Angler of the Year 2016 - Kickoff and questions

I would love to get in on this! Are the sign ups open throughout the year.  I wont be able to get on the water until mid-March

I would love to get in on this! Are the sign ups open throughout the year.  I wont be able to get on the water until mid-March

Yes, you can sign up any time, but you need to sign up before you start registering fish. Looking forward to having you on board!

Do you have to keep the fish in order to get AOTY points?   I'm assuming catch, photo, then release is OK.

If for some reason the caught fish is not legal to keep (like slot limits for certain bodies or water or catching a species out of season) then would that be denied eligibility for AOTY points?

Not like I have any points yet...

Do you have to keep the fish in order to get AOTY points?   I'm assuming catch, photo, then release is OK.

If for some reason the caught fish is not legal to keep (like slot limits for certain bodies or water or catching a species out of season) then would that be denied eligibility for AOTY points?

Not like I have any points yet...

The fish must be legal to retain but can be photographed and released

Do you have to keep the fish in order to get AOTY points?   I'm assuming catch, photo, then release is OK.

If for some reason the caught fish is not legal to keep (like slot limits for certain bodies or water or catching a species out of season) then would that be denied eligibility for AOTY points?

Not like I have any points yet...

The fish must be legal to retain but can be photographed and released

This is a really important rule to highlight for newbies. I lost out some decent points in 2014 because of a slot limit fish. This also applies to situations where you've kept your limit for the day and then catch your monster.

 " Legal to Retain",  I have kind of an odd question, only because I fish some fly fish/barbless hooks only, catch and release waters.  Does a fish from a "C & R" lake count if it is photo'd and released?
Davis Lake is a catch and release lake  for trout, but not for the large mouth bass that inhabit the water, would those bass count for AOTY points? 

Not trying to make things difficult, I really don't care how the rule is applied, just would like a little clarification. Not that it probably matters, but my preference would be that fish from C & R areas don't count, less chance of inadvertently killing a fish.

Thanks for all the work you folks do.
John

The trout would not count but if you can keep the bass it would count. It must be legal to keep and kill the fish you wish to enter in AOTY.

Similarly if you are fishing for a sturgeon in a C&R area and happen to catch a salmon during an open season then that salmon would count even though you were targeting a C&R fish.

If you can legally keep the fish (i.e. kill it and take it home) then it's eligible for AOTY. If you cannot, then it isn't. So a trout from Davis Lake would not be eligible, but a bass would.

I understand your concern about waters that are generally C&R. Hopefully anglers can be good stewards of the resource and target bass (in the Davis Lake example) in ways that minimize impact to trout. It is exactly because we want to foster good stewardship that we only allow fish that could be legally kept.

Sorry to double-post on you there, Fungunnin!

That's the way I read the rules, just wanted to make sure.  Although, much like Yaktrap stated in the AOTY 2015, my goal this year is to learn, have fun, meet some of my fellow anglers.
Thanks
John

I would love to get in on this! Are the sign ups open throughout the year.  I wont be able to get on the water until mid-March

Yes, you can sign up any time, but you need to sign up before you start registering fish. Looking forward to having you on board!

Awesome!  I will defintly be joining when i arrive in Oregon.  I will be moving on 2/27-2/28.  However my work has me flying back to San Jose for my dirst week  .  Hope to get out on the water for my birthday, 3/15.

You want more sponsors, anyone? 'Cause we got more sponsors! Sorry for the delayed update, but I've been sick. We've been blessed with 5 new sponsors coming on board in the last couple of weeks including...

Kokatat
https://kokatat.com/

Who is donating one of their brand spanking new fishing PFDs, check it out:

Bahia Predator PFD



The winner will choose the size and color.

Redbeard, you are doing a great job.  As the sponsor list grows, what do you think needs to happen from the membership/ participants to help take this to another level?  Have ideas been brainstormed behind the scenes?  Or is the obvious answer... Just GO FISHING!

Redbeard, you are doing a great job.  As the sponsor list grows, what do you think needs to happen from the membership/ participants to help take this to another level?  Have ideas been brainstormed behind the scenes?  Or is the obvious answer... Just GO FISHING!

Great question. I think there can be a lot of answers. For the short-term I'm just focused on increasing interest through finding sponsors. What type of things are you talking about with regards to "taking this to another level"? I.e. bigger prizes, more aspects to the competition, more competitors, etc.?

Growth of the competition seems symbiotic between the competitors and the sponsors... So the better the participation and the more competitive it is the more sponsors (perhaps that means better prizes... Heck... A dream trip seems like a great ultimate prize someday:) ... Or Perhaps some notoriety in the fishing world ... An article profiling a great catch etc).  Seeking sponsors is great as a way to generate more interest, we should see an increase in participation for all your legwork.  Great job and thank you.  Now we all need to fish and make it competitive and rope in our friends.
To say you were the top five in a field of 50 is a lot more rewarding than a field of 20.

There are a lot of guys who write about kayak fishing for their sponsors... Maybe we can get a write up on the competition itself that can circulate the online blogs/social media to increase participation.
I also know there are a bunch of guys who used to compete that no longer compete... I wonder why?  Perhaps growth eventually would look like two divisions.

Maybe there can be a tournament or two that are actually sponsored by the AOTY where you can win a side challenge as well as catch something toward your yearly talley.  I know nwka members love their events.  Maybe host it at a some known trophy hotspots?

Anyhow, I'm fully aware that these are not likely new ideas and they are easily subject to the "been there done that" reaction... I'm just throwing thoughts out there.