Where's the Angler of the Year standings page?

IMO: motherships is all good and all.....but is unfair to those who make the effort to paddle out to the fishing grounds, catch fish and paddle back under their own steam  It's the reason why I bought my kayak in the first place - to be free of noise,gas,busy launch ramps,registration,insurance and launching fees 

The rules are simple,fine and fair.

(but I do like the idea EK had on a bonus point system for a fish that's rare to catch: thresher shark...White sea bass....wolf eel...)

...just my 2 cents....

Mooch--I respect your opinion and will of course abide by the rules set wether I like them or not.  You brought up the issue of fairness so I'll lay out my case.
 I'd first ask you if you've ever fished my coastline up here (Humboldt). If so you'd know that Mendo and Humboldt are home to whats called the "lost coast" the longest stretch of roadless coastline in North America. There is no access but by boat to a large portion of our fishing grounds. We are north of Cape Mendocino which means Our coastline is doubly more treacherous than yours with the highest occurence of freak waves in the world. I'm a professional kayaker and expert in my field so I can get out when most wouldn't. Still though accessing our coastline here without the safety of a mothership means braving bone-crushing surf that can stretch a quarter mile out in places with rips and dumping waves that have killed more than you want to know. The coastline north of Humboldt all the way to the oregon border is equally treacherous on the calmest of days. There is no access till crescent city. The pm's I've recieved indicate that others consider the no powerboat rule to mean no aid in landing your catch or where mothershipping is concerned no going after long range pelagics that you wouldn't be able to reach paddling. The fishing I'd be doing is the same as you, Inshore. The mothership is just for reasons explained above. Just ask abking who will describe greuling jaunts carrying his kayak miles to gain coastal access up here in the Mattole. Is that fair. We have shelter cove, Humboldt Bay and Trinidad Cove. That's it for access. Entering the ocean from Humboldt Bay Jetty would be suicide all but 5 days a year You all have a gazillion different protected launches where risking life and limb isn't really an issue. Compare bean hollow to patricks pt and judge fairness from that. A mothership will just help to keep us safe and level the playing field for us. This area is unique on the west coast if you haven't been here you can't pass judgement. This is a tournament for Northern Californians and granted I'm one of three who post from this area we still deserve the opportunity to compete after all we make up a large portion of Northern Cali. I've got a spare room and a spare boat for anyone who wants to come and see what I'm talking about.
--Hawk

Phooey!  I like your spirit, Hawk, but I think a valid argument against you will be "that's why you may catch bigger fish up there!"  A mothership scenario is clear:  if your yak goes in a powerboat then you're a mothershipper!  The days that you might mothership to False Cape, Blunt's Reef, or even Punta Gorda will be flat enough to launch from shore.  You don't want me to go and catch bigger lings and salmon than you while I launch from shore and you mothership, do you?!!    

Hey!  What's that sound and change in atmospheric pressure?!  Oh, God, Abking's chest is swelling up!!!!   

I'm a professional kayaker and expert in my field

My new challenge:  take a pro fishing and help him win the derby!   

Never been to Humbolt - not yet at least. Ive fished Fort Ross, Stillwater and Elk and the fishing there was always EPIC-  when the conditions were good - chances of getting big lings and vermillions can bring up your score - just ask Erik about the gigantic vermilion he caught some where on the North Coast. Abking also caught the biggest Salmon of the year at Shelter Cove - up North....it's just too bad he did not join the contest, he could have won an Okuma reel for his efforts.

Oh and FYI: The year before (2005), we had a year end contest but with with a different format - and some of the "Big Fish Honors"  came from the North Coast.

If your costline is too dangerous, don't fish there. Drive to these areas that I've just mentioned and you'll have a chance to even up the playing fields. I don't know if that's too far for you to drive. Most of us drove 4 to 5 hours to get to Elk to round up some points. Stuart and Fred did a day trip from San Jose to Tahoe just get points on the trout category - Fred took the lead with a nice lake Trout.... until Mike caught a big steelhead from the Russian River. Sean from Ukiah drove (made several trips) to San Pablo and loaded up some points for his Sturgeon. Mike / Tote made several trips from the Sac area to also fish for Sturgeon in the Bay. Some of us also drove 3 hours South (from the Bay Area) to fish the Big Sur area - so if there's a will, there's way. Basically, most of the people who entered the derby made the effort to drive to where ever they thought they could catch the biggest fish. Was there ever a need for a  mothership (?), not in my opinion. They just did their homework and did what ever they could to fish the area during the best / safest conditions.

