The Kayak Fishing ClassicS set sail on the 2011 Series Year on January 15th with the Monster Redfish Classic and it was a great event to say the least. Who won you ask? The contestants? Certainly. The Sponsors? You bet. The ClassicS? Absolutely. The fishing was challenging but good and the weather was near perfect for the opening tournament of the national series. Let’s take a look at the winning anglers and sponsors.
Team SlotLimit Radio/Diablo Paddlesports members, Derick Burgos and Shawn Neurath had a big day. Derick Burgos won first place and the Aqua-Bound big fish award with a 29.5” redfish. Burgos also scored a 24.75” redfish and both were caught on D.O.A. Lures for the Bait Bonus. Shawn Neurath took second place with a 27.75” red and a 22.5” red also taken on a D.O.A. soft plastic lures. In third place was JB Smith with a nice red of 24” taken on D.O.A. for the bonus and a 27”red with no bonus. In fourth place was Mark Knowles, the defending national champion of 2010. Mark entered a nice 26.5” red and earned the Bait Bonus using D.O.A. soft plastics. Walt Ruda and Olin Satterfield rounded out the top five winners. Ruda entered with a 21.5” redfish on D.O.A. for the bonus and Satterfield recorded an 18” and 22” redfish. It was a great effort by Olin in some chilly waters, but there was no bait bonus earned by him. Had he been using D.O.A. or High Roller Lures or RiverBum Flies he would have earned 40 more points and there would be no tie.
All of the contestants earned series points that count toward the Series Championship and an invitation to the National Championship Classic in November. Some of the prizes that were awarded included Ocean Waves Sunglasses, a Hardy Zane fly rod, a Redington Delta fly reel, Deep South Fishing Rods, pliers by Dr. Slick, Temple Fork Outfitters fly rod and TFO pack spin rod, High Roller Lures, Talic kayak storage systems racks, Bending Branches paddle, PrecisionPak gear, Princeton Tec digital lamps, Plano, D.O.A. Lures, Aqua-Bound paddle, Teeny Fly Line, RiverBum Flies, Scotty rod holders, Steve Whitlock Game Fish Art, Reel Dreams Fish Prints, Wildlife from Scratch box art. Diablo Paddlesports will be awarding one of their kayaks to the Series Champion in October and another Diablo to the winner of the invitational national championship in November.
The Series is underway and off to a great start. See you in February and learn more on the ClassicS website at www.KayakFishingClassicS.com
