A real Kayak Fishing tour!!

Well it's happened. I never thought it would so quickly but an actual kayak fishing tour with 18 events. Pretty awesome that kayak fishing is getting there but no stops on the west coast!?!? One look at the logo below of the redfish tail and you know it's a gulf coast thing. More info below.

Z



HOBIE CAT COMPANY TO BE PRESENTING SPONSOR OF
NEWLY-FORMED IFA KAYAK FISHING TOUR

Oceanside, California - August 26, 2009 - Hobie Cat Company today is announcing a partnership with the Inshore Fishing Association (IFA) to be the presenting sponsor of the newly-formed IFA Kayak Fishing Tour. The tour will be launched in February of 2010 with an inaugural showcase event to take place on September 20, 2009 in Titusville, Florida, the day after the final IFA Florida East Coast Division Redfish Tournament. The series will include 18 catch-photograph-release Kayak Fishing Tour events plus a Championship. Events will be held on Sundays, each one following a Saturday IFA Redfish Tournament designed for motorized boats of 15' and longer.

The new IFA Kayak Fishing Tour, presented by Hobie Fishing, offers a viable and exciting alternative for those anglers who enjoy the spirit of competition and whose preference is for a non-motorized, self-propelled boat. The competition includes Redfish, Trout, Flounder and Aggregate/Slam divisions plus a Junior Angler award. Four Hobie fishing boats will awarded at each of the 19 tournaments, including the ICAST Best of Show Hobie Mirage Pro Angler to each Slam winner. The purse will also include cash prizes.

"Hobie Fishing, like the IFA, is dedicated to educating the fishing public on the importance of maintaining the country's fishing resources and promoting the friendly spirit of competition," commented Doug Skidmore, president of Hobie Cat Company. Bart Schad, IFA's vice president of marketing, went onto say that "in addition to partnering on education, the addition of Hobie Fishing opens up an exciting new dimension to our tournaments that can attract a whole new audience of anglers."

In addition to promoting the adrenalin rush of tournament kayak fishing, the tour addresses two important issues for Hobie. Hobie is 100% committed to ensuring that all their marketing efforts benefit their retail outlets so Hobie Fishing Team members, each sponsored by a local Hobie retailer, will participate in each event. In addition, the company is acutely aware that the growth of Hobie Fishing will ultimately come about by getting more anglers involved and by inviting young anglers into the sport. The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour will meet these goals.

The 2010 events include three events each in six regions including Florida East Coast, Florida West Coast, Atlantic, Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Texas. To sign up for the September 20 inaugural event, go to www.redfishtour.com.

Since 1950, Hobie has been in the business of shaping a unique lifestyle based around fun, water, and quality products. From their headquarters in Oceanside, California, Hobie Cat Company manufactures, distributes, and markets an impressive collection of eco-friendly watercraft worldwide. These include an ever-expanding line of recreational and racing sailboats; pedal-driven and paddle sit-on-top kayaks; fishing boats; and authorized parts and accessories.

What do we need to do to get a West Coast Tour?  Small tournament series next year ... one each in WA, OR, NorCal, and SoCal???

-Allen

What do we need to do to get a West Coast Tour?  Small tournament series next year ... one each in WA, OR, NorCal, and SoCal???

-Allen

Redfish

What do we need to do to get a West Coast Tour?  Small tournament series next year ... one each in WA, OR, NorCal, and SoCal???

-Allen

Lingzilla?

What do we need to do to get a West Coast Tour?  Small tournament series next year ... one each in WA, OR, NorCal, and SoCal???

-Allen

that would be so cool.. I would be all over that!   Maybe skip So Cal and add BC or alaska ( or both ).   West coast tour!

Well it's happened. I never thought it would so quickly but an actual kayak fishing tour with 18 events. Pretty awesome that kayak fishing is getting there but no stops on the west coast!?!? One look at the logo below of the redfish tail and you know it's a gulf coast thing. More info below.

I hope something is in the works for a west coast tour, that woukld be awesome!! I like poles idea, a mini west coast tour... I guess the hobie team members from the west coast need to push this idea with Hobie

What do we need to do to get a West Coast Tour?  Small tournament series next year ... one each in WA, OR, NorCal, and SoCal???

-Allen

that would be so cool.. I would be all over that!   Maybe skip So Cal and add BC or alaska ( or both ).   West coast tour!

It would be easy to skip SoCal and add BC.  I think we could do this and we (NWKA and NCKA) already control that market.  Just need to polish it a bit and sell it.

-Allen

would you have to run a Hobie yak to participate?

would you have to run a Hobie yak to participate?

