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Topic: Official 2013 AOTY thread.....  (Read 36176 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

upnorthtex

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Rockport, Texas
  • Date Registered: Apr 2012
  • Posts: 214
I wondered what ya'll did when the wx was cold and the waves are high. Now I see, argue about what looks like a pretty good contest with fair rules for all. No matter were you live all roads lead to the fish you want if you really want it, otherwise just have fun and don't be so serious. Art


Yaktrap

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Seattle WA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 712
How about squid/cuttlefish?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

YES, Squid. Getting lots this year. Yummy.
Sponsors:
Werner Paddles, RAM Mounts and Kokatat Waterwear

AOTY wins: 2013 (2049 points), 2015 (2026 points)


Lee

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Snagged one of those with my big hammer the other day.  It was similar in color, and I think it might have been trying to copulate.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 


Noah

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Is the 2013 AOTY committee formed yet? Perhaps we could have a list of suggested rule changes (if any) and let the committee hammer them out? Or put them up to some sort of vote to those the participated in 2012?


jgrady

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OK so the Biggest Difference I see is A Peddle Verse's Paddle ,Most the Top 10 guy's are all on Nice Peddle Boat's where when starting out,Most the lower guys are on paddle kayaks,It's a Money thing I'm sure,At least it is for Me.and It seems a bunch of the top guys are Sponsored in one way or another. but I have found I get left in the the dust fighting current and keeping up with the peddle Class Kayaks and as I'm a poor guy I,m not getting a new pro boat anytime soon. But if you've got the money Peddle Not paddle. 2 class Aoty ? Peddle and Paddle? just a idea.or keep thing's just as they are.



Noah

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OK so the Biggest Difference I see is A Peddle Verse's Paddle ,Most the Top 10 guy's are all on Nice Peddle Boat's where when starting out,Most the lower guys are on paddle kayaks,It's a Money thing I'm sure,At least it is for Me.and It seems a bunch of the top guys are Sponsored in one way or another. but I have found I get left in the the dust fighting current and keeping up with the peddle Class Kayaks and as I'm a poor guy I,m not getting a new pro boat anytime soon. But if you've got the money Peddle Not paddle. 2 class Aoty ? Peddle and Paddle? just a idea.or keep thing's just as they are.
It's a migration that many have made but it doesn't do anything to increase your fishing ability. You do have have to apply a bit different of a technique but there are a number of paddlers here that will out-fish us peddlers on a regular basis. Spending a day with Spot or kykfshr will leave no doubt in your mind.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2012, 12:28:49 PM by Noah »


Lee

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OK so the Biggest Difference I see is A Peddle Verse's Paddle ,Most the Top 10 guy's are all on Nice Peddle Boat's where when starting out,Most the lower guys are on paddle kayaks,It's a Money thing I'm sure,At least it is for Me.and It seems a bunch of the top guys are Sponsored in one way or another. but I have found I get left in the the dust fighting current and keeping up with the peddle Class Kayaks and as I'm a poor guy I,m not getting a new pro boat anytime soon. But if you've got the money Peddle Not paddle. 2 class Aoty ? Peddle and Paddle? just a idea.or keep thing's just as they are.

Spot has won AOTY more than once, and he doesn't have a Hobie.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2012, 12:31:51 PM by Lee »
 


ZeeHawk

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Mark's just dreamy....
2010 Angler Of The Year
2008 Moutcha Bay Pro - Winner
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snopro

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  • Date Registered: Jun 2008
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Please understand what I'm about to write is done with total respect for everyone on this site and those taking part in AOTY 2012.  I'm not trying to start a flame war but would like to discuss what I feel is a growing issue heading into AOTY 2013.

In the years I've participated in the AOTY tournament I've really enjoyed the experience.  I've never finished close to the top ten but I've caught many personal best fish, learned how to catch new species, and caught some fish that finished number one for their species.  It was fun and I always felt like how I did was proportional to how much effort I put into it.  If I wanted to score higher I felt like it was within my ability to do so.

It's been said many times that AOTY is a game and strategy is an important element.  I totally agree.  With that understanding, rules are an important element to keep the playing field level and give everyone hope for doing well but also to provide a guideline for developing your strategy.  As far as I'm concerned everyone has played the game fairly and within the rules, but I think this season may be a turning point for future contests.

The issue is... size of the playing field.  I'd like the NWKA AOTY to have relatively the same area as the NCKA AOTY.  Here's why.

Up until this season, I felt like if I put my time in and had a little luck on my side I could place in the top ten or better.  All without having to drive more that 350 miles from my house.  I felt like this was one of the cool things about the tournament.  Even if you had an old truck, a cheap kayak, and crappy fishing gear you still had the ability to do well with skill and knowledge.   It's not that way anymore.  In the future, if we keep the rules as they are, I predict  the winner will always be someone who has fished both Alaska/Northern BC and WA/OR. Unfortunately taking people who can't travel those distance due to time or money out of the running for winning NWKA AOTY.

