I'm Back

[Reel Tune]

I know I’ve been missing for a while, about a week. I have been in Cross, SC for the Kayak Bass Fishing Open and Invitational. This is the largest kayak fishing tournament that has ever been held, and will be at the same time and place next year. This tournament, like most kayak fishing tournaments are judged by photos with a special identifier and strict requirements for the photos. This is called C.P.R., or catch photo and release.
I left Nashville at 0130 Wednesday morning and arrived in Cross, SC at Blacks Camp before noon. Immediately before checking in or unloading the car we started getting the banquet hall together. By about 6pm I was ready to finally check in. There were 111participants competing for $8000. $3,000 for the Open and $5000 for the Invitational along with another $3500 in cash, $5,000 in kayaks (Wilderness Systems, KC Kayak, and Diablo) Orca Coolers from here in Tennessee donated at 40, and 20qt cooler, Columbia clothing donated around $1000 in product, All Pro Rods from here in Tennessee donated 12 fishing rods of the anglers choice, Bending Branches donated about 15 paddles, Yak Attack donated 6 Black Packs, Hook1 gave 40% off everything for the rest of the year to 4 anglers, 20% off everything to all anglers, and $500 in Gift Cards, a Torqueeto valued at $1800, also prizes from Bio Edge, Secret Weapon Lures, and many more. I would say there were over $20,000 in prizes, that’s not bad considering we fish out of pieces of plastic. Next year it is looking much more lucrative.
Thursday and Friday was the Open this gave the people that hadn’t already qualified for the Invitational a chance to qualify. The Open was held on Santee Cooper and you were allowed to fish wherever you wanted as long as it was after first light, and you had to be back at Tournament Central (Black’s Camp) by 4pm to turn in your fish. There were people who come from all over the country the longest travel was Main, followed by a couple people from Texas then a guy from Kansas. The first day the field was cut in half, and the second day was cut deeper. Andy Thompson Jr from Tallahassee, Fl won the Open.
The Invitational was held at VIP Adventures http://vipadventures.net/ .These are six managed private trophy lakes. Saturday was the first day of the Invitational and the field of about 30 was cut down to 15. Sunday it was the top 15 anglers fishing for the $5000 cash. We split the group of 15 in to 3 groups of 5 and fished 3 lakes at VIP Adventures. Each group had 3 hours on each lake to catch their longest fish before rotating to a different lake. Also each lake had a boat to where you could keep a big fish in the live well if you wanted to weigh in for a bonus prize of heaviest fish the boats included a Phoenix, Ranger, and another large bass boat . All 15 anglers were able to fish all 3 lakes where you would take your three longest fish of the day to make your total length. Well it was a very close competition. The winner hasn’t been announced, but will be later this week.
I got back home yesterday around 1530, and unloaded, and ready to be back to work working a 40hr week because that’s like a vacation. Every day we were up at 0500, and didn’t get to bed until at least midnight every night. The tournament went very smooth and very little hiccups. I look forward to the same tournament at the same place at the same time next year. I think I’ll have to take another vacation to help out again.
Jeremy

[MNfisher]

Awesome! Sounds very well put together!

[Reel Tune]

Sorry I put this in local fishing.

I was under the assumption that it was going to be crazy, and it would be difficult. Chad knows how to run a tournament. He was actually approached at Blacks and asked to come down and run a big bass boat tournament it went so well. Also next spring a $1,000,000 bass will be released in the Santee Cooper Chain Lakes, this was just announced while we were there.

Jeremy

[Alphahawk]

Sounds like a heck of a tournament. Glad all went well. Hope to see you out on the water in a few weeks.


Regards