03-27-2012, 11:10 AM
LIZELLA, Ga. - Tim Walker, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., caught a redfish and speckled sea trout that measured a combined 57.75 inches in length to win the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour presented by Hobie Fishing event at Port St. Joe, Fla., on March 18. The event, which operated out of Port St. Joe Marina, was the first regular-season event for the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour's Gulf Coast Division.
Walker experienced good conditions on the water with a light breeze. Traveling two miles in his kayak, the angler sight-fished in two spots with top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!, Walker landed a 40-inch redfish, winning him the $100 Berkley Gulp! Redfish Award plus a $100 Cabela's gift card, courtesy of Berkley. The angler also took home an extra $200 for having the highest place finish for an angler competing in a Hobie Kayak.
"It was a beautiful day for fishing. There was plenty of sunshine and just a bit of wind," Walker said. "I finished a lot better than I had expected."
Second-place finisher, Chandler Graves, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., measured a 31-inch redfish and a 22-inch trout to win the $1,000 second-place prize. In his second year fishing the IFA Kayak Tour, Graves fished in the Destin area and was persistent with throwing top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!.
"The fishing conditions could have been better. The water was dirty and the tides were wrong," Graves said. "I managed to get one red and a few trout."
2010 Overall Angler of the Year Liam Callaghan, of Crawfordville, Fla., won the $500 third-place prize for his 29-inch redfish and 23.50-inch trout. Callaghan traveled two miles fishing in the St. Joseph Bay area with top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!. The angler's trout won him the $100 Berkley Gulp! Big Trout Award plus a $100 Cabela's gift card, courtesy of Berkley.
Sixth-place finisher, Micha Mixon, won the $100 Jr. Angler Award.
Each of the Cabela's IFA Redfish Tour 12 regular-season events will commence on Saturday with the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing contested the following day (Sundays). The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie will feature 12 regular-season, catch-photograph-release events across six different division (mirroring the IFA Redfish Tour format, location and scheduling) as well as extremely lucrative payouts and expanded fishing opportunities for non-motorized fishing crafts.
The redfish/trout tournament will pay twenty places plus Big Redfish, Big Trout and Junior Angler Awards with a total payout of $9,800 (based on a 100 boat field). The winner will take home a guaranteed Hobie Mirage Pro Angler valued at $2549, 2nd place is a guaranteed $1,000 Hobie Cash and 3rd place is a guaranteed $500 Hobie Cash. Hobie will be paying $200 to the highest angler fishing out of a Hobie kayak at each IFA event.
The IFA Redfish Tour continues to draw redfish anglers from Texas to the Carolinas and beyond, offering two-angler teams the opportunity to compete in six different divisions, each offering a two-event regular season. Low entry fees for the one-day, regular-season tournaments allows anglers to fish close to home and minimize expenses, while still being a part of a premier inshore, catch-and-release redfish tournament organization. Teams fishing any two of the IFA's 12 regular-season events and one regional event are automatically qualified for a no-entry-fee championship event, pitting qualifiers from each of the six divisions for a combined $118,450 in payouts and prize packages, as well as a shot at the coveted Cabela's Overall Divisional Team of the Year Award for the six regular-season division winners.
The fastest-growing kayak fishing tournament trail in the country, the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing offers inshore kayak anglers from a multitude of states the opportunity to participate in competitive fishing tournaments. With low entry fees and minimal travel requirements, kayak anglers competing in the catch-photograph-release tournaments can take advantage of the numerous money and product prizes awarded to competitors. First-place prize for each regular-season event of the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing, regardless of field size, is a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler kayak valued at $2,549. Second and third place finishers are awarded cash prizes of $1,000 and $500, respectively.
For more information or to become a member of the IFA, the fastest-growing inshore fishing tournament series in the United States, go online to www.redfishtour.com or www.ifakayakfishingtour.com. To discover more about kayaking and Hobie Fishing go to www.hobiefishing.com.
IFA events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of the fishing industry's most respected brands: Ranger Boats, Hobie Fishing, Cabela's, Yamaha Outboards, Gulp!, Gulp! Alive, PENN Reels, Spiderwire, Sebile, Columbia Sportswear, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Power-Pole, , Wrap This, Blue Point Fabrication, 321fish.com, Loadmaster, NBOA Marine Insurance, Powertex Group, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Port St. Joe Marina.
IFA Gulf Coast Coast Division
Port St. Joe, Fla. (Top 10)<br />
1. Tim Walker - 57.75 inches<br />
2. Chandler Graves - 53.00 inches<br />
3. Liam Callaghan - 52.50 inches<br />
4. Scott Harper - 50.00 inches<br />
5. Nathan Chemaux - 43.00 inches<br />
6. Micha Mixon - 42.50 inches<br />
7. Jason Callaghan - 41.50 inches<br />
8. Jeff Suber - 40.50 inches<br />
9. Bradford Blydick - 38.13 inches<br />
10. Chad Skeeles - 38.00 inches
$100 Berkley GULP! Big Redfish Award plus $100 gift card to Cabela's:<br />
Tim Walker
$100 Berkley Gulp! Big Trout Award plus $100 gift card to Cabela's:<br />
Liam Callaghan
$200 Hobie Top Angler Cash Award:<br />
Tim Walker
Jr. Angler Award $100:<br />
Micha Mixon
Media Contact<br />
Greg Duncan<br />
Blue Heron Communications<br />
(800) 654-3766<br />
Greg@blueheroncomm.com
Walker experienced good conditions on the water with a light breeze. Traveling two miles in his kayak, the angler sight-fished in two spots with top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!, Walker landed a 40-inch redfish, winning him the $100 Berkley Gulp! Redfish Award plus a $100 Cabela's gift card, courtesy of Berkley. The angler also took home an extra $200 for having the highest place finish for an angler competing in a Hobie Kayak.