The way I see it Alaska will dominate the saltwater species, WA/OR will win all the warmwater species, and a few will be a wash (rainbows, steelhead, most salmon).  The two regions are so different that it would be extremely difficult to win unless you fish both.  While all the saltwater species are found in both regions the frequency of hooking into monster size (and well scoring) specimens is definitely in Alaska's favor.  Would it be possible to focus on the species that are small in the other region and still put together ten good scoring fish for a win?  Sure..... but you would be at a definite disadvantage to people fishing both regions.  This issue can't be resolved with changing points per inch.

It really pains me to say this because I've been stoked to see the folks from AK become members of this board and fishing in the AOTY.  No disrespect intended towards those members but I'd like NWKA AOTY to be WA/OR only.


Yaktrap

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  • Date Registered: Jul 2012
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Well said.  I agree the whole thing is very complicated.  That's the major reason I'm out.  I'll finish off what I started in July, but I'm done.  I might fish some single day events if they work into my regular fishing interest, but I'm going back to just fishing.  Maybe that means getting obsessive about Kings or Cutts or Bass and sticking on them for months at a time with little regard for other species, but that's how I like to waste away my fishing time.

Tight lines and stay safe out there.
Sponsors:
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AOTY wins: 2013 (2049 points), 2015 (2026 points)


jgrady

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  • Date Registered: Mar 2010
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Wow and here I thought it was all fun, Guys Dropping from next years run already? oh well, How Many of this year's top 10 now are using Peddle drive yaks? just wondering?How many are sponsored?just wondering how much time and money did it take to get to the top ten?I'm sure at gas price's Allot. But I joined to give it a try to see how I could do. and To help sapport the site as I'm sure it takes allot to run the site.And I'd like to say Thanks for the chance to participate.Just wish I had more time to fish on the nice days. Thanks To Polepole for all the hard work he's done.


Noah

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It's always important to remember that your entry fee supports the site directly. Even if you're not trying to win it's nice to be able to give something back to NWKA.

I count 7-8 Hobies in the top 10, but I'd be willing to bet those guys were also in the top 10 for hours spent fishing. I have a Hobie and spent a ton of time fishing this year but the boat was not enough to get me into the top 10 :) I'm pretty sure there are guys ahead of me with fewer hours but they have a higher degree of fishing skill. I'm completely okay with that.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2012, 06:45:33 PM by Noah »


craig

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If you look at the bottom five people that posted fish, four out of five were in Hobie peddle craft.  Using those stats, one could argue that a Hobie is a disadvantage. 

I don't think peddling is that much more of an advantage that it requires a special class. I finished 8th last year and all but two fish were caught in my home built plywood/fiberglass SOT paddle craft. The two caught in the Hobie were some of my lowest scoring, but tastiest fish.  Goldendog has been in the top ten every year and he paddles.  Fungunnin caught most of his fish paddling this year.  Rawkfish won it last year with a zombie trout he caught using his trusty old Mini-x.  Albeit he caught a majority of his fish from his Hobie.

The reason a lot of the dedicated paddlers are not in the top 10 this year is because they are not fishing it as hard as they have in the past due to life changes (ie children).  Then, there are some that enter the AOTY because it supports the site but would rather focus most of their fishing time on the delicious salmon.

As for being sponsored, the guys I know that are sponsored have to work several long days per year at sportsmen and boat shows along with the miscellaneous dealer shows just to get a discounted kayak every couple of years.  Then, they have to prepare and give seminars to addicts like myself (and I thank them for it). If a non-sponsored person were to pick up a few minimum wage shifts and work as many hours at that job as some of these sponsored guys spend working for their corporate overlords (I mean you Fiskari  >:D), I believe monetarily it would be similar.   I could be wrong, though.  All I know is that when I fish with the sponsored guys, we carpool just like everyone else because money is tight. I don't think they get their gas paid for by a sponsor.  If you guys are getting free gas, then you are dicks for making me pay. ;D

I doubt I will come near the top ten next year, because I want to get my boys much more involved now that they are older. I will probably focus on trout due to that reason.  When I am on my own, I will focus on salmon and maybe halibut. No more panfish and surf perch fishing for me.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2012, 07:34:20 PM by craig »


PNW

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I like the Pikeminnow idea. How 'bout a Eulachon/Herring category?  ;D


Pelagic

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Well said Craig. 

The year I worked at AOTY, taking second, I fished from a paddle yak and was beaten by Spot also in a paddle yak.  People need to get over the paddle yak vers Hobie thing. A good fisherman is a good fishermen period, regardless of how they move around. Buying a nail gun instead of using a hammer does not make one a master carpenter, skill and experience does.   Someone needs to swing by Costco and pick up a couple big blocks of cheese for all the whine around here ;D