Action! RAILBLAZA makes one of the best camera booms that we have ever seen and our lucky winners of the Action Photo Awards can tell you just how good it really is. If you want to get great fish a RAILBLAZA camera boom easy they make it. This handy easily turns 360 degrees and one hand.

fighting shots just put your camera on and you will quickly discover how camera boom adjusts up and down, will tilt adjust to any position, all with

RAILBLAZA is the proud sponsor of our Action Photo Award in our series and we have seen some extraordinary photos as a result of the camera boom. If your angler wants some great photos get him a RAILBLAZA camera boom. You can order right now from Yak-Gear who is the US distributor of this fine New Zeeland made product. Visit RAILBLAZA at www.RAILBLAZA.com Shop at Yak-Gear at www.Yak-Gear.com

Fishing in the tropical heat has never been so cool. ExOfficio Air Strip shirts are tournament tested shirts that just laugh at the relentless summer heat in the tropics where we fish. Put on an Air Strip and you will instantly have a cool, durable, good looking friend that you can depend on to keep you comfortable and looking good all of the time. But don’t stop there. ExOfficio makes all kinds of sharp, good looking adventure clothing for both men and women. So while you are selecting an Air Strip for your fishing mate, don’t forget to treat yourself to a few while you’re at it...everyone needs a good friend. Begin your adventure at: www.ExOfficio.com

You have a big investment in your kayak and now there is a great way to protect it. The good folks at KanuLock have come up with a fantastic locking strap system that will keep your kayak put. The stainless steel aircraft cables are stitched in place between padding and covered with a tough durable outer flexible skin to cushion your boat safely and securely. The stainless locking system has a durable rubberized pad so no worry there. Now you can lock down your kayak and enjoy the peace of mind the KanuLock affords. Hey come on in and enjoy the Awards Ceremony and claim your sponsor gear! We want to see what you caught today. Relax, have a bit and a bev. KanuLock has you covered With their Lockable Tie Downs.

www.KanuLock.net

MirrOlure is one of the Top Producing lures in our series. In fact our 2012 National Champion Joe Lineberry caught one of his tournament winning fish using a MirrOlure. Weather you choose the famous MirrOdine Series, the MirrOmullet or the new Lumo Series you will catch fish. They’re easy to use and tough as nails to withstand any bite. Just ask your favorite angler what he thinks about his MirrOlure and you’ll get an education. Get a stocking full of MirrOlure and Turn On the Bite! www.MirrOlure.com

In just 30 seconds you can assemble and disassemble the C-TUG Kayak Trolley. Put your kayak on the C-TUG, load your fishing gear and roll your boat into the water. Now that’s easy and no more back and forth trips while loading your gear at your favorite launch site. Unlock the wheels, give the frame an easy twist and put your C-Tug into the cargo hold on your kayak. Now that’s a great time saver and makes launching/retrieving easy on your back. We use the C-TUG Trolley and it is fantastic. Put one under the tree this year and make having fun easy on your favorite angler.

www.C-TUG.com

If your kayak angler walks a little funny after a day on the water, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for a Skwoosh kayak seat. The first thing he will notice is the Gel Power by TekPad seating in a new Skwoosh kayak seat. Another great back saver is their all new Lumbar Support and the cool detachable Tackle Bag. Skwoosh kayak seats are extremely comfortable and cool when it is really hot. Why Skwoosh Kayak Seats? Simple, because they are the best thru design, materials and application. Get a Skwoosh today and fish in extended comfort.

www.Skwoosh.com When it comes to protecting your hands from the sun, Mangrove SunGloves are just the very best that there is. That makes shopping a bit easier for this great gift. Mangrove sun gloves are cool and comfortable in addition to protecting your hands from the harsh elements that we fish in. The open fingers allow you to tie knots and manage line with ease. The stretch fabric feels like an additional skin on your hands and they stay in place under all conditions. What could be better than a pair of Mangrove SunGloves? Two pairs of Mangrove SunGloves... Mangrove Sun Gloves are available at your local TFO dealer.

The sun and harsh elements that we fish and live in can put a hurting on your expensive kayaks. As kayaks become more and more technical they can command a hefty price. It taken care of a modern kayak will last a lifetime and JLM DESIGN will help make sure that happens.JLM custom designed

kayak covers are the best kayak covers on the market. We only use JLM on our kayaks and you should to. Big boat owners have known this for decades but kayak fishing is new and we see a lot of sun and weather damage on them. Most JLM DESIGN custom kayak covers are under a $100 and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great price. Make your kayak last and keep your money in your pocket. We use JLM and so should you. Contact JLM DESIGN at

727-862-0700

A BASSYAKS system will put you where you want to go in a hurry and fish wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear you coming. Cover more water and save valuable time when you are scouting for fish and pre-fishing for our tournaments. BASSYAKS makes it easy and has a system that is just right for your kayak. We use a BASSYAKS system on our photo boat and it is a high quality, smooth and quiet system. Order Yours Today at;

www.BassYaks.com

You might think it odd that we advertise other magazines in our magazine but we don’t. All of our media sponsors help us inform kayak anglers and promote the sport that we all love so much. We thank all of them for another great year. Kayak Angler Magazine is another great source of information about our sport. They have a good forum and their magazine is also available through an online subscription. All of our anglers receive a FREE one year online subscription to Kayak Angler and they all enjoy it greatly. Visit Kayak Angler today and tell them we sent you.

www.KayakAnglerMag.com

YakAnlger is another great magazine and forum just for kayak anglers. You will find some of the best articles and photography here and their members are very helpful for all of your kayak angling needs. Visit YakAngler today and say hello from us.

www.YakAngler.com Our friends at Florida Fly Fishing Magazine publish one of the best saltwater fly fishing resources ever. Each issue is full of interesting articles written by some very good fly anglers/writers on the water. If you fly fish you need this magazine and if you don’t, well what are you waiting for…

www.FlaFlyFish.com

Kayak Fishing Magazine is an East Coast anglers delight. While all of our friends cover all of our fishing grounds and more, KFM is big time in the Northeast.

