BAM IV

Congratulation to Tote , Dan and Freddie... . I didn't catched any fish that day, I caugth one on Sunday though, and also Mooch catch a skinny one.


Here's Mooch and his fish.

As always, a very fun shindig! Awesome weather, food, fire, and of course people.
The fish didn't cooperate for me. Even the minnows gave me the finger when they all escaped during the night from my Plano. No prob though, plenty of brothers with minnows. A big thanks to all!

Congratulations also to JR for catching his first Kayak Fish!! His Dad and older brother were very proud 

Thanks for the great pic of Adam (AJ).  He was humbled at seeing the the pic of the bigger one that you caught on Sunday.  My sons Adam, Steven and I felt right at home right away after meeting so many helpful people.  This was our first outing and the food was incredible and the company was fantastic.  We will never forget our time with all of you wonderful people and will hopefully see you soon.  Thanks again to Frank for letting me use your hobie (and everyone else that offered their yaks for us to use).  YOU ALL KNOW WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT!

First time to any NCKA event and had a great time even though the rain dampen every thing but  my spirits. I arrived a little after noon on Friday and proceeded to set up my cheapo tent  in the rain. (What was I thinking?). After the inside got wet I tried to mop it up but puddles kept forming every where. Went out for a get familiar cruise and troll and met up with jprtroy but no hits in the rain.
 
Thanks to Allen and Chuck for letting me share thier ezup to stay dry that evening. Not much sleep that night with leaks in the tent and air mattress losing air. Up at five for a cup of Joe and breakfast in the van.(Why didn't I sleep in van?)

On the lake at 7:30 AM and no live bait for me. Two hours of trolling with a Wild Eye swim bait and a Yo Zuri and no hits. As I turn for a Hail Mary to the beach for some Brunch, Extreme Bendo on my old fiberglass rod with swim bait and a 3 to 4 minute fight netted a 5.5 lb. Linesider. Did anyone else hookup with a lure? No other action but a lot wind in the afternoon.

Fantastic food (Fried Bananas!!), good conversations, friendships  and a quality event. Thanks Sean

Carl

definately an awesome weekend. i need more events like that in my life. i got skunked and got my truck stuck in the mud all while having a fabulous time.   thank you scwafish and all involved.

In typical Savage fashion... I missed the big prize by a hair. If there were 3 yaks up for grabs, I would've finished 4th. That's just how it goes for me. But, I did come home with a banging new West Marine VHF that I was sorely needing big time. Thanks Danglin for being able to hook us up with that goodie. Big ups to my boy up the road Tote for taking the buckle home. Sounds like your trip started out right. Usually, when everything seems screwed up before I get to the water... it's going to be a good day. And sure enough... your hardships were rewarded with a brand spankin' new yak. Way to go Bro... Also, we can't forget Dan for finishing second. Good job guys. Big thanks to Sean for trudging through all the BS to get this thing put together for us to enjoy. As usual, it was great to hang out and BS with everybody. And the food... oh the food... epic. Saw a lot of new faces this weekend and I didn't get to meet most of you. Hopefully, I'll run into you guys on the water some other time or at future outings.

I'd also like to thank Papa Bill and Dawn for sharing their cabin at Vitchy Spings with Melissa and Myself Saturday night. I didn't even have to set up camp for this thing... Made things real easy for me and not to mention... it made Melissa very happy that she didn't have to sleep on the ground. Thanks again guys.

I hope everybody had as much fun as I did at BAM.

Freddie

First off thanks to Sean and family for all your efforts. They are greatly appreciated. Second, congrats to Tote, Dan, and Freddie!! Tote, your story had me rolling. Seemed like anything that could go wrong did, and then the mojo turned  WTG!! wear your buckle proudly, and enjoy your new ride. Had fun running from shelter to shelter. Ben yours' definetly took the prize. All that burning man experience put to good use  Took several "tunings" but it came around and was enjoyed by many. Enjoyed the tunes around camp too. Thanks Ben and Danglin for the campfire tunes. That was quite a bon fire for sure. That sucker would have been burning for a week, if you let it. Great seeing the familiar and always great to meet some new folks too. Sunday's weather was awsome, Saturday's built character. Man I really thought the boils were going to happen Sunday with FAC and overcast conditions  I enjoyed some smallie action on Sunday, and just being out there on such an awsome day. Another good gathering for sure.

CONGRATS... Tote, Dan, and Freddie!

Earlier in the week, Tote asked me if the factory rack on their 4runner was adequate for 2 kayaks.  When I told him I didn't think so, he decided to drive their Pathfinder equipped with a sports rack more suitable for 2 yaks.  The funny thing is that he only was planning to bring one kayak to BAM.  I guess he thinking about the kayak he was going to win and have to drive back home.  Good planning Tote!

I had a great time despite the pouring rain Friday night and the slower than expected fishing.  But none of that really mattered, because for me, it was all about hooking-up with a group of good friends and meeting new NCKA'ers like Jedmo, Abman, and Bassmanben.

I think we out did ourselves on the potluck again.  That was unbelievable.  Who made the fried bananas?  That was off-the-hook along with so many other dishes like BobN's gumbo and Shimmy's famous Scallone (a delicious deep-fried scallop and abalone treat).  I finally got to try'em.

Thanks to everyone who made my dog Aki feel welcome.  I wasn't sure how she would react with such a big group.

Sean, thank you again brother, for all of your hard work in putting together another epic BAM.  You're AWESOME!

Rockhopper, I'm so glad to see you finally get the BAM (Bad-Ass-Metal) belt buckle you've been longing for....  Thanks to Shimmy!

