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The best of times, the worst of times...
Seems a little early to do a yearly wrap up but considering what has happened during 2009 I am excited to put pen to paper and try and document the good fortune and the bad while finishing the year on a high. How do I start, well the year began with a bang and a serious couple of positives. I managed to be included in the Hobie State Fishing Team roster (A massive plus) and also secured product support from Ugly Fish Eyewear. To say I was stoked is an understatement, all this plus the first ever Hobie ABT Kayak Series began (Round 1, Sydney Harbour).
The Hobie rounds graced venues up and down the east coast of Australia and were a delight to participate in. I really had some serious mojo issues and failed to weigh in a legal fish at any ABT event, I did learn a heap though and came oh so close on numerous occasions (Just too small, busted off, just too small again). Still the social aspect and participation is what got my juices flowing, even if I was disappointed with my results. Likewise the Forster Fishing Carnival was the perfect place to redeem myself but once again I failed to join the leader board ranks.
Apart from the ABT events the Southern Bream Series held tournaments a little closer to home. I decided to enter as many as I could and caught bugger all, pity they were not Flathead competitions (Or EP comps eh Craig?). Got to be in it to win it and as a result I gained entry to the SBS Grand Final via default (Greatest word in the English language). While waiting for the comps grand final at the end of the year Canberra fished slowly but my confidence in freshwater fishing remained at an all time high (Plenty of Golden Perch, both bank and kayak based).
KFA members also visited Tallowa Dam a couple of times and had a blast, many of the fish caught were PB's but for strange reasons (Many large Carp took trolled lures). Jindabyne provided some good Browns and Rainbows as winter set in and Squidder mastered the art of fishing for Trout with plastics while I suspended offerings using split shots and sticky weights. Bank fishing seemed a little slow and the water level was quite high due to a bumper ski seasons melt. By the time the Snowy Mountains Trout Festival kicked up levels were so high the bank fishing was difficult to master while trolling paid off (SMTF major trolling prize went to KFA's own Jason Price).
It wasn’t all doom and gloom competition fishing for myself, some exciting trips to Genoa resulted in PB Flathead (76cm plus many just smaller), Spot XYZ near Canberra proved a point to a select few that MASSIVE wild Trout still exist in our almost local streams and rivers (Even if we couldn’t tempt them). Depot Beach Snapper were still keen to welcome winter with a bang and the sizes still large enough to brag about. Also had some cracker Bass sessions with Craig on the upper Clyde, top water and spinnerbaiting some good fish (43cm PB South Coast Bass).
By the time you are reading this the latest event of the Hobie ABT Kayak Fishing Series will have been run and won. Previous events at Glenelg and Narrabeen showed a good following and entries were the usual decent turnout. The SBS Grand Final was also a good event and it’s worth noting that I finally landed a keeper Bream and 450 and Squidder came 2nd and 3rd respectively (Congratulations again guys). I have also recently returned from the FangACT Burrinjuck Cod opening trophy event and was hoping to defend my title and regain the trophy for another year. Rest assured I gave it my all (So did everyone else), Pitch from FangACT took the title.
I am sure I am forgetting many trips but with that many competitions during the year fishing for me was beyond the norm. I enjoyed the comradary and competitive nature of tournaments but at the same time missed my more free range fishing of old. It’s not compulsory to compete in tournaments but helping the sport grow is prize enough (Sure has come a long way). In some ways when I wrote the above I felt I was writing for two, sometimes three people (Not as an individual). From the amount of information posted on the website this year, videos made, travelling done and work gone into the site you can tell it was a seriously big year for KFA.
Keep forgetting that technically it was our first year as a website, having morphed my previous archives from past years into what you see today. Setting up Kayak Fishing Adventures was more passion fill rather than a need or want. We seem to have a good following and I have received nothing but praise for the amount of information made available to the general public but also the content itself. With sites like http://www.yakabout.com.au (Now http://www.yakass.net) pushing the envelope I have and will admit to feeling inspired enough to provide the world an outlook on what Kayak Fishing means to a bunch of lads from Canberra and the South Coast of NSW.
Its been a pleasure being involved with the Canberra Anglers Association (Becoming a Council member), informing members of the benefits of kayak fishing and taking out some major club awards along the way (Mick O’Brien award - Biggest Trout 64cm, Keith Shields trophy - Biggest Native 66cm Murray Cod, Hardy Rod - Presidents award for yearlong contribution). 2009 was also the year I forged a great working relationship with Yak Fisher Magazine and finally accomplished my hidden dream of getting some articles published nationally (More to come too). It was also the year that I hung up my admin boots on http://www.akff.net, a sad day that was unfortunately well past due (Commercial affiliations and all).
Other clubs like the FangACT group provided respite and angling ideas and support that we took and paralleled for our kayak sorties. A good example of that will be out in the winter edition of Yak Fisher Magazine #50, too good to mention yet so you will have to trust me on that one. A big thank you to Gordon Martin (Marty) for all his hard work, John D and Heathy for their input on Trout fishing, Lynnie for his run downs and constant willingness to share had fought information and Josh (Koich) for providing year long entertainment and value for money (Except your Hobie bashing, shame on you). Props to Jason and Craig also for attending a couple of events and spreading the Kayak Fishing love (And once again, individual skills).
Kayak Fishing Adventures is proud to be associated with such true spirits such as Jason 'Squidder' Price and Craig '450' Coughlan. We also recently added into the fold Patrick 'Patwah' Curran, a mate that has helped me both professionally and personally by offering advice and a shoulder to cry on. KFA would also like to thank Steve Fields from Hobie (Thanks for everything boss), Faraz from Ugly Fish (Proud to be associated mate), Josh from Yakass.net (Your camera donation is cherished everyday), Mods and members from AKFF (Will never forget your financial support), Michelle (Jason's catch of his life), Christine (Wife of Craig) and my beloved Claire.
I was going to touch on all the negative stuff that occurred this year but after such heartfelt pour outs I couldn’t do it a decent justice. Let’s just say that I was tested mentally and physically, lost a very close friend and couldn’t cope for many months after. Friends, family, sponsors and complete and utter strangers stepped in and held my head above the waters until it subsided. The good news is I feel 100%, dropped 15kgs with a gym membership (And bloody hard work) and fixed my spasmodic back pain that held me back in 2008. With a two week holiday scheduled for the very near future I am looking forward to getting my tattoo finished (Beforehand), packing the car and taking a well earned trip to god knows where.
So long 2009, thanks for the many mixed memories...
