Worldwide Demand Grows as Sport Popularity Explodes

Kayak Fishing has become very popular worldwide and there is no end in sight for the industry boom. The demand for top shelf, high quality accessories has also grown and there is plenty of completion on the worldwide market.

The Kayak Fishing ClassicS has also grown over the past five years and anglers and manufactures alike are benefiting from the efforts of the tournament series. With so many new anglers to the sport of kayak fishing, there is a need for video instructions on just how to install all of these cool accessories. Even old timers to the sport can learn something new and a few tricks may surprise even them.

Capt. Pat Horrigan, national director of tournaments for the Kayak Fishing ClassicS has begun filming a variety of projects to assist the average angler. INTOVA Cameras have sponsored the video projects for the ClassicS and is the official camera sponsor to the series. The video direction is one of informing kayak anglers how to install and use sponsor products correctly as well as some very cool fishing destinations planned for 2014.

YAKGEAR recently supplied the ClassicS with their Advanced Anchor Trolley system and of course the install meant it was time for another ‘How To’ film. You can see all of the films on the Kayak Fishing ClassicS video channel on our website including destinations, how to, recent videos, sponsor interviews and more at www.KayakFishingClassicS.com

The anchor trolley system is one of the most widely used accessories in the sport and fairly easy to install. It is also easy to install it incorrectly so our good captain grabbed an INTOVA camera, tripod and sound system to film the install. If you have never made such an install and are thinking about it you should really watch this short film.

YAKGEAR makes a huge selection of kayak fishing accessories and all of them are very well thought out. Their directions are spot on or you can watch our video. Please YAKGEAR on their website to take a look at their full line of accessory products at www.YAKGEAR.com or visit them on our website in Our Sponsors section…good fishing and see you on the water.

Cliff Outdoors Joins Kayak Fishing ClassicS

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

Cliff Outdoors has joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS tournament series and will be providing their unique fly boxes as a sponsor. Cliff Outdoors has some great core values when it comes to designing and manufacturing their fly fishing products. To begin with the product must be a useful and practical design. It must function correctly and be made to the highest standards and have a fair price.

Their no nonsense philosophy is evident in all that Cliff Outdoors makes and we must say their products are dripping with quality. You might wonder how technical can a fly box be…it’s not fancy it’s just made to last and last. They are easy to use and they just make a lot of sense. The unique method of actually holding the fly in place will catch your eye. The blue material has slots in it to store a bag full of flies. To place the hook into the slot, just press the bend of the hook into the slot. Simple! To remove the fly, just lift it at the eye and remove the hook. No more ripping chunks of foam out of your favorite fly box.

The capacity of Cliff’s Bugger Beast will satisfy your fly hording urges and then some. Having the room to neatly organize your flies is a huge bonus and all of Cliff Outdoors fly boxes have great capacity and depth. For salt anglers the Beast series is awesome. We throw some big flies and having a box series designed with us in mind is a greatly appreciated bonus. A fly fishing buddy of mine first showed me the Bugger Beast fly box. He pulled it out the box and its bright yellow color caught my eye. I watched him and when he opened it I could not believe what I was seeing. He handed me the Bugger Beast for a closer inspection and I was very impressed with the high quality, capacity and ease of adding and removing flies. The rock solid slide latches will never manage to magically open on their own and spill your flies to the winds…had that happen once but that’s another story in it of itself.

I had to share my find with our contestants in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS tournament series. Cliff’s made this easy and I think they were as excited as we are about them joining us as a sponsor. Cliff’s sent me a Bugger Beast series box for texting and it was more than I had hoped for. I loaded the box with flies, closed the two slide latches and rocketed it against a block wall…it didn’t open. I did it again with no ill effects and much to my surprise there wasn’t a single fly lose in the box when I opened it. Knowing that it withstood this abuse gave me confidence that it will withstand baggage handlers at global airports as well as being sat upon occasionally by jealous friends.

 Cliff Outdoors makes a variety of fly boxes and fly fishing accessories that you can count on.  Visit Cliff Outdoors on our website or check out on their website at www.CliffOutdoors.com and when you do please tell them we sent you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNtUk4Mprl8

It’s Always Better the Next Day…

Fishing is kind of like making stew…it just seems to always be better the next day. During a recent Kayak Fishing ClassicS tournament I noticed at weigh in how many anglers didn’t catch exactly what they had in mind. A gathering of great kayak anglers fishing in a general area known for big fish should have produced some great catches during the tournament. Mind you it is winter fishing after all and the weather has been less than desirable but the fish were there and they still have to eat. So why is it that when the spotlight is on, the fishing is just average and the next day fishing is better?

Case in point: Marty Meakin had an average day for a great angler during the Weedon Island Classic held  on January 25^th. He placed in the ‘Top Ten’ which is darn good considering the talent pool of anglers from as far away as Canada, New York, California and of course from all over Florida. Marty selected the new Ohero Carbonado Kayak Rod as one of his sponsor gear prizes. I saw him looking the Ohero rod over at the awards and watched him select it after a few careful flexes and shakes of the rod. I knew I would hear from him on this, good or bad.