www.KayakFishingMagazine.net

We hope that our product guide will help you and give you some great gift giving choices and ideas for your holidays this year. We thank you in advance for supporting our many generous sponsors who make this wonderful sport and the Kayak Fishing ClassicS possible. We know that you and your friends enjoy the beautiful outdoors along the Coastal Gulf States and ask the you continue to teach out respect and conservation for the beauty that surrounds us all. To all of you from all of us,

We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas Happy Hanukkah & Happy New Year

New for 2013 The 2012 Series Year was very good for all involved. The anglers enjoyed fishing in some of the most exotic locations on the planet and caught plenty of nice fish. The sponsors received a great deal of exposure to some of the best anglers on the Gulf Coast. The weather held for our tournaments with exception to a bit of wind now and then, but that’s just fishing on the Gulf of Mexico. We enjoyed making many new friends and a little fishing ourselves. So what’s next for the ClassicS? Expansion... of course. We have heard the cries from the East and have set up a new format for 2013 that will make the series even more competitive and exciting. The Gulf Coast Series and the East Coast Series are now in place and ready to go come January 2013. The Gulf and East Coast Series’ both will have five open tournaments each. Anglers

must fish 4 of the 5 open tournaments in their division to earn an invitation to the national championship. This will insure greater completion. The tournaments for each division will be held every other month. The series year will start for the Gulf Coast Series in January and the East Coast Series will begin in February. The GCS will then have another tournament in March and the ECS will have their next tournament in April and so on. The 2013 Series Year tournament schedule is posted on the Kayak Fishing ClassicS website. Anglers may of course compete in both series’ however their points will remain in the series that hosted the tournament. Anglers may not move points from the east series to the west, for example. Anglers must compete in at least four tournaments in a given series, east or west, to receive an invite to the national championship. An an-

gler may not combine the number of tournaments fished in both series to accumulate a total of four. An angler must fish at least four tournaments in one series to be invited. The scoring changes that took place prior to the beginning of the 2012 series year will remain in place for both series’ in 2013. That is to say that one inch of fish entered equals one point. There won’t be any early registration points or podium finish points. There will no longer be a slam bonus or bait bonus. It’s about total inches of fish. We feel that these changes will make the series more competitive and focus on catching big fish, as a tournament should be.

www.SteveWhitlock.com 26

continued form page 25

It was very difficult selecting the five tournament locations for 2013 as we had ten great locations developed over the years. The Gulf Series sports some of the best fishing locals in the world and by adding five world class locations to the East Coast Series it is lining up like something out of an anglers dream. We are very excited about it and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get started. The 2013 series schedule is posted on our website.

themselves and or their fishing team/club. We are doing this in an effort to help students, school fishing clubs and to promote our fantastic sport. The East Coast Series sports some huge populations of giant redfish so tackle up if you are new to fishing for these big lagoon monsters. More about them and fishing the east side later in this issue.

The posted weigh in time for any given tournament is the time that the weigh in is closed. Anglers must be signed in at the judges table by then or be in the line. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Anglers must attend the weigh in to receive any points and credit for having fished the event. Also new for 2013 will be a collegiate segment in both the East and Gulf Series. The new segment will allow full time college students who are on their college fishing team/club to compete thru scoring with other colleges. They will compete under the same rules and for the same prizes as the rest of the anglers. The collegiate scoring will be used only to track college one college against another. Collegiate winners will receive scholarship funding/gear for themselves and or their fishing team/ club. We are doing this in an effort to help students, school fishing clubs

Artist Jim Roberts

www.ReelDreamsFishPrints.com 28

A New Fly Line is Born Throwing feathers from a kayak while seated presents an entirely different form of fly casting for most anglers. Taken away are the tools of stance, body angle and movement. Also gone is the ability to turn and watch your back cast just to name a few. Add into the mix is the fact that you have very little area for body twist, if any. Combined these conditions presented varying degrees of problems for some of our contestants, of whom many do fly fish. My love of the two sports got me thinking about what could be done. For the contestants in our series that use kayaks that they can stand up in such as the Diablo Adios, there was no problem. Although that particular segment of kayak design is quickly growing, the reality of it is simply that most kayak anglers can’t stand in their kayak so something had to be done. I looked at the energy dynamics involved in how energy loads and unloads in a fly rod and how it is transmitted throughout the fly line. The rods were fine so it had to be the line. Wait, today’s fly lines are incredible. This coming from one who learned on a level braided fly line as a kid. We needed a line that would load energy to

Throwing Feathers By Capt. Pat Horrigan

the rod quickly with one back cast so a completely new kind of fly line had to be invented. I got to work on this using my computer, formulas and a calculator. When I figured it all out I got with my good friend Jim Teeny how manufactures great fly lines and is our fly line sponsor. We discussed what I came up with and Jim took it from there. He made a prototype and it worked great. In fact it was better than I had hoped for. Jim made up some more prototypes and took them to the fly fishing show in Washington State, sort of an ICAST of fly fishing. He told his industry buddies about the new kayak fly line and they all wanted to throw it. Well they spooled one up and started throwing. Mind you these guys are professional fly casters on a pro circuit and will tell you like it is. It was a bit of a tongue in cheek moment for Jim as he knew what he had and that these guys never have seen anything like it. After a few short warm up stokes, the first pro let one go and threw the line way past the end of the casting pool. “What the …” he was surprised as Jim just watched and grinned. All of the others had to try it out and all met with the same reaction. One back cast and shoot forty feet of line was my original design. I guess I over amped it a bit because these guys were throwing all of the line out which is ninety feet long. All of them put their stamp of OK on it and we were pretty happy. The finish on the line is a super slick Jim Teeny finish found only on his lines. The finish doesn’t get gummy in the heat, sweat and salt and helps the line rocket through the guides on its way to the target. Next I had an Orvis Certified Casting Instructor sit on the sand and cast the line. He quickly got the hang of it and was throwing some nice casts. He later told his friends that it was the best fly line he has ever thrown. I won’t mention his name because I don’t want to get him in trouble but you know who you are Bob. I played with the line every chance that I got and used it with a variety of 8 weight rods. The rod did not seem to matter too much as long as it was an 8 weight, fast action rod. I got all giggly every time I threw it and could not wait to share it with our anglers

A New Fly Line is Born

Throwing Feathers By Capt. Pat Horrigan

and the rest of the fly fishing world. We tweaked the end with a leader loop and went into production. This was a long time coming as it took a year from inception to production but I always was a bit slow in math. We started awarded the Kayak Fly Line toward the end of the series year and the feedback has been very good from average anglers. All have said that it is now very easy to throw the line while seated and are getting into fly fishing from their yaks more and more. Perfect! That’s what we wanted. Kayak fishing is very stealthy and fly fishing from a kayak adds to that end. Fish don’t hear you or see you coming and they don’t hear the lure splash the water. When fish are real spooky in shallow it is time to get the fly rod out and let them have it. You will start racking up some big fish in the tournaments if you become proficient at it. It really is not difficult and the new Kayak Fly Line now makes it simple and fun.

