Kayak Anglers Fight High, Muddy Water Conditions

April kayak bass fishing action is usually fast and furious with some big fish being measured in. This year the tournament trails hit some great bodies of water, and despite mostly facing high, muddy water, the April kayak fishing action did not disappoint. Oh, and we saw history made on one of the trails this month, but we’ll get to that.

We had two clubs hit the water on Saturday April, 6.

First was the East Central Georgia Kayak Anglers (ECGKA) club on Lake Jackson. The fishing on Jackson was good, with most anglers putting up good numbers of fish. In the end, it took 77.75 inches for JJ Heu to secure the win over Craig Smith’s 76.5 inches. Adam Cawley finished a not-too-distant third with 74 inches, and Gage Coley took big-fish honors with a 19.75-inch fish.

Not too far away, Peach State Kayak Anglers (PSKA) hit the water at High Falls State Park, where the old Yogi Berra quote “It ain’t over till it’s over” couldn’t have been more true. Juan Carlos Chacon caught the kicker fish he needed to post an 80-inch stringer and take the win by fishing all the way to the ramp. He was joined on the podium by Landon Anderson, who took big-bass honors with a 22-inch toad that was also caught just before he got back to the ramp. On a tough day where fish held tight to cover in muddy water, Jason Matthews and Gene Jensen cashed checks and rounded out the top three with 75-inches and 73.5-inches, respectively.

On April 13, Reel Krazy Kayak Tournament Fishing (RKKTF) hit Lake Weiss. With eligible water from Brushy Branch on the Georgia side all the way into Alabama, anglers had a lot of open water to chase their choice of largemouth or spots. Local angler JR Young made the weekend trip back from college to earn the win, posting an 84.75-inch stringer for the victory. Rok Ly put up 80.25 inches to cash the second-place check, followed by Andy Middleton’s 77.75-inch, third-place finish. On a day where stringers were filled with spots, Heath Jarrett found a 22-inch largemouth to take big-bass honors.

The final club event of the month was hosted by Chattahoochee Kayak Anglers (CKA) and was planned to be on the river below West Point Lake. With the heavy rains all winter and spring sending water down the Chattahoochee from north Georgia, the event was moved to West Point Lake for safety, and one angler couldn’t be more happy.

David Scott made history by winning his third straight kayak fishing tournament.

If you’ve followed this blog, you’ve seen David Scott’s name. He won the first two CKA events this year, and at West Point, he made history by winning his third straight event—a feat never accomplished across any of the state’s tournament trails. His 75.75-inch stringer edged out Nick Dyer by an inch for the win, despite Nick taking the honors for big bass with a 22-inch hawg. Mitchell White rounded out the top three with a 70.75-inch stringer on a tough day at West Point.

May is gonna be a big month on the kayak tournament trails, kicking off with one of the state’s biggest events—a three-club tournament with East Central, Peach State, and Reel Krazy. Check back soon for an update.

Upcoming Tournament Schedule
May 4: Lake Lanier, ECGKA
May 4: Lake Lanier, PSKA
May 4: Lake Lanier, RKKTF
May 18: West Point to Blanton, CKA

Check back in late May for the next round of tournament results and updates on some great events coming in June.

For more information on the clubs and events, you can find them on Facebook or you can email me directly.