You know their names from the leaderboard. The guys who always seem to pull it off, no matter where they fish or what they target. How do they do it? From tackle choice to sitting on a fish, these pros give advice on how to get your name on the trophy.
Angler: Elias Vaisberg
Leaderboard: 2013 and 2014 Kayak Fishing Classic at Jamaica Bay Slam champion, 2013 largest striped bass and 2014 Hobie Worlds participant
Sponsor Shootout: Hobie Fishing Team, Team Eposeidon
Target Fish:Striped bass, summer flounder and bluefish
Kayak Tourney Winning Drive
I fish Jamaica Bay every weekend, so the tournament is just another day in my favorite fishing hole.
Key To Kayak Fishing Tournament Success
I am extremely confident in my fishing techniques. After winning the tournament two years in a row, I’m more competitive than ever.
Prefish Tactics And Tips
Even though Jamaica Bay is my home-water, I vary my fishing each trip so prefishing is still important. I don’t fish the same place each time. And there are parts of the bay I don’t know. I look for the bait and consider the weather, then set my strategy. Tournament day is like any other day, except there are 300 anglers.
Top Gear For Kayak Tournaments
The Lowrance Mark 4 fish finder is tough as nails. Finding bait and structure is the first step to finding fish, so a high-quality fish finder gives me an advantage. I’ve rolled the kayak and it still works.
Fish Sticks
Use wire leader with cut bait. A bluefish’s razor sharp teeth will make quick work of monofilament.
A Kayak Tourney Pro’s Rookie Advice
The Jamaica Bay tournament offers prizes for biggest fish and slam, but anglers also have a shot at winning prizes in the raffle. Even if you don’t catch a trophy, you can still walk away with a pile of good stuff.
Victory Lap
Last year started slow. The first day was a blow- out and the second day I struck out. Things looked up on Sunday morning. By nine o’clock, I had a 33.5-inch striper, a 36.5-inch bluefish and a 22.5-inch fluke. I’ve never had a better series of catches, and it happened when it counted most. I won the tournament and got to fish the Hobie Worlds in Denmark.
This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2015 issue of Kayak Angler. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