The next day Marty headed out to some of his spots in the same general waters to try out his new Ohero rod and just blew it up. The temperature was nice, the winds were low, the sun was shining and the fishing was on fire. It was a perfect recipe for some hot action and it turned out giving up a new personal best. It was pretty early when my phone pinged with a text message that he was on fish using the new rod. It’s important to note that Meakin is highly experienced and is an expert when it comes to kayak fishing and uses some pretty nice rods that would make most of us green with envy.

It wasn’t long after that when I heard another ping; this message contained a photo of a nice fish. This went on for some time. Well in fact most of the day. Meakin used the Ohero Carbonado rod all day and was blowing it up using a MirrOlure MirrOmullet #49 to perform is dastardly deeds of catching one nice fish after another for most of the day. I spoke with Marty about how he liked the rod and his reply said it all in a few words; “I used the rod all day throwing the MirrOmullet. The action is fast and smooth, casts great and is lightweight and very sensitive. I didn’t want to put it down. How much did you say this rod sells for?”

Marty went on to tell me that he caught a personal best redfish to go along with several other nice reds and how well the Ohero Carbonado-7’ ML kayak rod handled his 33” redfish. The action on the rod is outstanding and he felt every subtle nibble and bump that winter reds dish out. I’m pretty sure that he has a new favorite rod and asked me where he can pick up some more.         
                                                                        Some guys just love day old stew…

                              You can learn more about the Ohero Carbonado rods at www.OheroFishing.com

                       Intova Joins Kayak Fishing ClassicS

The INTOVA Camera Company has joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS as a camera sponsor for the ClassicS 2014 tournament series year. INTOVA will be awarding their unique video camera throughout the series as well as providing the ClassicS staff with cameras for their new upcoming video channel.

The INTOVA Sport HD II sports video camera is compact and lightweight as well as waterproof…perfect for kayak anglers who want to capture high end video of their fishing adventures. When in video mode, recording starts when motion is detected making capturing those special film sequences much easier and allowing the angler to concentrate on the task at hand…fighting a big ole fish.

The INTOVA Sport HD II features shooting in 720p@60fps for improved video slow motion. The Sport HD II also offers full 1080p High Definition Video with 140 degree wide angle lens without the “fish eye” distortion found in other similar cameras. Anglers can use Micro SD cards up to 32GB to store their prized shots and enter them in the ClassicS Video Challenge, more on that later.

Intova’s patented and unique Unibody design builds the electronics directly into the compact camera body which floats and is constructed of rugged polycarbonate injected with UV. The lens port features a proprietary UV treatment to increase scratch resistance and reduce reflection. Its flat design allows for seamless operation above or below the water and is waterproof to 200 feet. The camera housing includes buttons for full camera control in all environs.

The Sport HD II has a standard ¼” tripod thread to fit a huge selection of Intova mount accessories. The camera features a high quality LCD screen that acts as a viewfinder and playback monitor and may be turned off to save your batteries when the screen is not needed…nice.

The INTOVA Sport HD II has many more features that kayak anglers worldwide will applaud. “This has been a long journey for us here at the ClassicS, to find the perfect camera for our contestants and film staff” said Capt. Pat Horrigan, national director of tournaments. The captain went on to say “having a camera in a compact, rugged  body that has a great lens to shoot both high quality stills and vids that can take the punishment they are going to receive is what we have been searching for. We have tested many different small cameras that just don’t have everything we need in one package but we have found it in the INTOVA Sport HD II and it even floats.”

Look for the Sport HD II on the Kayak Fishing ClassicS website and be sure to visit INTOVA at www.INTOVA.net    Good Fishing!

              
                  Ocean Kayak Joins Kayak Fishing ClassicS

 

Ocean Kayak has joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS as a major sponsor. “We are very excited and pleased to welcome Ocean Kayak to the ClassicS” said Capt. Pat Horrigan, national director of tournaments. “Ocean Kayak brings an exciting all new boat to everyone in the Prowler Big Game II which adds another awesome kayak to their great fleet” the captain went on to say.

The all new Prowler Big Game II kayak is truly an engineering and design success which is a major update to the original Prowler Big Game. Ocean Kayak will be awarding kayaks at the ClassicS Invitational National Championship Classic in October and will be heavily involved in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS’ Johnson Outdoors World Championship in November.  

Ocean Kayak have long been an industry leader, producing top quality, high energy kayaks supporting a global fan base of paddlers and anglers alike. They produce a variety of designs including single kayaks, women’s specific kayaks, standup paddleboards, tandem kayaks and of course angler kayaks. Each style has several designs to take care of your land bound condition and free your inner spirit of adventure.

