NCKA in Forum of the Year Awards Contest! Vote early and often!

^My view from SoCal is that mean ol' Pacific Ocean of yours helps keep things friendly at NCKA and NWKA.

A more observations, 'cause I'm hoping get Allen to chime in.

None of the angler of the year finalists would have been my choice for top kayak angler of for 2013. I kind of hope Rae wins. Maybe it'll cause Yakangler to improve the program. I give her props for getting more ladies involved in fishing, but I don't see her as a core kayak angler. Check out her Facebook page. She's on a powerboat most of the time. If she wins, why not Eric Young of the Off the Hook TV show? He's fished off a kayak once or twice. It's the kayak angler's choice, right?

For the sake of conversation (I'm talking to you Sansano  ) I'm posting a selection of KACA finalists. Make up your own mind on their quality. 

Angler of the Year:
Dee Kaminski
Chad Hoover
Tino Mendietta
Ashley Rae
Drew Gregory

Hoover has a TV show, runs a retailer, and owns KBF.com. He's run tournaments.

Gregory is a Jackson fishing pro who makes a lot of media, particularly GoPro video. He's also run tournaments. 

Rae is a photogenic TV personality associated with Hobie. I'm not sure how deep her roots go in kayak fishing.

Mendietta - who is he? He fishes the Texas Gulf offshore from a Jackson

Kaminski is a Florida kayak fishing guide. I've met her. She can really fish.

Similar thoughts here.  It's tough, with so many good kayak anglers appearing.  I would have liked to see Morgan up there.  That dude is living the life and having fun doing so.

Kayak of the Year:
Jackson Kayak Cuda 14
Native Watercraft Slayer Propel
Hobie Pro Angler 14
Wilderness Systems Ride 115X
Old Town Predator

Three of them are 2013 introductions - that makes sense.

Not to take anything away from the Slayer Propel, but it just went into production.  Very few people actually have time in on one.  How can it make the the list?  The Ride 115/115X and the Predator made KFM's top 10 list though so there is something to that.

Forum of the Year:
Texas Kayak Fisherman - TX
Kayak Bass Fishing - TN
Austin Kayak Fishing - TX
Kayak Anglers of Western PA - PA
Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club - LA

Nothing wrong with  TKF.  They are probably the biggest out there.  BCKFC is solid too. 

KA of W PA only has 206 members.  AKF is relatively small too.  How did they make this list?  It really makes me wonder exactly how many people are voting.

And while KBF has name recognition, traffic has been way down there this year.

-Allen

KA of W PA only has 206 members.  AKF is relatively small too.  How did they make this list?  It really makes me wonder exactly how many people are voting.

2,754 voters in the last round.

-Allen

I was looking at the blogs that were available to vote for and one of them didn't even have a recent entry, I think three for the year. Now thats plain crazy

I was looking at the blogs that were available to vote for and one of them didn't even have a recent entry, I think three for the year. Now thats plain crazy

I know for a fact that we've ignored The Milkcrate this year preferring to spend time on KFM.  And we only had like 3 entries this  year, and still got nominated and made it past the first round.

-Allen

Nothing wrong with  TKF.  They are probably the biggest out there.  BCKFC is solid too. 

I have no beef at all with TKF and BCKFC appearing on the list. I mentioned it mostly out of provincial western regional interest (NCKA obviously). TKF is a grand ol' giant, one of the earliest entries. And BCKFC - there's so much growth and enthusiasm over there. I think they are the most worthy of this award this year.

Not to take anything away from the Slayer Propel, but it just went into production.  Very few people actually have time in on one.  How can it make the the list?  The Ride 115/115X and the Predator made KFM's top 10 list though so there is something to that.

I agree - very few people have had a chance to fish a production Slayer. That's what comes of allowing anyone in the world to nominate anything in the world. A given nominee's following can be decisive, particularly if it reaches beyond kayak fishing. 