Reading this post has been torture. It's the first time I've missed it in a few years and it looks as awesome as always. I missed the food, the fishing and hanging w/ da boyz talking story. Your hard work always pays off SCWA!

Big congrats to Tote, dan, and Freddie!

Z

Sorry for the posting delay.  I was digging out of my work/waf backlog.

Well another great time despite tough weather Friday and Saturday. Fortunately the weather mellowed by dinner time Saturday.  This years potluck was truly insane...we have never had more or better food.  As always Mickfish seemed to be producing a never ending stream of delicious goodness...oysters to cream puffs..Mike's game is STRONG.  Shimmy's "scalone"...holy crap!!!  Jack and Bob both cranked out delicious Jambalya.  Kayakjack also had the pimpest kitchen I have ever seen.

This years campfire was also killer.  When Abman says he's bringing wood, he isn't kidding!

Shimmy went WAY BEYOND the call of duty, producing two BAM buckles.  Both were gorgeous.  If you EVER need bling, please go see Shimmy, he is the master.

I was going nuts on the weigh boat...hot, then cold, rainy, dry...sheesh the weather was all over the map.  I took a lot of pics off of the weigh boat.  Here you go...

Tote with his 1st place stringer...



Dan's 2nd place stringer...



Freddie's first fish on his way to 3rd...



Guitarzan's last second big kitty...



There were many other stripers weighed...























Melissa and me both managed to get an AOTY upgrade over the weekend as well. Melissa's smallie...



My LMB...



Thanks again to all of the sponsors and to everyone that came and stuck it out through all of the rain.

like being with sisters&brothers from other mothers!  We all got soaked, but we came together when it was time to dry and do the BAM THANG that we do so WELL!.....from the second I got there, I knew we were gonna have a Blast!(just like the previous years, but  w/alil'xtra moisture)
We had dogs & a puppy to keep our spirits up, as well as the newbie blood mixed in to keep it somewhat sane.(don'tWANTtoSCAREthemOFFyet!) I learned a leason at these NCKA PotLucks(grab one of the "many" gourmet desserts and stash it for when you can enjoy it!)..cuz your so damned ready to explode from the Real_stuff! 
like always and SHOULD never be undersatated!!
SBD(Sean) and his "first" family know how to host a gathering of madness and do it with style!..the outhouses even had running water(the one on the left had an UNDERWATER light-up thingy, that was so NASTY COOL!)
Too much food to mention, but those krazy-fried bananas had me in GOT MILK? Mode!
 
Paddles UP to the winners and all who participated(thumbs down on the ones who don't/didn't come up )we missed you(some of you anyway)

Mike/Tote~~ you deserved it man, your MENDO skunk is OFF! 

Dan~~ Who taught you to fish the shoreline like that?(they sure must have known their s#it)

Freddie~~ I've heard you say you are Sick&Tired of 2nd Place and will be glad to let someone else take it....your such a sport bro!

Don't need no stupid AOTY Upgrades OR that Smallie(i was hunting for the whole trip)
I was in the best place I could possibly have been......can't wait to see you all again!!.....THANKS!!  if not for you,I'd be sitting on some shoreline waiting for a fish to swim by.

Thanks again Sean for all the Priceless memories this Tourney just keeps getting better and better.
Great to see all the new faces and hook up with the old.
Food was unbelievable the Jim the Bananas were off the hook.
Ditto on the fire Abman it was awesome.
Fishing was slow for me on Tourney day but I had a lot of fun just paddling around fishing with differant people.
On Sunday after the perfect Breakfast thanks to Sean, I was marking a lot of balled up bait and single fish hover about in 11 to 18' of water so I was fast trolling a shadrap and a Bijou Boogie nothing on the BB but the shad rap was the ticket and I got a couple each of stripers,catfish and smallies lost a Hail Mary brute Striper right alongside that gave me the shakes. I'll be back soon to do a little more trolling, they hit like a ton of bricks. Thanks for the tow Joel you are the man. We need more tourneys like this too much fun. Anybody up for a Lake Sonoma Over-niter this fall for LMB,Smallies and LL Steelies.

Looks like a great time to be had by all , congrats to all those who caught fish . Lots of pictures , excellent , reports are good but pictures are the icing on the cake ! Especially loved the ones of Bella sound asleep on "HER" yak , priceless !

Hopefully there will be a Bam V next year , I'll be there . Shoulder issues since last winter and being post op only 3 weeks now have kept me out of any action . Chewing at the bit , starting to watch for a good deal on a used yak , if not - think Santa might bring me a Mini-X for Christmas ! I have been a real good boy this year , quite contrary compared to my real nature .

Those belt buckles are real sharp , thinking I might sport one someday , sometimes better lucky than good ?

First of all, Thank you Sean and family for putting together such an awesome
NCKA event. I had such a blast even in the rain. And for my son who had never
paddled a kayak, I couldn't even write a word on the expression in his face. Now
he is begging me to buy him a kayak also. Many thanks to all who welcomed me
and my son making us feel at home. I greatly appreciate it. Talked about great
food. WOW! I hope that there would be a BAMV for those who had missed the
the great fun.

Big congrats toTote,Dan,and Freddie. Oh and guitarzan on the catfish. Thanks also
for the tune guitarzan and Danglin. The campfire wouldn't have been the same
with out the sound of the guitars.

Finally, it has been nice to put faces under the screen names of people of whom I
have met. I almost missed one person here whom I am very greatfull for lending
us his extra kayak. Thanks BrianG!

Here are some pictures.

more pictures.