Tournament at Williamsport Lakes

[jad2t]

I finally was able to make it to one of the kayak fishing events and I'm sure glad I did. This was my first tournament and I took 3rd place :D There were a lot of very talented fishermen out there but today was an awfully tough day to fish. Quite a few people didn't catch a single fish. Many left Shellcracker to head to Goldeneye but I stayed put. I caught my first fish about 15 minutes after the tournament started, a whimpy 9" bass. I didn't catch another fish, nor even felt a bite, until just after 3pm when I caught an 18.25 inch hawg! Very fat and healthy looking fish too. I was stoked and had another 30 minutes to fish and knew I needed one more decent sized fish to have a chance. About 10 minutes later I caught a 15 inch fish. After I took the photo and released it I had about 20 minutes left. I wanted to try for a bigger one but I was worried I'd lose track of time and get a penalty for turning in the pictures late so I called it a day.

At about 2pm I was close to just leaving since I wasn't catching any fish, and most of the people I talked to weren't either. Good thing I stayed! I have pics of the two fish I submitted, all the kayaks ready to go, and the nice scenery of the lake. This is a pretty place. Big bass was 20.5 inches I believe and there was also a 19" caught as well as several 15-17 inch fish. These lakes are just full of quality sized bass. I'll definitely be making another trip there.

Great event and great people. I can't wait for the next one!

[Reel Tune]

WTG Jimmy. It was a tough day, and you stuck with it.

With all the boats starting on Shellcracker we decided to start on Goldeneye. We stayed there the whole time. Sarah was wacking the 14-15 inchers, and finished with 31.25" for her two fish bag for 6th place. For me on the other hand it took 3 hrs to catch one 8.25" fish, and then caught a 14.75, then threw back n the same brushpile and the line started moving sideways, and I set the hook like no other I felt the fish during the hookset from about the 1 o' clock position to the 0030 position and then nothing. I looked down and my power pro superslick was in the air coming back at me with nothing else, the line had broke at the Uni to Uni, I saw my mono floating so I paddled over to get it, and it swam off slowly. That would have been my updrade for sure. Unfourtanately I had to leave early to go to work.

We had the lake or mudhole to ourselves until about 10 O'clock and then others started showing up, and it got a little too close for comfort.

[Alphahawk]

Congrats Jimmy! What was the big fish? You got some nice ones there.



Regards

[Alphahawk]

Was heading up to Spring Hill and saw a couple of vehicles with kayaks heading north. Is there a page somewhere with tournament results....pics?



Regards

[Reel Tune]

Here's what I have so far.
Results are not posted anywhere yet.
Here's what I know, as I wasn't there just 2nd hand info
1st Craig Dye
2nd Ron Champion
3rd Jimmy D
4th Scott Fuji and Big fish at 20.25"
5th??
6th Sarah
30 total anglers
Full results will be posted on the Tennessee Kayak Anglers website/Forum, Tennessee Kayak Anglers Facebook Page, and I'll relay them over here also.

This is Craig Dye's 2nd tournament win this week where Tuesday he won $90 in a weekday tournament. I'm sure this win brought him in around $400 in money and prizes. Third win in a month that I know of. Looks like he will have the kayaks paid off in no time. He'll be out of the circuit and Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee will be safe again after the baby comes.

Ron Champion is a seasoned tournament angler from a bass boat. He hopped in the kayak a few months ago, and is really enjoying the camaraderie and challenge it takes to successfully land fish out of plastic. He’s been hitting the weekly tournaments and making some good videos recently. He’s got a lot of big names backing him.

Scott Fuji, and his son Ryan have been making waves from the plastic vessels this year by fishing almost every day. From what I hear Scott has taken a year off work to pursue black bass from the kayak and all the practice has shown recently with great finishes in weekly’s and big fish and a very respectable 4th place in today’s tournament. Ryan laid down the smack on the 1st weekly, but has been letting the old guys feel better about themselves recently.

[Transplanted Sportsman]

Congrats Jimmy!!, those fish are very chunky and healthy!! looks like a great turn out to this event, I may get into one of this soon I hope,
hey Jeremy, I think I would gladly would have taken a no bite at all day that weedeating a fence row with Johnson's grass taller than me for half a day:(!! that stinks any day but specially such a pretty day as yesterday!! a lot more fun in the kayak!! and I have no shame in admiting that my daughter beats me fishing any day!!WTG guys!! (and lady!!)

[Reel Tune]

Here are the full results

1. Craig Dye 35.75
2. Ron Champion 34.25
3. Jimmy DiTraglia 33.5
4. Scott Fujimura 32.5
5. Kevin McCullough 32.0
6. Sarah Meier 31.25
7. Hunter Ferguson 30.5
8. Logan Ardry 30.25
9. Michael Kiser 28.25
10. Terry Bowman 26.25
11. Jeremy Meier 23.00
12. Kenny McDonald 20.25
13. Wraith Haun 19.0
14. Chris Odum 15.5
15. Bridgett Howard 12.5
16. Ryan Fujimura 8.25
17. Landon McDonald 8.25
18-30 0.00
Two fish limit