Several anglers have asked me if I made a lot of money developing the kayak fly line or if I will be getting royalties from the sales. The answer is no. I did not go into this to make any money. I wanted to help make throwing a fly line easier from a kayak and help promote the sports of fly fishing and kayak fishing. I gave the design to Jim after some argument on his part. He wanted to pay me but I said no enough times that he understood what I was doing. Next up in line development for me is a snook fly line that I have been thinking about.

Most fly anglers will use a intermediate fly line which sinks a foot or so on the last four or five feet on the line. I have been using these lines for years for snook and they work but there are a few things that I want to change about it. Oh well, back to drawing board…I just keep coming up with things that make me have to go fishing.. You can purchase the Kayak Fly Line from my good friend at www.JimTeeny.com

Photos by Guide Rich Jones: www.KayakFishingTheEverglades.com

Meet the Family

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East Coast Reds By Charles Levi One only has to mention the word Redfish and area’s like the Indian River Lagoon, Banana River, and the Mosquito Lagoon come to most angler’s minds and for good reason. There is little to no doubt that the East Coast of Florida is the Redfish capital of the state and some may argue it should hold the title of Redfish capital of the world! Ask any angler that has targeted these great game fish around the state to describe the Redfish that call the East Central Florida waters home and most will tell you they are the hardest Redfish in the state to catch. This isn’t because there aren’t good numbers of them rather it’s the numbers that sometimes works against you as an angler. When you have a hundred sets of eyes looking out for one another getting within casting range to these massive schools can be a tough. In the spring and

summer the water gets dirty and the schools break up and you find mainly single fish cruising the flats early in the morning before the water temps heat up. Once this happens, the Redfish move off the flats and seek deeper water that is cooler and higher in oxygen content that helps the Redfish digest their meals. Fin Fish are the main pray items of our fish in the warmer months. Things like Mullet, Pinfish, Pigfish, Croakers and Greenies make up the bulk of their diet but the shoals of Glass Minnows take a beating from everything that calls the East Coast waters home. In fact in the early morning hours you can often find schools of Glass Minnows pressed against the shore line and hungry Redfish gorging on the easy to catch minnows.

As the water temperatures drop in the fall and winter the Redfish start to school up again and start to switch from mainly a fin fish diet to more of a crustacean based diet. Gone are the schools of Mullet and other bait fish and now Shrimp, Crabs, Sea Horses, Snails and other slow moving prey items take over as the main food supply for the Redfish. The bite tends to not start till later in the morning during the cooler months, say around 9:30 -10:00am. Plus with the air temps and water staying cool all day, this allows the Redfish and other game fish to stay on the flats. With an average depth of about two to three feet, the cool clear waters of Indian River Lagoon System makes for some of the States best sight fishing opportunities. The cooler water also makes the Redfish sluggish, but don’t confuse this with being easy to catch, you will see many more tailing fish this time of the year and have your offerings turned down even when you make that “Perfect” cast! And I haven’t even brought up the “NMZ” or No Motor Zone. Two words can accurately describe the “NMZ” and those are Jurassic Park! With miles of shoreline protected from any motorized vessels and N.A.S.A just to the north, many of the fish that call the N.M.Z home have never seen a lure! As kayak anglers we have an advantage when it comes to finding and catching Redfish here on the East Coast. The stealth of the kayak will

allow you to find these spooky, tailing fish giving you a chance to sneak up on them without the sound of a trolling motor, live well pump, hatch noise and other alien noises that flats skiffs give off. This is key when fishing in the gin clear waters the winter gives us! And now with the Tropic Bay ‘Kayak Fishing ClassicS’ adding the five East

Coast Tournaments to their already impressive list of West Coast events, this huge high quality Tournament Series will help those of us that really want to see the sport grow and want to compete on our home waters! Kayak anglers on the East Coast have been over looked for too long and the time has come for us to show off why the East Coast has some of Florida’s best fishing right here in our backyards! Not only will the events help

to bring money into our local areas, they will also allow anglers from other parts of the state to see first hand why we are the Redfish Capital of Florida!!

Editors Note: Redfish Chuck Levi lives on the East Coast of Florida. He is also a radio personality and has his own show on KayakFishingRadio.com weekdays @ 8pm We wish to thank Redfish Chuck for helping us set up the Kayak Fishing ClassicS East Coast Series for 2013. Chuck and his good friend Jose Vidal, also of the East Coast and Team Diablo helped the ClassicS to determine the tournament sites for the upcoming expansion of the series. When you see Redfish and Pepi on the water, be sure to give them a paddle splash in appreciation for all of their hard work and be sure to listen to Red-

Jose ‘Pepi’ Vidal with 34 “ Mosquito Lagoon Redfish….Nice

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The Wooden Navy & itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master

Most kayak anglers use a plastic kayak and for good reasons. They are lightweight, affordable, tough, they get the job done and put you on the water. Well there is another building material that kayaks have been crafted out of for many centuries and it offers some surprising advantages. I recently had the opportunity to visit with the Master of wooden kayak construction, Jesse White who has been hand making his phenomenal kayaks and canoes for over a decade. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not talking about kit kayaks. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking about scratch-built works of art that are light, strong, tough and highly personalized fishing kayaks that even the most ardent skeptic will fall in love with and respect.