"It was a beautiful day for fishing. There was plenty of sunshine and just a bit of wind," Walker said. "I finished a lot better than I had expected."
Second-place finisher, Chandler Graves, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., measured a 31-inch redfish and a 22-inch trout to win the $1,000 second-place prize. In his second year fishing the IFA Kayak Tour, Graves fished in the Destin area and was persistent with throwing top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!.
"The fishing conditions could have been better. The water was dirty and the tides were wrong," Graves said. "I managed to get one red and a few trout."
2010 Overall Angler of the Year Liam Callaghan, of Crawfordville, Fla., won the $500 third-place prize for his 29-inch redfish and 23.50-inch trout. Callaghan traveled two miles fishing in the St. Joseph Bay area with top-water lures and Berkley Gulp!. The angler's trout won him the $100 Berkley Gulp! Big Trout Award plus a $100 Cabela's gift card, courtesy of Berkley.
Sixth-place finisher, Micha Mixon, won the $100 Jr. Angler Award.
Each of the Cabela's IFA Redfish Tour 12 regular-season events will commence on Saturday with the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing contested the following day (Sundays). The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie will feature 12 regular-season, catch-photograph-release events across six different division (mirroring the IFA Redfish Tour format, location and scheduling) as well as extremely lucrative payouts and expanded fishing opportunities for non-motorized fishing crafts.
The redfish/trout tournament will pay twenty places plus Big Redfish, Big Trout and Junior Angler Awards with a total payout of $9,800 (based on a 100 boat field). The winner will take home a guaranteed Hobie Mirage Pro Angler valued at $2549, 2nd place is a guaranteed $1,000 Hobie Cash and 3rd place is a guaranteed $500 Hobie Cash. Hobie will be paying $200 to the highest angler fishing out of a Hobie kayak at each IFA event.
The IFA Redfish Tour continues to draw redfish anglers from Texas to the Carolinas and beyond, offering two-angler teams the opportunity to compete in six different divisions, each offering a two-event regular season. Low entry fees for the one-day, regular-season tournaments allows anglers to fish close to home and minimize expenses, while still being a part of a premier inshore, catch-and-release redfish tournament organization. Teams fishing any two of the IFA's 12 regular-season events and one regional event are automatically qualified for a no-entry-fee championship event, pitting qualifiers from each of the six divisions for a combined $118,450 in payouts and prize packages, as well as a shot at the coveted Cabela's Overall Divisional Team of the Year Award for the six regular-season division winners.
The fastest-growing kayak fishing tournament trail in the country, the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing offers inshore kayak anglers from a multitude of states the opportunity to participate in competitive fishing tournaments. With low entry fees and minimal travel requirements, kayak anglers competing in the catch-photograph-release tournaments can take advantage of the numerous money and product prizes awarded to competitors. First-place prize for each regular-season event of the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing, regardless of field size, is a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler kayak valued at $2,549. Second and third place finishers are awarded cash prizes of $1,000 and $500, respectively.
For more information or to become a member of the IFA, the fastest-growing inshore fishing tournament series in the United States, go online to www.redfishtour.com or www.ifakayakfishingtour.com. To discover more about kayaking and Hobie Fishing go to www.hobiefishing.com.
IFA events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of the fishing industry's most respected brands: Ranger Boats, Hobie Fishing, Cabela's, Yamaha Outboards, Gulp!, Gulp! Alive, PENN Reels, Spiderwire, Sebile, Columbia Sportswear, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Power-Pole, , Wrap This, Blue Point Fabrication, 321fish.com, Loadmaster, NBOA Marine Insurance, Powertex Group, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Port St. Joe Marina.
IFA Gulf Coast Coast Division
Port St. Joe, Fla. (Top 10)<br />
1. Tim Walker - 57.75 inches<br />
2. Chandler Graves - 53.00 inches<br />
3. Liam Callaghan - 52.50 inches<br />
4. Scott Harper - 50.00 inches<br />
5. Nathan Chemaux - 43.00 inches<br />
6. Micha Mixon - 42.50 inches<br />
7. Jason Callaghan - 41.50 inches<br />
8. Jeff Suber - 40.50 inches<br />
9. Bradford Blydick - 38.13 inches<br />
10. Chad Skeeles - 38.00 inches
$100 Berkley GULP! Big Redfish Award plus $100 gift card to Cabela's:<br />
Tim Walker
$100 Berkley Gulp! Big Trout Award plus $100 gift card to Cabela's:<br />
Liam Callaghan
$200 Hobie Top Angler Cash Award:<br />
Tim Walker
Jr. Angler Award $100:<br />
Micha Mixon
Media Contact<br />
Greg Duncan<br />
Blue Heron Communications<br />
(800) 654-3766<br />
Greg@blueheroncomm.com