Albion Open 2011 results and thread

Great win, Scott!  Congrats to all involved and WTG, Craig and crew on a super job with the event.  A big smile for Brandi too - 

Thanks Craig!  It was a great weekend.

Loved the fish prints, side bet couldn't of went to a more deserving NCKAer and the first place went to a true champion. 

A few pics:



Yes...that's a Salmon caught on Tourney day.





Craig's artistic side really came out!

  Ive been waiting for this all weekend!!! Keep it coming fellas!!! I want to relive the MADNESS!! Looks like a great time was had by all, I cried all weekend but will endeavour to persevere!!! WTG everyone!!

Great time. Congratulations to Scott and Brandi and all the other winners. Also congratulations to Ben who won the sidebet with a huge cab, By the way, we're still here and the fishing was off the hook today. Will be monday too. Oh yeah, that's right. Hahaha.

Thanks Ed. Technology is just amazing these days. You get to fish more while Im at work? SUCKA! Thanks for coming out you guys. Made my day seing  your smiling mugs. Chuck Flach says he will never miss a side bet ever again. Chuck caught a 8lb4oz cab and wasnt in the side bet that was 510.00 in cash

Sounds like a great time was had by all.
Next year baby. Next year.

Thanks again Craig, that was awesome!

Awesome win Scott! Happy for you!

Looks like another great time Craig, see ya next year!

Here's the biggest cabbie of the day 8.5 lbs by my b-n-law Flach, get in on that side bet next time buddy 

I guess I will do a write up...

One day two years ago I decided I wanted to learn how to fish. It has been a steep learning curve ever since, as I do not have friends or family to go to for advice. It took me two months fishing the American River for 10-12 hours a day before I caught my first fish. My wife and I spent so much time in Fisherman's Warehouse spending money and asking advice she ended up getting a job there. About a year ago her boss wanted someone in the Sacramento store be be knowledgeable on kayak fishing, so we got kayaks and the learning curve got even steeper.

I am in the Army National Guard and a while ago I found out I am being deployed again. My previous deployment was a pretty low time for me, so my wife Kat has been a big motivator in me going to NCKA events, because she wants me to have fun before going. My first time in the Ocean should have been GS5 but due to a less then quality tent we were soaking wet and freezing and in no mood to go out.

My first time fishing in the ocean was on Rich's charter the day before the Albion tournament. When everyone was getting ready to drive to the harbor I decided to go. Being last minute I did not bring any gear with me, so I was stuck using the boats rods and set-ups. Some how I manage to land 14 rock fish, sent two back down, gave 3 away.

That day I asked Roger and Dennis if I could tag along with them for the tournament as I had no ocean kayaking experience, or fish finder/GPS. We go out and I am struggling to keep up because I am paddling and they are peddling. I was so lost and confused as to where we were but they managed to find some great spots to fish. It was non-stop action. We were all pretty much limited out but Roger was still looking for a cab or greenling, and Dennis was looking for a keeper ling. After getting my three for the weigh in (and loosing half my gear in the process) Roger lent me some gear and suggested I try mooching as the commercial salmon season just opened, and we were talking about it. After several more lost setups I get what I think is a sang. But I soon realized its a fish on but it was a big one, I was thinking a 30 inch ling, no way I could get lucky enough to catch a salmon as well. It was not that hard to pull it to the surface when I realized it was a nice chrome salmon, once it saw me the fight was on, fast forward 15 minutes and a hard fight and the 20# salmon is on the stringer.

We came in and everyone wanted to talk to me and I was just beat, I don't even know if I was making coherent sentences. I owe this experience to Roger and Dennis, I can not say how much I appreciate their help. Getting second place was only possible because of them.

Ryan

Dude Ryan, what a weekend for you! 20#, how Fing cool is that!

Sounds like it was an awesome time. Congrats to all.

Congrats on the salmon Ryan.

Congrats Scott on the W.  Your methodical approach pays off!

Looks like a great event Craig.  Very much looking forward to attending next year and being part of the incredible turnout.  Job ver well done my hats off to u.

WOW !!!  Sounds like another epic fishalishous ncka event. Congrats to all the winners.  Now lets see some of that potluck porn!

   What a great event!  Thanks Craig and Linda for putting on a terrific tournament. 
   This was my first ever NCKA event as I have been lurking in the shadows for a few years.   I found the camaraderie to be so friendly and open. . . and the food yesterday (and today) was as good as it gets for taste, quality, quantity, variety, and uniqueness.  Some of the eating highlights were Adam's chips and dip. It was so tasty (better than restaurant quality or Juanita's home kitchen) and the spread had a mild right-side place on the dish increasing to a very spicy section on the left side.  And the gracious Adam was walking around the campground with a bag of chips and his dip and serving everyone, even the passengers of the cars driving through the campground.  Then there was chef Cameron putting together his paella with all the ingredients on separate containers ready to go in just like TV's Amerca's Test Kitchen.  And for all the onlookers Mudshark was pulling out his smoked wild turkey from the Brinkman,  BBQ's chicken appeared out of no where, David was serving a plate of his delicious sirloin steak strips marinated for three days and just pulled off the grill, Freddie's (?) camp brought over a bowl of outstanding spicy Thai (?) sauce and rice to dip,  and I got out some home smoked salmon and Lake Trout. When all was done Cameron brought the paella to the pot luck and I don't think it made to the serving table as everyone was getting scoops as he passed through the eating area on the way to the food table.  Excellent paella.  There was so much delicious food on the table (at the start).  So many good cooks! 
  Back to fishing . . . I stayed on for flat water ocean conditions today.  I had to recover my shattered pride after a dismal tournament.  After fishing from 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. I took second to last place - 119th? and not 120th only because I found an unnamed sportsman who claimed not to get a bite and thus bagged 120th (I got 5 or 6 hits.).  Oh, I forgot to whisper . . . we didn't catch one fish . . . sh-h-h-h - you can read that as "keep you voice down" or possibly as "#*%\^".  Today I did manage 6 Rockfish, 2 Lings, and a nice 21" Cab as well as losing a few lings.  (Thanks Hammer, Bird, and David for swimbaits, lead jigs and squid respectively).
And to finish off the day, Freddie and company were serving up fresh uni (sea urchin roe) from a dive a couple hours before.  They had the picnic table spread with urchins when I passed by.  Was there a full limit of 35 urchins (whole and open) (?) piled on the table along with soy sauce and lime wedges and spoons for any who wished to enjoy it.   Wow . . . just like raw oysters.  I'm sold and swore to deplete the West Coast urchin population.  What a way to finish the event.
All in all a great time!
- Tom