IMO: it's all about the time & effort your willing to make to catch big fish....and given the fact that you have an entire year to do it, anyone who want's it bad enough = can win it. Just plan accordingly Of course that's easy for me to say since my life style allows me to pack up my truck on a Friday night and return on a Sunday night with no guilty feelings what so ever  

I'm not really sure of your point Eric. The days I'd mothership out to these roadless areas are days it would be too rough to launch and if it were flat I'd still go in the motthership cause for me it's also a business and thats what my clients want. They don't want to drag a a kayak and gear on rolleez miles down a beach for potentially nothing. My point if I even have one is that this area is more treacherous for paddling then areas south of punta gorda and there is a serious lack of coastal access here in the best fishing grounds on the west coast. A mothership offers us a level of safety not needed in Marin, Sonoma, or San francisco county. Up here we use boats like you all use cars and these rules were made by folks who reside south and never fish here (assumption). If you know me and my company you know that I'm an advocate for safe paddling and opening access for everyone. Most people won't paddle out in these waters cause they often reak of death. I've paddled the entire Ca coastline including channel islands and Catalina so I know where of I speak. This area is unique!!

Congrats Mooooooooooch...! You pulled it out... I still can't believe it. It's all good though... Congrats to all the fellas who entered the contest in 06. There are definitely a lot of great anglers here. I'm hoping to get a chance fish with and learn from some of you guys this year. I can't remember a single trip that was bad while fishing with fellow NCKAers in 06. The format that we had last year is great... the bonus category is great... changing it works too... I don't care really... I'll do my best to catch whatever counts for points... I just want to catch fish... lots and lots of fish. That's just the savage in me... With that said... let's do this... again!!! Good luck to all you guys and gals in the up coming year.

Tight lines,

Freddie

Mooch your suggestion is the same as Seans--"Just drive south". That means you'd write off our two northern most coastal counties (Humboldt/Del Norte). It's not too dangerous if you paddle as well as I do and know what you're doing but most don't. We get enough nice days here to paddle and fish so I won't beat a dead horse. setting the contest and fairness aside I think a mothership is the best way to access this coast in all but the roughest weather/swell

I totally see where you're coming from, Hawk.  Maybe the derby isn't for you - it's not for me, because I don't have time to devote to freshwater species at this point.  I'll look forward to going fishing with you.  

Mooch:  thanks for pointing out that I caught the biggest salmon of the year - I thought you were leaving me out on your earlier post!  There was luck involved, and bluekayak is, I'd say, clearly the most experienced big salmon kayaker on the board, but wasn't my fish the biggest caught by a NCKA'er to date?  Do we have a page of NCKA records?

Understand this:  I'm a busy dad of two small kids, devoted husband with a house to work on, and full time+ businessman, so the challenges and fun of having kayak-fisihing related goals are great motivation and fulfillment for me.  Thank you, NCKA, for being an inspiration for me.  

I never said drive south.  Drive north if you want to.  Theres a TON of access up north, and everythign you need to win. But we are threadjacking Moochs moment of glory.  If you don't like the rules start a rules sniveling thread, or suck it up and play by the rules that have been established, or don't play.

Now back to the show...Mooch is Number #1 in 2006

Lighten up SCWAFISH. No ones taking it personnally, why are you. For me it's just business

Hawk I see your point and I would love to fish from a Mothership. But I have to side with the other guys I have always like the KISS( keep it simple silly) logic. If mother ships were allowed I could run out to SPB on my PB with my kayak on board and climb on my yak and tie off to the stern and fish all day and not have to worry about the paddle in. That would just add to many variables, like during the Elk tourney this year the swells were big and most of us stayed close the guys willing to paddle  a little further and take a little more risk were rewarded with bigger fish. As far as comparing cars to motherships that's a reach we all have cars but we all don't have motherships.

 I hear your argument of the rough seas I feel the same way about the lucky people that live in Monterey. The way I see it is that in Monterey you have calmer seas but the fish aren't as big as Marin,Sonoma,Mendo where the seas are a little more wild, you have the same situation you have rougher seas but bigger fish and a lot less competition by far then us down here. So be happy with what you have and have fun compeating but don't take it too serious or it's no longer fun.

Sorry for the Hijack Way to go Mooch no one is more deserving thanks for all the great memories I'll fish with you anytime Although I am going to try and Kick Your A$$ this year. Hey what about a rule that you average your time spent fishing or on the board  by your points that would put Mooch in the middle of the pack.

Well said. I concur. Sorry about the threadjack abking. Mooch you da man but I'm on your tail this year

Mike-

If we averaged out the time Mooch spent on the water with the points that he earned... He wouldn't even be close to the middle of the pack... more like the rear.

About the mothership thing... I did it earlier in the year with Chuck and John (JMairey) on Alan's boat as the mothership. That was a fun trip too. We nailed the rockies for sure. We all had a blast but IMO, it wouldn't seem right to include "mothershipping" quests in with the "kayaking" quests. Sorry for you guys up north with limited access. I like that it's a simple contest with simple rules. We can all still have a ton of fun with it. Bullseye on Mooch for 2007.  

Congrats again Mooch... I still can't believe I got to hear this crap from you for the next 365 days...  

Freddie

Freddie I think it's all about fun and I think Mooch is way ahead of most of us. I am way more jealous of the time Joel spends on the water than of any award. I heard he is going for the Spearo award this year also.  Hey who won that?