ChuckE dominates at ARW

Thanks from me also, Fisherman's Warehouse. I finally got my first kayak halibut today, 23" barely legal, but good for dinner for several friends this evening.

For you techies -- frozen anchovy trolled slow against the current, out at the last segment of the wall, ~15 fow.

- andy

Congratulations and THANK YOU to all who made this a great day.

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Official Results for Fisherman's Warehouse A.R.W. Kayak Gathering:

Chuck Espiretu .............Halibut King
Niko Von Broembsen ......Halibut Master
Freddie Horio ................Halibut Pro
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We couldn't ask for better weather or tides, and we even had a Sturgeon caught on the troll.
This was a super start for the "09" F.W. Kayak Event season with a total of 46 anglers and over a third of the field catching fish. I really liked seeing many of you enjoying what we do and encouraging others to join us.

Thank You,

Eric

P.S.
I hope to see you at Tiki Lagun in June for our next gathering where we will be targeting Largemouth Bass.

Awesome weather, company, & event!!!
Thank you, yakhopper for hosting this event! Ashley said "thank you for the t-shirt".  She loves it!
Congrats ChuckE for be the King of Hali!!! & Freddie another strong work!
I didn't get any hits, even from smelt... but Ash & I had good time (even though I hate that place).  She had one good take down, but didn't stick.  Maybe, next week.  Seems like the live bait was key today...
Congrats on Pat R's Sturgie too, looks pretty nice!
& thanks to Duane for his butt # I don't know how many.  It was a barely legal fish, but it had some eggs.  I just couldn't waste them, so I pan fried and ate them.  It was pretty good, but I hope I'll be Ok...
We'll try to make it to Tiki too!

Strong work E
looks like a epic event. but who would have guessed that Chuck and Freddie would do so well? weird

Thanks to Yakhopper & The Fishermans Warehouse for a great event.  The weather and tide could not have been any better for a day of fishing. Alot of people had luck with the Hali's - none for me   I did get a nice bat ray that gave me a good ride. Congrats to Halibut King AKA ChuckE on the win and a nice fish, and also Freddie and Sharky on their Hali's It was great fishing with everyone and seeing some new faces.
Unfortunately I will miss the Bass tournament in June ( taking my daughter to Disneyland for her 5TH birthday ) But I will see everyone at the next event.
Hey SBD, good to see you fishing the event.
William102
 

Congrat to all the winners for a job well done!  We had great time at the Cove too 

I caught some rays, as in sunshine – didn’t bring a rod.  Was just there to test out my knee and snap a few shots aboard the new adventure.  Saw lots of hallies caught by NCKA and PB'ers.  I pedaled about 3.5 miles from the launch out to the #4 channel marker where saw quite a few nets flying in the pb'ers.  There was one boat in particular with four kids and two dudes that was hooking up really well.  Must have looked like a rug store down there!


























More pics to come

some more shots

Who is the skinny dude with the bald head in all those pics? 

Good show, all, and congrats to Chuck!

Looked like a great event and lots of fun!
Congrats to all and thanks for the great pics.

Looks like a good time for all.
Way to go.