Our main focus is of course on the angling kayak or sit-on-top as they are called and Ocean Kayak has a lot to choose from. In fact they have eleven fishing kayaks to choose from to fit any angling pursuit. Most serious kayak anglers have more than one kayak to fulfill their needs and address certain conditions. Recent design innovations by Ocean Kayak is allowing anglers to use one kayak for a morning of inshore fishing and an afternoon of offshore adventures. The Prowler Big Game II is such a boat and is an excellent choice for any skill set and condition.

Visit Ocean Kayak to take a look at some very special boats and locate a dealer near you today. We’ll see you on the water and Good Fishing…   www.OceanKayak.com

                      

              Ohero Fishing Joins Kayak Fishing ClassicS

 

Ohero Fishing has joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS with the Ohero Carbonado Kayak Fishing Rod. The 100% carbon fiber, 7’ one piece Carbonado brings even greater excitement to fighting fish. The medium light, moderate action rod imparts fantastic action to angler’s lures with plenty of backbone and lift for landing those big fish the ClassicS anglers are known for catching.

The custom split grip with fighting butt and down locking reel seat adds to angler comfort and really brings the battle to the big brutes prowling the flats and beyond. The highly accurate casting characteristics of the Ohero Carbonado and ease of distance achieved are impressive. The stainless steel guide housings with ceramic inserts help make every cast silky smooth while minimizing wind knots and tangles. The handy hook keeper will hold your lures in place and ready to cast. The tight, neatly finished wraps are a joy to any angler’s eye and the no glare finish on the Carbonado blank is all business and will not ‘flash’ fish.

In short; this is one serious, high quality fishing rod offered at an amazing Ohero price point…nice. In our testing of the Ohero Carbonado Kayak Fishing Rod we found it to be everything we hoped it would be. From its good looks to its fighting strength to the every so delicate presentations to spooky reds in 6” of crystal clear water. The Carbonado by Ohero Fishing is an outstanding value that we know our anglers will enjoy. Welcome to the ClassicS, Ohero Fishing. This is going to be fun…

Ohero Fishing products are sold worldwide at leading tackle outlets and online at

                                                                                    www.OheroFishing.com

Old Florida Charm at its Finest

By Kayak Fishing ClassicS Tournament Series

Old Florida, the words conjure up the very essence of Southern Charm, Hospitality and Grace. That is what we found waiting for us at the Tarpon Lodge in Pineland, Florida. It is a quiet peaceful island community off of the shores of Cape Coral and a century away from the light speed of everyday life.

The Tarpon Lodge was the lodging host for the Kayak Fishing ClassicS latest tournament, the Pine Island Master Slam Classic which was held on July 14. In addition to being at the old lodge which was established in 1926, the ClassicS staff was there for a photo shoot with artist Steve Whitlock. Steve’s famous art work hangs on the walls at the Tarpon Lodge and his unique style blends right in with the Old Florida lifestyle of the lodge.

Captain Pat Horrigan, the national director of tournaments for the Kayak Fishing ClassicS had never stayed at the old lodge before and was very impressed with the allurement like atmosphere of a dream fishing location. The grounds have the look of a well kept golf course bordered by Royal Palms and the Pine Island Sound. The heavy timbers supporting the raised guest lodging stir the imagination of a time gone by. The entrance into the lodge and restaurant enchant with nostalgia and reminds one that this is the kind of place that Hemingway would have enjoyed and written about.

The huge tarpon over the fireplace further secures the fact that this is an Old Florida fishing lodge however it has a great deal of class and taste. This is the kind of place that your grandfather and his buddies would have stayed in order to validate their fishing stories that you grew to be so fond of. The Tarpon Lodge is the kind of place that when you sit down, you just don’t want to leave.

The restaurant consists of a few rooms that overlook the water as if painted by a skilled artist. The food is of course, fantastic without being overly fancy and is bested only by the service. There is of course a small, wooden standup bar, common to the era that will take you way back in time just to look at it. Everything has its place and is punctuated by the precise playing of an acoustic guitar by a very talented musician seated inconspicuously in a corner. Native wooden floors further accentuate the Old Florida Charm of the lodge and a time stood still.

The rooms in the lodge are large and spacious as well as very comfortable. Service is second to none and very good at knowing what you want and need without your asking, impressive. There are several boat slips that are included with your stay and there is a marina next to the lodge with boat ramp, bait shop and service. There is also a kayak launch point next to the Tarpon Lodge which is part of the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail.

The surrounding waters are dotted with numerous Mangrove islands and there are many beautiful grass flats with resident snook, redfish, trout and tarpon. There are several top fishing guides at your disposal and you can enjoy a dip in the pool when you return to the lodge.

We highly recommend a stay at Tarpon Lodge who can also take care of any family events such as wedding or birthday parties. You will find the Tarpon Lodge to be all that we found it to be and much more than we can express. To learn more about the Tarpon Lodge please visit them at www.TarponLodge.com you will be glad that you did.
Note: There is a $25 charge plus tax for overnight dockage/trailer parking.