I asked Jesse what got him started building wooden kayaks. He told me that he

was given his first boat, a cedar strip johnboat that he grew to appreciate the craftsmanship in and appreciated the advantages it afforded over heavy plank or aluminum boats. That started the fire

within and after retirement he decided to scratch that itch. He started building kayaks from a stitch and glue kit by Chesapeake Light Craft that was a simple 14 boat that took him ninety hours to build. Over the years Jesse has purchased various kayak and canoe plans and has built many dozens of boats. He now purchases his rough cut wood planks, cuts them into strips, planes, shapes, steams, molds and works them into a thing of beauty. He also purchases large sheets of special lament wood that he cuts the shapes for the stitch and glue jobs. Perhaps I should explain the difference in these different building techniques. A stitch and glue kayak is made from lament sheets of wood where he lays out the various pieces and shapes needed to assemble the boat. The stitch part is a technique of assembly. Once the pieces of sheeting are cut, sanded they are butted together, drilled and copper wired together form-

ing a kayak; all of the seams are glued, filled and sanded. The wire is cut and sanded flush with the wood for a very cool look. The hull is then smoothed and sanded then covered with very thin fiberglass, sanded and smoothed and then flipped. The inside of the hull is then treated with fiberglass and smoothed and is now ready for the deck which is applied and fitted in like manner of the hull. A strip built kayak or canoe is made from many, many narrow strips of special woods such as Alaskan White Cedar, Spruce, Western Red Cedar and Cypress. All very strong, lightweight and decorative which have their special place in the construction. After making the strips for the construction, Jesse then planes a bead and cove shape into the long edges of the strips. This is not a must but is much stronger and makes for a perfect spherical flow of the wood around a

form. Remember here that he is a Master of this art and he makes it all sound so easy. Most builders simply plane an angler onto the edges of adjoining strips. This takes us to what is called a Hybrid built kayak and no, it does not run on

alternative power. A Hybrid kayak is built with a combination of the stitch & glue technique and the strip built technique. Usually the hull is stitch & glue and the deck is strip built. While looking around in his shop and watching Jesse work on a new kayak, a privilege by the way, I asked how he learned how to do all of this. His answer was simple and down to earth. “I read lots of books.” Well that’s honest enough but I think he could write a few on the subject for sure. I also asked if one technique is stronger than another and he told me that the strength comes from the fiberglass, the lightness comes from the wood. I mentioned to him that I had from time to time thought about building a wooden kayak and he told me to start with a stitch & glue boat. Good advice after seeing what is involved with the other choices. He told me that you can start with a kit, a good set of saw horses that you build for kayak construction, and a small work space. You don’t need any

special tools and if you purchase a Chesapeake kit, everything you need to build your kayak comes with it, except the saw horses of course. Chesapeake Light Craft even includes all of the special epoxy and has made mixing it very simple. Hmmm, tempting. Jesse showed then showed me a racing kayak that he had built. A 20 foot stripper that had a built in skeg that he raises to enable turning. A dragster of sorts if you will. By the way a strip built kayak is called a stripper. This boat looked really fast and it is. Jesse won the Chasco Kayak Race in 2011 and I would imagine that he can pretty much do that whenever he wants. For the finishing touches, Jesse then carves out some of the wood to make way for some inlay art. Jesse has formidable skills to carve and route away a 1/16th depth and fit elegant designs and patterns of very thin wood into the decks of his boats. Personalization is an option of course. If you have never seen this, it is much like the fancy inlays of wood art that you see on very fine furniture from days gone by. It was a pleasure to see a Master Kayak Builder at work in his shop and an even

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greater pleasure and privilege to spend time with him. I must say that what you see is what you get. Jesse White is not only a master builder; he is genuinely a wonderful and sharing person. If you are interested in joining the Wooden Navy give Jesse a call at 727-861-3572 and he will be happy to build and fit a boat for you.

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Avoiding the Slows

Anglers Health

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

Once in a while all of us have had that slow feeling in the morning at the launch. This can cause performance problems on the water. Depressed energy levels equals depressed results and much of the ‘slows’ can be attributed to your diet. Unfortunately many of us will turn to an energy drink for that boost and load up with sugars and caffeine. Then after a few hours the crash comes and then where are you? The answer to sustained energy levels and building healthy reserves is in our diet. Noted nutrition guru Brian St. Pierr offers a healthy highenergy Top 10 list of foods that have unique characteristics in sustaining a much higher level of energy.

No.10 Coffee Of all natural food sources, coffee has the largest caffeine content. Caffeine has been shown to improve performance and decrease your perception of effort, allowing you to work harder longer. Coffee also contains large amounts of antioxidants and may supply up to 70% of the total daily antioxidant intake of the average American. If you use coffee to give you a quick energy boost, be conscious of the time of day. Drinking coffee within eight hours of

when you go to bed can cause some men to have trouble falling asleep and/ or staying asleep. If you wake up in the middle of the night with your heart racing, you may have to find a less intense alternative, such as tea. No.9 Tea When proper nutrition and hydration fails you (or when you fail it), sometimes a quick caffeine boost can help get you through a training session. Teas like white, green, oolong, and black can give you a small amount of caffeine, but they also contain the calming amino acid theanine, which has been shown to prevent the anxiety that large caffeine consumption can cause. This will ultimately help you create better attention and focus. The amount of caffeine per serving depends on the type of tea. White gives about 20 milligrams; green gives about 30 milligrams; oolong gives about 40 milligrams; and black gives about 50 milligrams.

No.8 Water Water is the most overlooked “performance enhancing supplement out there. As many as 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration can limit your physical and mental capacity. Because water is paramount in cooling your body during times of increased heat or stress, as you attempt to ramp up your exercise intensity, dehydration will cause limitations in thermal regulation, circulation and, ultimately, the generation of force. The common recommendation is that the average, inactive person (not you) should consume at least six to eight ounces of water per day. In reality, you should probably be taking in about double that amount (on top of the water you take in from other foods). Start carrying a 16to 20-ounce water bottle around with you during the day. Aim to refill it every three to four hours. You’ll be amazed at how much

energy you get just from staying adequately hydrated. If you notice you’re making more frequent trips to the bathroom, don’t worry; as your body adapts to getting a constant supply of fluid, you’re lavatory frequency will return to more socially acceptable rates.

No.7 Fruits Fruits (especially apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, and kiwi) are high in potassium (an electrolyte that maintains normal nerve and muscle function), fructose for liver glycogen, ready-touse sugars, fiber, and tons of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you’re looking for a healthy, natural energy boost, consuming fruits throughout the day and within about an hour before you train will give you just that. You can also blend a banana, frozen berries, some nuts or seeds (from above), and Greek yogurt together for a great post-workout drink.

