NWKA AOTY (angler of the year)

Amos,
this means bigger load bars for your H3, right? 

For now it means only having one or the other until I get my trailer finished... 

That's the exact model and color (green) that we have. It's 5-6 years old, now, and has held up well. Nice compromise shape to it. Some rocker, for WW, and also a little bit of a V across the bottom, so it's OK for flatwater.

So I have a couple of questions about the AOTY for 2010.
(1) I started kayaking back in 2000 because it was a human powered endeavor (No dirty emissions and I got exercise) and it gave me access to fish that were otherwise hard to get to with a fly rod. I just wonder if anyone has a trolling motor mounted and if so do fish caught on kayak/PB hybrids still count. The rules say:
"All fish entered must be caught from a kayak, without the aid of a powerboat" This does not really cover new emerging technologies in our sport.
Personally I would be more than a little ticked if I saw some guy passing me in a bay or lake on a kayak while sitting back drinking a soda to the tune of an electric motor while I was working my arse off into a head-wind only to get to a spot and have Mr. Electric show me the three fish he has already caught for AOTY points. Don't care that people use them (well not much) just not for AOTY points...Curious what people are thinking.

(2) Should there be some sort of rule about fish being photographed on or near a kayak short of NWKA member witnesses. I have, like most of us, plenty of pictures of fish taken on docks, boat ramps, cleaning stations, river banks, PB's, etc. With the value of some of the prizes I would not put it past someone that just needs a little bigger Salmon or whatever fish to win this and for a new kayak there are probably plenty of people out there that might not play so fair. So I think it is very reasonable to at least want to see the fish on or near ones kayak it was caught off of as I believe most have been.

This will be my second year in the AOTY. Last year I came in last but I still had a lot of fun targeting fish outside of the trout I usually fish for. And while I assume everyone is in this for the same fun (and maybe a chance to beat SPOT) it is possible that some folks might try to take a short cut. Again curios about what people think.   

honor and respect
 I know of no one here I do not trust to post truthfully with AOTY catches.

We would have to publicly spank & otherwise humiliate anyone who tried it.

I don't know about the rest of you but I wouldn't paddle the ocean in a kayak I won by cheating.  When she comes calling for victims I want karma on my side.

We would have to publicly spank & otherwise humiliate anyone who tried it.

You're lucky AJ isn't signed up!  Yet...

We would have to publicly spank & otherwise humiliate anyone who tried it.

You're lucky AJ isn't signed up!  Yet...

he might like it

I don't participate in the AOTY- but have no issues with the system in place.  I know most people involved only through the club website... and competing in the annual Rockfish Classic.  The sportsmanship is solid and fluid throughout the club, thus alleviates any concern about the integrity of AOTY entries.  Fish on!
-Scott

Seems everyone has been played fair last year.  The top points holders did a good job of making sure the kayak was in the photo somehow with the fish, so I don't feel anyone has made any attempt to cheat there.  I'm sure BSteves will weed out questionable entries when we get closer to the end of 2010.   

Not that I have a ghost of a chance, nor am I in it for the prizes, but I have a hard time measuring and photographing fish on the boat on the water.  My official measurement photos will likely be taken, again, on dry land, but I promise all the fish will have been caught from the yak, on the water.  If anybody has a problem with that I'd gladly drop out of AOTY. 

I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna C&R a good size bass (if I catch one) and photo it without having to knock it out.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna C&R a good size bass (if I catch one) and photo it without having to knock it out.

Lip grippers do well for that.  But, be carefull!!!   You will get a full ration from eo and Noggin once you post it.....  

-Spot-

I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna C&R a good size bass (if I catch one) and photo it without having to knock it out.

Lip grippers do well for that.  But, be carefull!!!   You will get a full ration from eo and Nogin once you post it.....   

-Spot-

Not this year, my deficiency photoing caught and released bass has been well documented   Use whatever means necessary.