Congratulations 2015 AOTY Champion Clayman!!!

That is a lot of dedication to your passion!

CONGRATULATION Chris! (A.K.A.) Clayman!!!

Great job, Clayman!  You've set the bar high for me for next year!

I'd be willing to sat he's the most consistent fisherman on the board.
Congrats Clayman.
It's an accomplishment of which to be very proud.

Congratulations Chris. Always great reports and great tips as to what you are using. Greatly appreciated. Now if I could just find the time to make it up that way. One more to help through college and I am there man !!!
All we can do is live through your reports for now ...
Congratulations again on a job well done that took a great deal of effort.

Chris, the Myth !

Congrats Chris, what an awesome year for ya brotha!!

I'm very proud of you and your accomplishments, as well as proud of all the other great anglers who placed. Job well done everyone!!!

Congrats on a great year Chris - well-derserved!

Congrats to Naoaki, Josh and all the other competitors. Enjoyed seeing all of the quality catches. 

Good luck to all in 2016.

Epic year Chris! Your known as a freshwater guy, but you pulled off the perfect balance of fresh/saltwater fish for your victory! So impressed with the work you put in. I'ts not easy fishing in our part of the state when your happy when it finally warms up to 30 degrees.

Glad to see a mountain man from the Northeast win this thing!   

P.S. This year you have to help me catch a brook trout from a kayak. It's starting to get embarrassing.   

 Well done

Wow. No-one better deserving .  Congratulations ...... Oh and thanks for the glove recommendation . Best fishing gloves I ever had...

Thank you for the kind words all!  2015 was a helluva ride, and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to share a lot of it through reports here on the site.  It's awesome to know the community enjoys reading my reports just as much as I enjoy documenting them.  Although I won't be competing in AOTY in 2016, you can bet I'll be fishing and will continue to document my trips.  Hopefully, a few of those trips will include some new PBs!

It is a ton of work and at times you wonder why the hell am I doing this? Many think it is the prizes you will win. Those really mean nothing compared to the good times the new friends and experiences you have, and of course all the hard work you put in. The true prize in my opinion is just knowing you did your best.

Yup, you described it perfectly Rob!  I had several "WTF am I doing?" moments through the year.  It took a lot of mental fortitude to keep myself going.  The prizes are great and all, but there's no way in hell I was doing this just for a prize.  If I wanted a new Hobie that bad, I'd just buy it  .  Like you said, I wanted to come out of the year knowing that I gave it an honest, solid effort.  Competing for the top spot in AOTY is a lot of work, and it's also addicting chasing down those high-point-value fish through the year.  I knew if I didn't take 1st this year, I'd compete the next year, and the next, etc.  I didn't want it to consume my fishing time every year.  I'm just damn happy that it worked out for me this year so I can move on to other endeavors, while watching 2016 AOTY from the sidelines (and I imagine later in the year, secretly wishing I was entering fish  ).

Epic year Chris! Your known as a freshwater guy, but you pulled off the perfect balance of fresh/saltwater fish for your victory! So impressed with the work you put in. I'ts not easy fishing in our part of the state when your happy when it finally warms up to 30 degrees.

Glad to see a mountain man from the Northeast win this thing!   

P.S. This year you have to help me catch a brook trout from a kayak. It's starting to get embarrassing.   

Thanks Scott, I'm honored to represent the Hunter-Gatherer Clans of Northeast CA!  I wish you the best of luck in 2016.  If you want a kayak brookie, I'll take you to a lake just north of Almanor that has oodles of them.  Most are in the 9-11 inch class, but I've pulled a few 16 inchers out of there.  Hit me up in early summer.

Sounds good! 

Great work Chris! It was a blast watching you get a lot of those big fish, I knew you had it won since August when you landed that 38.50" Chinook! Congratulations and I look forward to fishing AOTY this year as well.

Stellar season, scrolling through your entries there are numerous fish that most anglers would consider 'catch of a lifetime'.  Let me know if you'd like some company on that quest for a 20"er. 

Great work Chris! It was a blast watching you get a lot of those big fish, I knew you had it won since August when you landed that 38.50" Chinook! Congratulations and I look forward to fishing AOTY this year as well.

You were my guide that day for sure!  I wouldn't have even dropped my gear down if it weren't for your suggestion.  I hope to repay the favor when you come up on your AOTY trout hunt! (even though you know this fishery nearly as well as I do  ).

Stellar season, scrolling through your entries there are numerous fish that most anglers would consider 'catch of a lifetime'.  Let me know if you'd like some company on that quest for a 20"er. 

Thanks Ben, and will do.  I'm thinking March for a Trinity Lake smallie run  .

Epic year for you Chris and thanks for the great reports. You certainly put in your time, miles and skills for some nice slayin. Congrats  man you earned it!