Thanks Fishermans Warehouse and Yakhopper for a memorable tourney. It was my first ever fishing competition, and taking second behind Chuck was a real treat. It was really nice to finally put names to so many faces. I had a plan and suck to it. On my way out I told Craig I was gonna give the flagpole area an honest go, and then pull in tight against the wall (30 ft from it) and drift it to the gap for the last part of the allotted time.
When i got to the place i planned to start at, i saw the familiar smiling face of Chuck....."Hey chuck, how you doing", he just smiles and flashes me a peace sign. I think to myself " this guy ain't no smelly hippy, whats up with the peace sign....Oh, look at those 2 hali on the clip. I pin on a smelt, send it down, and hear Chuck say "Hey sharky,whats the limit on halibut?". I look over my shoulder to see him bendo........
A short while later it was my turn. I was in amongst quite a few brethren, engaged in what would turn out to be a perfect lesson in how NOT to land a hali on a yak. It comes up and I hesitate, because i ha vent seen any shakers yet this season, and it was smaller than the 26" to 30+" fish i had seen this season.(Boy would that been embarrassing to stick an underbut in my NCKA tourney debut, right in front of everyone.) I decide its defiantly size and swing, just as it takes off. i hit it in the tail, a 1/4" from the end of the meat, and drag it on board, while its going ballistic. It hits the deck, and despite my best effort jumps off the other side. The hook was still in the corner, but i now had spectra wrapped all the way around the boat with a huge tangle, and about 10 ft of spectra going out to a seriously PO hali. Time to get back to my South African commercial handlining roots, except I'm gonna have to do it with 30lbs braid. Ouch! a few runs later i finally stick it and get it on the stringer, only after it has bitten me on my inner thigh, dangerously close to the family jewels.( note to fish: whassup with all this trying to chew on me BS? They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but I like it served poached in a little white wine .beware of sharky's revenge) turned out to be 24+".
After a while longer working the same area, i decide to get out of the crowd and drift up close (30' from) the wall to my honeyhole about 2/3 the way to the gap. Craig calls me on the radio saying he could do with some more smelt. hes outside the break, so i tell him to meet me. Just when i spot him and hes 100 yard away, right in my honeyhole, wrr rrrrrr rrrrrrrrr rrrr. It hit hard. Its allright to fumble amongst friends, but in between a bunch of pb'ers, you have to make NCKA look good right? So i proceeded to give the pb'ers a lesson in how to boat a hali from a yak. Made short work of getting the fish to the boat and BAM, headshot with the gaff (you can see where i hit it in the pic that Craig posed with me holding my fish up on the water). The headshot was a blessing because the fish hardly twitched while i put it on the stringer. turned out to be a 29"er and good for second place.
On a technical note, Ive recently changed my hooks from #1 Gamatsu light ringed live bait hooks to 1/0 Owner light barbed circle, tied with a perfection loop, and Ill never go back. With the Gamatsus, I was having a lot of dropped fish, and the ones i was landing would have the hook fall out as soon as they were on the gaff, or be precariously hooked in the lip membrane and the front of the mouth. All 3 halis and the striper Ive taken this season on the Owners have been perfectly in the corner.

1/0 Owner light barbed circle, tied with a perfection loop, and Ill never go back. With the Gamatsus, I was having a lot of dropped fish, and the ones i was landing would have the hook fall out as soon as they were on the gaff, or be precariously hooked in the lip membrane and the front of the mouth. All 3 halis and the striper Ive taken this season on the Owners have been perfectly in the corner.

I'm right there with you for the hooks. Last year I switched to the Owner circle hooks when using live bait for hali's and I have landed every single halibut I've hooked. 

Good to see everybody again and WTG ChuckE, Sharky, and Freddie!

ChuckE and freddie on the stand... where have I seen that before?? You guys rock. And Chuck, limits by 8? DAMN!?

Them lifeguard hats have pulled out some big fish this year. 

 Sharky said I must have been saving my mojo for the derby because we both knew that I've been blanked at ARW more times than I can count.  So when I limited out with 3 halibut in less than 30 minutes it was all surreal.  I even caught a nice 4th fish which I didn't keep. 

The conditions were perfect.  It warm enough for board shorts and t-shirts.  The water was flat with very little current and high tide was at 6am.  I knew the fishing would be good from the get-go and only go downhill from there, so I rushed to get on the water early.

Sharky and Freddie both had a couple nice fish each, so I was just lucky that my biggest fish was barely bigger than theirs.  Both of those guys are outstanding fishermen.

Thanks to Eric "Yakhopper" and Fisherman's Warehouse for putting on the first kayak fishing derby at the Alameda Rock Wall.  46 participants was impressive considering we were missing most of the guys that went to Shelter Cove.

Thanks to Sean "SBD" for sharing and capturing "another OTW moment" with his camera.  Whenever Sean is nearby, one of us usually gets lucky.

It was nice to see lots of friends and many new NCKA faces.