Reports & Pics! 2nd Annual NWKA ALASKA Yak Classic - RULES & Official thread

Excellent! Congratulations to Rudy ... Looking forward to full particulars.

I went home with 3 halibut. Biggest one probably 17-20 lbs. it was great weather! Saturday we did a 15 mile or so round trip. Plus I fished from 3 am till 9 am that day and the day before I fished for a few hours.  I was too bushed from that to get up on Sunday morning and compete with mad man Rudy! Some neat pics my guest took. The first one was taken at 330 am. I believe that's the moon to the right of the sun. I'll admit I was so focused on fishing I completely missed the sunrise! At least My friend was paying attention. I didn't take any pictures of the fish... They were just average.

Well,  fortunately for me,  Uuqutiiq demanded I go out on the low tide with her.  This is an small halibut (36" so estimated 20 lbs), and I'd have not posted the pic... Except it was also my first one from a kayak. I got it on board before noon... So I'm saying that I wasn't skunked during the tournament.
 
More important to me... I caught one.  I was feeling pretty bleak after almost everyone else pulled one in on Saturday.
It was pretty cool to get to see you guys out there.  It's a good,  supportive group we have here.  Thanks,  all,  for participating--and thanks Rudy,  for managing things.  Also,  congrats,  you jerk.  :-)

Ok.  Here's my contribution.  Story will have to come later.

First half of the video is the 42 pounder.  The second half is 4 or 5 more fish I caught Fri-Sat.

Great video! I really like that still of you holding your prize-winner on the beach. That smile is 100 megawatts.  I can't help but smile right back.

First of all I want to thank the sponsors. 

First place prize: Release SG reel donated by an Anonymous NWKA member

Life jacket, dry bag, and rod and line counter reel combo donated by Sportsman's Warehouse and the Homer Chamber of Commerce.

Lures by Roust-A-Bout Lure company Roust-a-boutlures@hotmail.com 


Of course, thanks to everyone who came out.  I had a great time. 

Wow those are some great pics!  Post them if ya gottem!!!!

I was glad to see a lot of new faces!  Randy and his crew, Mike, Stephanie, and Dave.  Sorry I missed ya dudemandude! 

So I pre fish Friday and in less than 3 hours total fishing time,  I would say I managed to land over 6 or 7 halibut keeping a 30 pounder and a 40 pounder.  Wow...high expectations for the tournament!!!

Saturday rolls around and its slow.  But everyone is catching fish.  Unfortunately they are all cookie cutter 20 pounders and some smaller ones.  I laid my fish on top of Mike's which we thought was the largest and they were virtually identical...well they were by my eyes.  You couldn't beat the weather though!!!

So a 20 pounder is a great table fish, but its too small to win a derby with this many rods.  I launch at 4:30am on Sunday and get one final strike.  Turns out to be 46" and 42 pounds. 

We semi call it a day as Jeff and Sarah launch. As it turns out Jeff lands one before noon and its another one of the 20 pound cookie cutters. 

I humbly take the first place trophy and reel.   Andy, Dave, and Matt split the rod and reel combo, NRS life jacket, and a dry bag.  I have a small prize for Mike and one for Jeff.   I promise to be better organized with a board and measuring sticks and such next year.  I don't mind informal but it was too informal in a way.

So thank's again everyone.  We will try and take it up another level next year!  Be thinking of ways to make it better!!!!!!!

It's nice to see you all.  The weather was super nice but I can't say I enjoyed the circus of RVs, monster truck, horse and ATVs...all there for clam digging??  I'm just so happy that I caught my first halibut on my kayak!!!  For one day, I thought I had the biggest 'Butt to rub all over pro anglers.  Unfortunately someone had to set me straight who's the King.

I got home and measured my catch...came up to 37" so that puts it 23lb live weight.  My arms were so sore from paddling that this fish felt like 40lb.

I can't wait to go back there again and practice.  Hehe.

Nice fish everyone. Mak, It does get busy there at times, but I thought that was a bit of an anomaly last weekend. May- early June is great as well as late July, August. Not much for people usually. Rudy I agree this was a little too loosely goosey. Course I'll admit I didn't come up with any suggestions. I think we should do an official weigh in time each day, that way if people want to leave early they are at least entered. So who had the orca come up next to them?!

So easy cavemen can do it! Had a great time and it was good to meet all of you cats. PM me Mike if you get time to do a water taxi trip. Thanks for putting this together Rudy!

Hey Randy!! Pm me a mailing address if you like!  I have a small prize for you as well!!!

It was great to get down there for the night and into the morning. It would have been nice to fish longer but my wife had to work, but she graduates on August 15th with a Nursing degree from UAA so we should be able to fish more. I am really fortunate to have a wife that loves to fish!

So fun to read all your stories from the Classic and see your pics! I missed most everyone, arriving late Saturday and fishing the morning on Sunday. I hope to fish the entire Classic next year!