In case you're wondering (maybe), Andy Cho had my vote for Angler of the Year. More for career stats than anything he's done this year. The guy still holds the record for the largest kayak caught fish ever brought to a scale. Some people say they'd do as well if they had the opportunity. I say put up or shut up. See - that's your problem - you shark hunters shouldn't slice and dice your records until there's a weight receipt. 

In case you're wondering (maybe), Andy Cho had my vote for Angler of the Year. More for career stats than anything he's done this year. The guy still holds the record for the largest kayak caught fish ever brought to a scale. Some people say they'd do as well if they had the opportunity. I say put up or shut up. See - that's your problem - you shark hunters shouldn't slice and dice your records until there's a weight receipt. 

According to this magazine, these guys got the heaviest kayak fish EVER ... http://www.canoekayak.com/fishing/shark-the-heaviest-kayak-catch-ever/   

-Allen

It's kinda like when an Oakland A's player gets snubbed for a postseason award or the all star game...I secretly celebrate because it means he gets to stay an Athletic for a few more years...instead of getting shipped off to the highest bidding johnny-come-lately organization, due to his new status as a nationally-recognizable figure.
Is it selfish to feel this way? Perhaps. But it's better for the organization in the long run. Josh Donaldson doesn't need an award to prove he's badass. Just like NCKA doesn't need to be recognized by yakangler.com to prove it's the best fishing forum in the worldwideweb. But if someone here feels slighted and needs some sort of trophy-like recognition, let me know -- and I'll personally build a plaque stating the obvious = NCKA rocks! Or perhaps someone needs a shirt? Here, you can have the one I'm wearing -- because that's how WE roll.   

Well, not voting this week, since I don't recognize anyone or anything that I've had anything to do with. So, that's another way the voting is skewed.

I was looking at the blogs that were available to vote for and one of them didn't even have a recent entry, I think three for the year. Now thats plain crazy

I know for a fact that we've ignored The Milkcrate this year preferring to spend time on KFM.  And we only had like 3 entries this  year, and still got nominated and made it past the first round.

-Allen

.

It was another another blog, I know you have more on your plate.

NCKA doesn't need to be recognized by yakangler.com to prove it's the best fishing forum in the worldwideweb. But if someone here feels slighted and needs some sort of trophy-like recognition, let me know -- and I'll personally build a plaque stating the obvious = NCKA rocks! Or perhaps someone needs a shirt? Here, you can have the one I'm wearing -- because that's how WE roll.   

+1

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Ashley Rae it is. She loves to fish.

http://www.shelovestofish.com/

It's kinda like when an Oakland A's player gets snubbed for a postseason award or the all star game...I secretly celebrate because it means he gets to stay an Athletic for a few more years...instead of getting shipped off to the highest bidding johnny-come-lately organization, due to his new status as a nationally-recognizable figure.
Is it selfish to feel this way? Perhaps. But it's better for the organization in the long run. Josh Donaldson doesn't need an award to prove he's badass. Just like NCKA doesn't need to be recognized by yakangler.com to prove it's the best fishing forum in the worldwideweb. But if someone here feels slighted and needs some sort of trophy-like recognition, let me know -- and I'll personally build a plaque stating the obvious = NCKA rocks! Or perhaps someone needs a shirt? Here, you can have the one I'm wearing -- because that's how WE roll.   

My sediments EXACLY

NCKA doesn't need to be recognized by yakangler.com to prove it's the best fishing forum in the worldwideweb. But if someone here feels slighted and needs some sort of trophy-like recognition, let me know -- and I'll personally build a plaque stating the obvious = NCKA rocks! Or perhaps someone needs a shirt? Here, you can have the one I'm wearing -- because that's how WE roll.   

+1
 
Sincerely,
Jim

   ++1    Glad to see wisdom prevail.

Rae is a photogenic TV personality associated with Hobie. I'm not sure how deep her roots go in kayak fishing.

Well, Ashley Rae won it.  What does that tell you?

And The Blog of the Year was one by Jason Self, someone that was banned from NWKA long ago.  He also happened to have all of 7 posts to his blog the entire year.

I said it before the voting and I'll stick to it ... this "competition" needs some quality controls.

-Allen