No.6 Quinoa Quinoa, although technically a seed, is a super grain that everyone should have as part of their diet. It is a complete protein, which is very rare for a

plant food. It is also a highquality complex carbohydrate, high in fiber and iron as well as calcium (necessary for proper muscle contraction), potassium and magnesium (necessary for proper hydration).

mins, minerals, and antioxidants. Chia is an especially great choice, since it has a large amount of soluble fiber, which creates a viscous gel in your gastrointestinal tract. This keeps you full/satisfied for a long time and provides an energy time-release effect, stabilizing your blood sugar and keeping your energy levels even during intense training.

No.5 Old-Fashioned Oats Oldfashioned oats are a quality source of complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, low on the glycemic index and high in energy-boosting B vitamins. This is not your instant oatmeal. Old-fashioned oats are a more natural, unprocessed form of oat. Because they aren’t broken down to the extent that instant oats are, it takes longer for these oats to be processed within your body, providing a slower release of energy.

No.3 Tree nuts Tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews, are loaded with healthy fats (monounsaturates, as in olive oil, as well as some omega-3s), fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can also consume these as nut butters, which are delicious and offer lots of variety, as they can be spread over other fruits or vegetables or be included in a smoothie for a perfect energy-boosting snack.

No.4 Seeds Seeds from sources like flax, chia and hemp provide a great supply of fiber, healthy fats (including omega-3s), vita-

No.2 Omega-3 eggs Omega-3 eggs are full of healthy fats, energyboosting B vitamins and some vitamin D. They also

provide a rich supply of brain-boosting choline, the precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and are considered the perfect protein because of their amino acid profile and high biological value. They are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods.

No.1 Cold-water fatty fish Cold-water fatty fish include wild salmon, mackerel and herring. These fish are an excellent source of omega3s, which provide a number of health benefits, including decreased risk of heart disease and various cancers, decreased inflammation and decreased body fat. They’re also rich in complete protein, energyboosting B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium, and are one of the few food sources of vitamin D. For more great nutrition information from Brian St. Pierre, check out his website:

BrianStPierreTraining.com.

You may not have heard of some of these foods however they are very tasty as well as healthy.

These drinks have even killed people so safe to say you should avoid them like the plague.

Once you tune your body to running on the energy that this way of eating generates you will discover that you will have plenty of go and no slow.

Over the course of time your body will cleanse itself. Not only will you have more sustainable energy, you will begin to feel better. It’s a bit odd when it happens.

I prefer tea over coffee and taking some on the kayak is a nice treat with lunch. You do take lunch with you don’t you? When I say lunch I mostly mean natural meals in natures own rapper. Foods such as some tree nuts, apples, oranges and a fish taco for example. After all you are out there to fish not dine. That doesn’t mean you should not eat while fishing. In fact it is important to eat while you are on the water. You are using energy and will need more for later right? So if you don’t eat and beverage up you will have what I call an energy void in your reserves. That’s when the slows hit you. It’s your body talking to you and telling you to rest. If you are frequently eating small amounts of energy food and great proper sleep you won’t get the slows.

You don’t really realize how slow you are or how lack luster you may feel until you really feel good. Then it all makes sense and comes together. If you start eating like this and six months down the road you decide to have a big burger, cheese, fries and a cola you will really feel it. If you take the time and search the internet you will find that there are many foods that are tasty, easy to find and easily fit any budget. The old saying ‘you are what you eat’ is very true. In short I would simply say Eat Right, Catch More Fish.

I have found that another huge benefit of energy eating is the mental alertness. Think about that for a minute. If you are on the water with the morning slows, when the fish are really biting, you may miss the opportunity to get a tournament buster. You may miss the hook set or not even notice the fish at all. Mental sharpness is everything and you can increase yours by through diet. I am not a fan of the high energy drinks that we all see in the quick go stores. These beverages are not regulated by anyone but the manufacture.

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Fly MoJo...Mon

Many of the anglers in the ClassicS fly fish and some tie their own flies from time to time as do I. Some of our anglers have been tying for many years; others are relatively new to the art. I started tying about forty years ago, not to say that I am any good at it. A large number of anglers would rather spend their time on the water throwing feathers instead of tying them and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine too. The important thing at issue here is that the flies work and is the common thread for all fly anglers. As a fly fishing guide I spent a lot of hours on the water looking at bait. I studied bait fish, crabs, shrimp and plants that small bait life lives in. A number of years ago with the advances in tying material and glues we started seeing some very life like flies. Some of

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

the shrimp patterns could fool the most ardent connoisseur. Some of these works of art take hours to create and get munched, crunched and otherwise mutilated by the crushing jaws and teeth of our favorite finned friends in just moments. It all is in an attempt to make the fly look like the bait. That brought to mind an article that I wrote some time back about a fly really being a phasmes. Like a walking stick bug or a thorn bug. Neither is a stick or a thorn but look like it. The culprit here for us is making the hook look like a fish or some other delectable tidbit that the fish will rush to eat. A Fly Phasmes, if you will, looks like particular bait that is present in the water while you are fishing that the fish are

Anglers Corner

Nice redfish caught on fly by our friend Redfish Chuck Levi

feeding on. Over millions of years fish have developed to look like something other than what they are. For example a glass minnow hides itself in plain sight by being mostly clear. A bone fish hides itself from its predators by reflecting what is in the water and on the surface which makes it virtually undetectable. Shrimp and crabs will drop to the sea floor and hide in the grass or beside a rock to mimic and fool a fish into not seeing it. Well we want the fish to see our fly but want the fly to look and swim like the bait we are copying. The common thing here is the behavior of the live bait when they feel threatened. If our hook shines or otherwise looks unnatural to the fish

Anglers Corner Continued

it’s ‘adios’ and we’ll have to try again. But if you phasmes the hook and make it look like it is a part of the bait or just plain hide it, then you are going in the right direction.

Daniel Currey shows off a nice looking little snook captured on fly & released.

