David Sikes Artical

[DebiB]

FishingKayak fishing evolves with Third Coast tournaments
By David Sikes (Contact)
Originally published 05:31 a.m., January 31, 2008
Updated 05:31 a.m., January 31, 2008


The format for kayak fishing tournaments is evolving.

The kayak-angling culture soundly rejects traditional kill contests where dead fish are brought to a marina to be ranked by weight. And early attempts at live weigh-in contests have fallen short of expectations.

Many kayak anglers are not looking to alter their vessels to accommodate live wells, with or without an aeration system. Plus, live fish may not keep well during warmer months, when kayak fishing is most practical.

So it makes sense to design a format that involves catching, photographing and the option to immediately release fish.

And this is what Jerry and Debi Book at Jerry B's Kayaks have created. Add to this a charitable element and The Third Coast Kayak Fishing Series could well become the standard by which other contests are measured.

I have nothing against fishing tournaments as a financial enterprise. I'm a good capitalist, and I endorse responsibly profiting from our public resources. And most fishing tournaments contribute to worthy conservation causes.

The the Third Coast Kayak Series is different, though. It's a true charity event that operates under the legal constraints of its non-profit status. Not a single tournament official, organizer, judge or helper draws a salary or is paid wages.

After subtracting expenses and cash awards from the gross, the entire remaining sum is given to a conservation program chosen for each contest location. For the upcoming Corpus Christi event Feb. 23, the money will go to the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program. The Aransas Pass contest in October will benefit the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation. This is a fundraising event that promotes kayak fishing and conservation.

I'm OK with Jerry B's Kayaks boosting the shop's success as result of its association with the contest. The Book's are good people who deserve some reward for the number of hours they'll be logging with this event, which is not their only charitable affiliation.

Third Coast is a five-contest series, but cash awards will be issued at the end of each event. There is a provision for an overall winner with a bigger payout, which requires participation in at least four events during a calendar year.

And there is a junior division for anglers 13 and younger. Junior anglers must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the captains meeting and during the contest.

For this format to work, anglers will be expected to submit clear images of their fish positioned properly on an official tournament ruler. To clearly show length, I'd recommend shooting several sharp tight pictures of each fish with an appropriate point-and-shoot camera. Those plastic single-use cameras create good images, but they don't have a removable memory card that would allow contest judges to download photos immediately.

And camera phones are no good because they don't allow for easy transfer of images in remote locations where e-mail access might not exist. In addition, they don't provide the level of photo quality required for clear viewing. In other contests with this format, photo quality has created an occasional problem, but I think this can work.

THIRD COAST KAYAK FISHING CONTEST DATES

– Feb. 23: Corpus Christi to benefit Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program.

– April 19: Port Isabel to benefit the U. of Texas Brownsville Southernmost College environmental-education program for junior high students.

– June 21: Port O'Connor to benefit Save the Seagrass.

– Sept. 6: Kingsville to benefit a cause TBA

– Oct. 25: Aransas Pass to benefit the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation.

Other info

– Entry Fee: $75 early fee; $100 from two weeks before up to the day before the captains meeting; $25 junior entry.

– Format: Redfish and trout lure-only, allows scented lures and Fishbites.

Contact

http://www.thirdcoastkayakfishingseries.com or Debi Book at 244-2161 or thirdcoastkayakfishing@yahoo.com.