Nah, they're just sponsoring the tour.

Z

My buddy Chappy completely wrecked the Hobies IFA Titusville Kayak Tourney today. (same guy with the Tarpon and who was on Whidbey Island)

That bastich won the Slam (Red, Specked Trout, Flounder), Biggest Red, and Biggest Trout. He brought home a Hobie Pro Angler, a Hobie Revo, and a Hobie Outback.

He snuck down there*without telling anybody and cleaned house. Then I found out that there was a miniscule turnout because of the late announcement. 12 anglers

To give credit where its due though, he really is a good fishermen (beat 470 anglers in the Jacksonville Classic for the best red <twice>) Which is probably why he has been able to really capitalize on lucky opportunities. But isn't that the definition?

One interesting tidbit is that he spent a few HOURS with a lie detector after the event. Madoc asked about that a while ago and I thought it was just a standard rider or something. Apparently not. 



*actually, he told me last week and I opted to spend the weekend with the family

What does the lie detector find?  Some kind of cheating in the tournement or on his wife?

Whoa
I dunno how i missed the first post. too cool. i'm jealous of those in the south

They probably hooked him up to a lie detector to figure out where he was fishing, so they could fish there themselves.

Good for him.  That is a huge win, even if the field was that small. 

Well it's happened. I never thought it would so quickly but an actual kayak fishing tour with 18 events. Pretty awesome that kayak fishing is getting there but no stops on the west coast!?!? One look at the logo below of the redfish tail and you know it's a gulf coast thing. More info below.

Z



HOBIE CAT COMPANY TO BE PRESENTING SPONSOR OF
NEWLY-FORMED IFA KAYAK FISHING TOUR

Oceanside, California - August 26, 2009 - Hobie Cat Company today is announcing a partnership with the Inshore Fishing Association (IFA) to be the presenting sponsor of the newly-formed IFA Kayak Fishing Tour. The tour will be launched in February of 2010 with an inaugural showcase event to take place on September 20, 2009 in Titusville, Florida, the day after the final IFA Florida East Coast Division Redfish Tournament. The series will include 18 catch-photograph-release Kayak Fishing Tour events plus a Championship. Events will be held on Sundays, each one following a Saturday IFA Redfish Tournament designed for motorized boats of 15' and longer.

The new IFA Kayak Fishing Tour, presented by Hobie Fishing, offers a viable and exciting alternative for those anglers who enjoy the spirit of competition and whose preference is for a non-motorized, self-propelled boat. The competition includes Redfish, Trout, Flounder and Aggregate/Slam divisions plus a Junior Angler award. Four Hobie fishing boats will awarded at each of the 19 tournaments, including the ICAST Best of Show Hobie Mirage Pro Angler to each Slam winner. The purse will also include cash prizes.

"Hobie Fishing, like the IFA, is dedicated to educating the fishing public on the importance of maintaining the country's fishing resources and promoting the friendly spirit of competition," commented Doug Skidmore, president of Hobie Cat Company. Bart Schad, IFA's vice president of marketing, went onto say that "in addition to partnering on education, the addition of Hobie Fishing opens up an exciting new dimension to our tournaments that can attract a whole new audience of anglers."

In addition to promoting the adrenalin rush of tournament kayak fishing, the tour addresses two important issues for Hobie. Hobie is 100% committed to ensuring that all their marketing efforts benefit their retail outlets so Hobie Fishing Team members, each sponsored by a local Hobie retailer, will participate in each event. In addition, the company is acutely aware that the growth of Hobie Fishing will ultimately come about by getting more anglers involved and by inviting young anglers into the sport. The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour will meet these goals.

The 2010 events include three events each in six regions including Florida East Coast, Florida West Coast, Atlantic, Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Texas. To sign up for the September 20 inaugural event, go to www.redfishtour.com.

Since 1950, Hobie has been in the business of shaping a unique lifestyle based around fun, water, and quality products. From their headquarters in Oceanside, California, Hobie Cat Company manufactures, distributes, and markets an impressive collection of eco-friendly watercraft worldwide. These include an ever-expanding line of recreational and racing sailboats; pedal-driven and paddle sit-on-top kayaks; fishing boats; and authorized parts and accessories.

You all don't have Redfish    ...That's why...  This is in cooperation with the existing Redfish Tournament Trail, and will be a Sunday Activity, AFTER the powerboaters have stirred al the fish up Saturday!   

Still, hope to have one in my hometown, and in Charleston and Savannah so I  can attend and sleep in my bed at home.

YotF