Is all of this really necessary to fool a fish? No, not most of the time. Look at most flies or lures and you see the hook exposed most of the time. If you fish with a consistently successful fly angler you will see that he is catching fish even when the bite is slow and you are not. If you look at the fly pattern he is using, if he lets you, you may discover an entirely new breed of flies emerging that you never thought about. The point here is to use a pattern that is reasonable to tie or purchase that you can throw and learn to use it. Learn to swim it the correctly to imitate the bait. Make that fly do everything that the real thing does and you will catch fish. The action you impart upon the fly is a big part of Fly Phasmes. Without fly Phasmes you can’t have Fly Fatum and ‘without dem you got no fly MoJo mon.’ Radio Host Redfish Chuck releases a dandy redfish caught on fly.

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Meet the Series Champion Marty Meakin

It took two years of very hard work and lots and lots of hours, travel, spending weekends in strange towns and some sleepless nights. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the beginning. Marty Meakin won the Series Championship on October 13, 2012 but his quest really started back in January of 2011 when he set out to become the Series Champion of the Kayak Fishing ClassicS. In 2011 Meakin came in second place overall in the series. That would make most anglers very happy and it did to a point for Meakin, but that was not the

Goal by a long shot. The 2011 disappointment only served to harden his resolve for the 2012 series year. He was determined to win and he set out about his business. Meakin started in January and began the new year with a fifth place win. Not bad but not what he had in mind. February rolled around and things were looking better with a second place showing and a jump in the series standings from fifth to second overall. Then came the Fort DeSoto Classic in March. Meakin scored a

Respectable Fourth Place in the Classic and maintained his second place hold on the series standings. As suddenly as he rose to the top he met hard times in the Everglades in the 10,000 Islands Classic in April. Meakin came in out of the top 10 and watched the leader pull away. He was still in second place overall but the field below him was now pressing and putting on pressure. A great thing about most anglers in the series is that they are all optimists. Tomorrow is another day to go fishing and make things

Right. Meakin was no exception to this rule and he put his game face on and went at the next tournament with a smile on his face. In May the Ozello Classic was tough and Meakin scored a fourth place finish but managed to knock off the series leader and grab the series lead. Certainly cause for celebration but only for the day. He managed to carve out a 3 point series lead and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very close. Next stop was the Old Salty Dog in Sarasota in June where once again Meakin was out of the Top Five but managed to broaden his series lead and pulled ahead of the pack. While Meakin was consistently placing in the ClassicS, others were not quite as consistent and the series standings bounced around. Now with only four more series tournaments to go Meakin

Meakin had a better tournament and so did Komyati but neither finished where they had wanted to. Introducing Joe Lineberry to the winners podium. Lineberry had a great day and won by a few inches. Meakin kept the series

Talent he had on his wake Tournament Day began by greeting all of the anglers with perfect weather, a departure for the days of pre-fishing. Marty Meakin decided to just go fishing. He launched his kayak and paddled away. Everything was set up and ready for the eventual winner and the rest of the anglers. Meakin walked into the weigh in room with a smile on his face and he seemed to know he had it. All of the anglers went through the process of the photo weigh in, the scores were checked, double checked and triple checked. Komyati had been on fire for the past few ClassicS and Meakin had been struggling allowing him to close within 4 series points. It was time to announce the awards for

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There was a pause as everyone waited and then the first place was announced. Marty Meakin, Marty Meakin rang out and he jumped to his feet knowing he had just won the Southern Redfish Classic and the Kayak Fishing ClassicS Series Championship. Everyone went nuts. Although all of the anglers wanted to win, all of them root for their fellow contestants. That is probably the single greatest thing about the ClassicS. Meakin turned in a 75.2 inch slam, took the Southern and iced it for the Series Championship. Meakin was composed but you could see the joy on his face as he came up to the First Place Podium and began accepting the sponsor awards.

It takes a lot to win a Classic and ten times that to win the series. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ten open tournaments where you fish against some of the very best anglers on the Gulf Coast. All of them have one single minded thought...WIN and they all do their very best to do so. We congratulate Marty Meakin for a well deserved double win in championship fashion. Through it all Meakin has maintained his cool and was always a helpful gentleman to all. Our Sponsors Congratulate you Marty and know that you will enjoy all of the terrific gear that you have won. Our sponsors also congratulate all of the 2012 Series Year Contestants and thank all of you as do we.

Meakin was presented with a Diablo Paddlesports Adios kayak to start things off. Next up came the lions share of over $10,000.00 in Sponsor Gear Awards that you can see on the ClassicS website. Marty almost need to pinch himself to see if he was having the reoccurring dream that he had so many times. All of the contestants worked very hard for this and Meakin may have worked the hardest. No matter, all worked very hard for sure.

Joe Komyati 2nd Place

Otis Coblentz 3rd Place

William Lusk 4th Place

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Joe Lineberry 5th Place

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Yak Yak

A Word or Two Naturally we keep an eye on who has a Diablo, who is looking to purchase one and who sells them. We wanted to ask a few Diablo owners what they thought about their kayaks so we sent out a questionnaire and awaited the response. Before we share that information with you please understand that we are aware that many anglers love their kayak and that’s great. Brand loyalty may keep some kayak anglers from even looking at another brand of kayak and that’s fine. We just wanted to share some interesting feedback from Diablo owners with you and we hope that you find the information useful in selecting your next kayak. The answers to the questions are similar if not the same in many instances. What we are expressing is a common theme to help you better understand why Diablo owners love their kayaks so much. Question 1: What are the characteristics of a kayak that you look for? Answer: Stability, Quality, Comfort, Ability to Stand Up, Room to Move Around.

Question 2: What model Diablo Paddlesports kayak did you purchase?

Question 4: What color of kayak do you find best for fishing?

Answer: Adios

Answer: Tan

Question 3: What of these characteristics are present in the Diablo Adios kayak?

Question 5: What color Diablo did you purchase?

Answer: All of the characteristics that I was looking for in a kayak are in the Adios.

Answer: Tan, Tan & Green Question 6: What do you think of the handling characteristics of the Diablo? Answer: It’s not going to win any races but paddles very well. Tracks very well. Turns on a dime. Question 7: What do you think of the fish ability of a Diablo? Answer: Perfect, Fantastic, Best fishing platform on the water, Hands down great, Would not buy any other kayak. Question 8: How stable do you find your Diablo to be? Answer: Very stable, solid with little movement when walking around in it, the most stable kayak there is. Question 9: What do you think about the fit & finish of your Diablo?

