AOTY at Fred Hall

Got to the show at about 10:45 after talking to Joel on the phone. Joel said to call him when I got there and he would get me a pass. When I got there I kept getting his V/Mail. So I figured he left my pass a Will call I showed them my ID and the lady gave me an envelope with a VIP Pass, when I got inside and Joel said he didn't leave one I looked at the envelope and it said Mike Mark not Mike Moltchanoff (Moltch) oops sorry Mike. When i got to the booth it looked great but Joel couldn't stop talking about this Girl i thought cool maybe I do have a shot at AOTY 2007. Then when I saw I didn't blame mooch at all.


It was cool hanging with and good to see everybody not to mention the very nice VS spinning reel I won thanks Bill and Rik. bill you where sorely missed it wasn't the same without you. But when Sean arrived with the Trophy's WOW there were beautiful and I kicked myself in the A$$ for not trying harder. Nice work Sean.


And Mark Ty is so cool

CONGRATS! BEAUTIFUL LOOKING TROPHY.

I wish that I had more time at the show to talk to some of the guys and check out the exhibits. I took the family up to the City in the morning. We went to Pier 39 and did the tourista thing. The boys had a ball. Little did I know... the Tour de California was going on. The Embarcadero was jacked. It took forever to get from there to the Cow Palace. Got there in time though. Unfortunately, Bill was laid out with the flu. I picked up the reels from him in the morning and had them in Chuck's hand in time for the awards presentation. It was really nice running into a bunch of you guys that I haven't seen since the last Elk tourney. It was great catching up and all. The plagues that Sean made are really AWESOME!!! My son Evan doesn't want to give it back to daddy though. Thanks for putting in the time to make those. Also, thanks to Rik and Okuma for putting up some great reels. All in all... I had a great time and I look forward to fishing with a bunch of you guys in the coming year.

Sean- Bill gave me a computer to give to you... I still have it though. Hopefully, I can get up there and hit the Russian sometime soon and get it up to you.



Freddie

Congratulations to all the winners and participants.  The award ceremony was very cool and those trophies are awesome....great work.

I'd never been to a Fred Hall show but I'm really glad I went to this one...the show in general was pretty cool but the kayaking part of it was awesome.
The couple of seminars I was able to attend were awesome, great job Sean and Allen.  Mooch is of course a natural people person who seemed to really feel at home talking to the people who came by asking questions.  That crab trap setup that Insane Duane has on his yak is awesome.

It was really great meeting a few of the board members and getting to ask questions of the experts.  Can't wait to meet up with more of the board members soon, on the water.

--
Angel

 Thanks for the photo coverage mike.

Me and the boys got up at 0-dark-30 (OK, so it was only 7:00) and wolfed down some grub before headin' to The Show. Pulled into the parking lot about 9:30 and after listening to that very annoying promo loop over the loudspeaker, my youngest was ready to climb the building and rip the wires from the speakers. We were the second group thru the door and things started great when my now gumpy young one got a free Okuma hat right away.

We wandered around the main floor for a few minutes and then made a beeline to the booth. Got there and recognized Mooch from all the world famous pix of him here. He hadn't even had a chance to put on his very official looking shirt. (btw, very nice talking with you this morning Joel) After spendin about 15 minutes talking with him, my boys were asking me when we were going to fish the ocean. Yikes, I told them I didn't think inexperienced yakkers in a tandem would be a pretty site launching in surf.

OK dad, then can we go to the next Bendo at Mendo? (Dang, Mooch, you are a smooth talker.) That idea, I said sounded more reasonable. And hey, since it also involves camping, it's right up our alley.

We also sat in on a few presentations. Learned a ton in a very short time. Didn't get to stay as long as we wanted. Here's the kicker....as we're going by the NCKA booth for the last time, my youngest says, "So dad, when are you gonna win one of those cool trophies?"

Thanks to all those who helped make the event possible. It was a great way to spend time with my boys talking fishing AND kayaking, although I could've done with out the trophy smack.

ouch 

Not sure whch impresses me more; how much contortion the human body can withstand or how AWESOME those trophies look?!?!
I am not a big fan of trophies but that would be something I would proudly display. Truly a work of art.
Very nice job. Congratulations to all the participants and hats off to the winners.
Now I am off to try to score some points...umm.....I mean.....Catch some fish!!!!

Congratulation Mooch !!! Sweet trophy...



Now Get to work   I need some Parts


Hey Mike, was she part of the NCKA Booth or did she just go there to toy with the MOOCH

Hey Mike, was she part of the NCKA Booth or did she just go there to toy with the MOOCH

No she was part of a Tackle Fashion Show, But Sean did suggest she would be the perfect Mascot for Bendo@Mendo

Thanks Mick for posting  " The Mascot ", I was there for 4 days and never got to see her show 

I truly feel that the Kayak Center was the best/ most interesting part of the show, and thanks to all who made that possible.

May NCKA always be the helpful and generous group that we are today.... .....Danglin

I agree with Danglin - the kayak fishing center was the highlight of the show (ok, the indoor wakeboard competition and the dock dogs were a close 2nd/3rd!).  The amount of camaraderie could really be sensed by those just checking out the sport for the first time!  Chuck, Joel, Allen and Sean acted as great embassadors for the sport.  I wished I could have spent more time at the booth (next year, I go one day by myself and one day with the family).  I am now inspired to get out on the water more in 2007!  Here's to another great year for NCKA!

Thanks for taking those great pics Mickfish! I agree that Chuck, Joel, and Sean were the best represetatives NCKA could have asked for. For me, the highlights of Sunday's show were the presentations by Sean White and Allen Bushnell, checking out Duane's "insane" crabbing setup, and just endless chatting about kayaks and fishing with everyone. It was all topped off be a beautiful winter evening drive home on the 1.
It was really great to meet so many of you and put faces to the screen names.
Thanks for the compliments on the awards!

Hey, who won the drawing for a new kayak?  (runs to check voicemail...)

I personally want to thank Joel for being there all 5 days of the show plus helping me the two extra two nights days before the show to help set up our booth and the kayak fishing center.  He was at the show early every day to make sure our booth was manned and looking good.  He did an excellent job greeting show goers and answering their questions.

I want to thank Sean White (and his supportive family) for making the long drive from Ukiah do his "rockfish" and "rigging" seminars all 4 days.  I'm sure that wasn't easy.

Similarly, I want to thank Erik Kunz for being there the same 4 days for his awesome sturgeon seminar.

Erik and Sean had some the most imformative and professional Powerpoint presentations I have ever seen in a fishing show.  You guys are true pros!

Thanks to Allen Bushnell for his seminars as well.  Allen's seminar on Sunday was practically standing room only.  I think it was the most attended seminar of the entire show.

On Sunday... I was a little stressed out about the AOTY presentations which I had to wing since Bill had the flu and couldn't make it to the show.   But when Freddie volunteered to pick up the Okuma reel prizes from Bill and Sean "piscean" showed up with his absolutely beautiful handmade awards, I knew everything was going to be more than cool.  And just like Mickfish, if I only knew in advance that those plaques were the part of the prizes for the top 3 places, I would have competed harder.

And finally, I want to thank all of the NCKA'ers who attended the show and dropped by the kayak fishing center to say hello and show their support by soaking in our seminars.  I know there were a few members there who I still didn't get a chance to meet.  I look forward to meeting you all OTW.

At the end of the show, Duane (who also brought in his pimped out yak) and JTF helped us breakdown and haul everything away.  A big thanks to both of them!!!

-Chuck