Answer: One of the best looking kayaks on the market, beautiful, suction cups stick like crazy, stickers stay on, very attractive kayak, and fit up is perfect. Question 10: How do you find the Diablo to paddle? Answer: Good without skeg & even better with skeg, smooth to paddle, comfort range around 6 miles, easy to paddle & surprising for such a wide kayak. Question 11: What if anything would you change about your Diablo: Answer: Nothing, adding lure boxes would be the sweet. Question 12: Would you recommend a Diablo to a friend and why? Answer: Yes Always. I love my Diablo and my friends have purchased them as a result of how much I like mine. I love my Diablo & know anyone who tryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one out will too. I recommend a Diablo because it is the best for the fishing that we do. The answers do not surprise us. We think the same way about our Diablo Adios that we use as our photo boat. We

do like the suggestion about the tackle boxes and perhaps a rail system might be useful as well. When we put the BassYaks on our photo boat we really could see how well they are made. Solid would be a good word to describe an Adios. It should be noted that one of the anglers that we sent the questionnaire to weighs over 300 pounds and finds the Adios to be extremely stable for him. He stands up and enjoys fly fishing from it and walks around on it. We took our Adios out on a windy day to test her in the chop and found it to be very good. Of

course a kayak that sits that low to the water with little freeboard is going to get some water in it however it drains right out. We like the standard deck pads that come with the Adios. They are glued down to stay and they buffer any movement noise. The standard beverage holders are very handy and with all of the new features found on the 2013 Adios, we are sure it will continue to grow in popularity. Also please keep in mind that we test every product ourselves before inviting a company to become a sponsor of the Kayak

Fishing ClassicS. It takes time and money and we are glad to do it to help assure you that what we award you at a ClassicS tournament is great gear designed with our anglers in mind.

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National Championship The Kayak Fishing ClassicS saltwater tournament series crowned a new champion on November 3 in Tampa Bay, Florida. The ClassicS held the invitational National Championship Classic which was hosted by Whiskey Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The National Championship Classic (NCC) followed the Series Championship which is the culmination of ten open tournaments held along the Gulf Coast throughout the series year which begins in January each year. The top anglers of the series are invited to the NCC and all must fish in a designated zone for the same species of fish. The NCC was a Redfish, Snook & Trout Slam in which the contestants must catch, photograph & release one fish of each species. Harder than it sounds, particularly on tournament day when the pressure is on. What is at stake? Well bragging rights for a year to begin with. Then there is over $10,000.00 in Sponsor Gear Prizes plus a Diablo Paddlesports Adios kayak. There is national exposure and possible sponsorships also involved.

2012 National Champion Joe Lineberry Come tournament day, it is anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game. The playing field is leveled and all of the series points have been cleaned off of the leader board. Everyone is at zero, the sun is coming up and it is time

to go catch fish and catch fish they did. In particular, the new champion had a field day and his best tournament day ever. Joe Lineberry launched his kayak and paddled out to his early fishing location as per his plan. The 25 year US Army veteran always has a plan. He made a couple of casts and connected with a fat 23 inch snook. He boated her, said cheese for the photo and released the beauty to fight another day. A few more casts connected Lineberry with a nice 23.9 inch trout which was also photographed and released. With two of the three species recorded, Lineberry did not feel he go catch larger fish so it was time for a two mile paddle to his redfish flats. Using D.O.A. and MirrOlure lures Joe began the hunt for reds. He caught a few and had his slam by 7:30 AM. He kept on searching, looking for an upgrade in size to help assure his victory. He had put a lot of pressure on himself. He

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Derick Burgos with his 2nd Place National Championship plaque. Derick is not stranger to the podium stand and always seems to find the fish.

really wanted to win this tournament as it would be his lastâ&#x20AC;Ś Lineberry is retiring from the Army and joining his

wife in Canada where they will run their family marina. Lineberry kept searching, a hunt if you

will. Then he spotted a large bull red tailing on the flats. He picked up his Deep South Rod with the D.O.A. Shad

Otis Coblentz is ready to bust a smile. He won the 3rd Place Podium in the Nationals this year. Otis is looking forward to the 2013 series and is figuring his strategy already.

Congratulations Jose Vidal for your 4th Place win in the Nationals this year. We know we are going to see Jose a lot in 2013. He did Team Diablo proud in 2012 and is looking forward to fishing the new East Coast Series division.

Tail soft plastic lure on it. He made the cast, landing the lure just in front of hungry redfish. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come on, take itâ&#x20AC;? said Joe under his breath as all of us do. Then the flats erupted with an explosive strike that

sent water and sand sparkling into the morning sky. The commotion of the battle could be heard across the flats. Lineberry had to be careful. This was the tournament winning redfish he had been

searching for, hoping for, and perhaps praying for. Joe had picked up his lightweight rod with only 6 pound test line on the spool and a mere 15 pound test fluorocarbon leader on it. That was the

Congratulations Michael Davidson proudly displays his 5th Place plaque for his efforts in the National Championship. We hope to see more of him next year as he always locates fish and puts on a good show.

Congratulations Joe Komyati for the great job you did in 2012. Joe nearly won the Series Championship this year and really made it close. Joe won the Railblaza Action Photo Award in the Nationals this year and is looking forward to winning it all next year. Joe knows how to put on the pressure and we look forward to his return in the Gulf Coast Series division in 2013.

only thing that connected him to a day in the sun or a bitter defeat. The battle raged for several minutes. The bull fought like an experienced champion and was determined to retain his freedom of the flats. Finally outwitted, the powerful redfish was landed, photographed and released after a proper revival. The mighty red had tested the tackle to the limit and lost to the skill of a master an-

gler. The redfish measured 27.4 inches and was fat. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking three hamburgers a day fat. You could not get your hands around him and was one beautiful redfish. As Joe watched the red swim away it saddened him. He knew that was it, he was through. No longer would he compete with his friends. No longer would

he share in their happiness and laughter as he had done for so long. Soon it would be time to move on as it was all too familiar in army life. Joe Lineberry made the paddle back to his launch and drove to the photo weigh in at Whiskey Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where his friends were waiting for him. He sat down at the scoring table and tried to conceal his

Jose Vidal was all smiles after a great day on the water. Jose also caught the Biggest Fish and won the Bending Branches Big Fish Award. Joe turned in a 30.3 inch redfish. Congratulations Jose and nice job.

excitement with his best poker face. He scored a total of 84.3 inches with the slam bonus and that was more than good enough to claim his new thrown. Joe Lineberry became the Kayak Fishing ClassicS 2013 National Champion on that day. He saved the best for last in true champion fashion and earned the respect and admiration of anglers everywhere. All of us at the ClassicS, Diablo Paddlesports, all of our Sponsors and all of your friends congratulate you Joe in your stunning victory. A fitting end to this chapter of your life and a wonderful new beginning to the next. We will all miss you… Derick Burgos of Team Diablo came in second place with a total of 74.1 inch slam and Otis Coblentz scored a total of 67 inches with his slam to capture third place. Jose Vidal, also of Team Diablo scored a total of 43.7 inches with a redfish and a trout. Jose also took the Bending Branches ‘Big Fish’ award with his 30.3 inch redfish and earned himself fourth place in the national. Michael Davidson also entered a redfish and a trout for a total of 43.6 inches and hooked fifth place. Series Champion Marty Meakin was in the game but just could not connect with a redfish. He entered a nice snook and a trout measuring a total of 43.3 inches which landed the Series Champ in sixth place in the national championship and that is not too shabby. All of us here at the Kayak Fishing ClassicS and all of our wonderful Sponsors wish to thank and congratulate all of the anglers and fans that followed the series in 2012. All of us tip our hats to all of you for helping us make this such a great series.

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By Derick ‘PhatFish’ Burgos, Team Diablo Paddlesports

Fishing the KFC National Championship What seemed like a perfect day of fishing ended up to be a seriously tough one. Launch time was great, not a soul in sight so I paddled to my first spot with the thought of having my spot all by myself. Wrong! By the time I reached one of my favorite shorelines, what seemed like every boat in Tampa bay began to surround me leaving me limited with options. After paddling 30 mins to get there, I came to the realization that my day was going to be tough. So I did what any other angler fishing a tournament would and fished on. After an hour or so of casting my arms off, I approached an unoccupied Oyster bar that I knew had something waiting for me. First cast with my Slayer Inc. Gumbo

SST, two pops and BAM! Fish On! Moments and almost a cut-off later, I pulled my first fish of the day to the boat. I welcomed a decent 23” Snook. I was on the board. I knew that there were bigger ones but as the clock ticked I took that and moved on to find my Redfish. As quick as I began my search, I saw some decent pushes as the Redfish revealing their locations while searching for food. Quickly, I looked for the biggest push then threw my SST just ahead of the wake then held on to my Deep South Inshore rod. Moments later I landed, snapped a picture then carefully released a 23” Redfish which put me on with the 2nd species in the slam. I continued to look for a bigger one but only landed a couple smaller ones. Accepting my catch, it was time for the last fish, Mr. Trout. Finding Trout didn’t take long. They were right where I predicted them to be, hiding in the grass zipping through the pot holes. I began to see

TONS of Trout all between 20-26” so I began to think the I was in the $$...Nope! Once again, wrong, I casted my life away only to continue catching Trout no bigger than 13”! It wasn’t until the last 30 minutes before having to load up for the weigh-in I caught a 19 ½” er… Once again, land, pic, release then paddle my butt to the launch to get to Whiskey Joe’s in time for the weigh-in. With a total of 77 points (including bonus points for slamming) I came in 2nd Place overall for the 2012 Kayak Fishing Classics National Championship Tournament! Top 5 placings: Joe Lineberry Derick Burgos Otis Coblentz Jose”Pepi”Vidal Michael Davidson Congrats to all the winner and participants. See ya next year!

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Show Time Our magazine staff went to the 2012 ICAST show held in Orlando and we had a ball looking at all of the new gear coming your way in 2013.

We are not going to do a lot of talking here. Instead we’re going to let the photos speak for themselves and hope you enjoy it.

We did some film interviews, spoke to as many companies as we could in one day and then headed out for a tournament. We wanted to stay for all four days but we just couldn’t. The 2013 show is going to be in Vegas, Hmm… The rods, reels, nets, lures and electronics were incredible and what a selection. All of us felt like kids in a candy shop and we are sure our friend Steve Whitlock did too. Steve went with us as an artistic advisor to our magazine. I don’t know who had more fun, Steve or all of the people he spoke with. We have received some of the gear that we were interested for our testing and consideration for our 2013 Series. You may not know it but the Kayak Fishing ClassicS tests the gear we award at our tournaments before we invite the manufacture to become a sponsor. This way as an angler you know we are recommend gear based on results and performance. We hope that you visit all of our sponsors and do some shopping with them to show your appreciation for their efforts.

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We hope that you have enjoyed the ICAST shots. If you are like we are, we know you always like to look at kayak fishing gear….

Sad Isn’t It

Click Any Image To Enjoy the YakAngler Christmas Wish List 2012. We strongly support YakAngler in all that they do. If you kayak fish you should also at YakAngler.com

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays From All of our Sponsors

Host Sponsors We wish to thank all of our Host Sponsors how helped make the 2012 Kayak Fishing ClassicS Tournaments Series a fun and memorable series year. All of these fine water front eateries cheerfully opened their doors and their arms to welcome the ClassicS and our anglers. Although casual in attire, all of these restaurants offer a unique dining experience featuring great food and fantastic service. We ask that if ever you are in their neighborhood, please stop in and enjoy the same world class experience that all of us have and while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at it, please let them know that we sent you. Thanks and Enjoy Whiskey Joes Bar & Grill 7720 Courtney Campbell Causeway Tampa, Fl 33607 (813) 281-0770

Billyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stone Crab 1 Collany Road Tierra Verde, Florida 33715 (727) 866-2115

RIVERHOUSE Reef & Grill 995 Riverside Dr. Palmetto, FL 34221 (941) 729-0616

Host Sponsors Everglades Seafood Depot 102Collier Ave. Everglades City, Fl (239) 695-0075

Pecks Old Port Cove 6027 Cortez Blvd. Weeki Wachee, Fl 34607 (352) 795-2806

Old Salty Dog 1601 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, Florida 34236 (941) 388-4311

Miceliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant 3930 Pine Island Rd SW Matlacha, Fl 33993 (239) 282-8233