September Kayak Tournaments Wrap Up Regular Season

With half of the state championship clubs having finished their schedules in August, September was a quieter month on the tournament trail. Only East Central Georgia Kayak Anglers (ECGKA) and Chattahoochee Kayak Anglers (CKA) took to the water this month, as both clubs held their final events of their season.

East Central Georgia Kayak Anglers closed out the 2019 trail on the Lower Oconee River. The river was open from the Sinclair Dam in Milledgeville all the way down to the Highway 319 bridge in Dublin—a long stretch of open water. It was ECGKA’s first foray onto the Lower Oconee, and the results were tight. Clay Brantley finished third with 74.75 inches, just a half-inch behind Ashley Shelnutt and his 18-inch big-bass winning largemouth at 75.25 inches. Bringing in a stringer of 78.5 inches was Gage Coley, who took home his first win.

Chattahoochee Kayak Anglers was the final club to finish the season, and they did so with their annual “Spot Fry” tournament. This event is a “catch-and-keep” event where anglers measure bass weight, not inches. The goal of this event is to harvest some invasive spotted bass from the Chattahoochee River and to celebrate by having a big fish fry (of freshly caught spotted bass) for the competitors and their families.

Charlotte Smallwood, big fish at Chattahoochee Kayak Anglers event.

Anglers were encouraged to harvest their full allotment of 10 spotted bass, but at weigh-in, only their top five would score. As he’s done more than a few times over the last few seasons, Jamie Dabbs stepped to the podium the winner with 8.50 pounds of spotted bass. Mike Niles made the trip down from Winder to fish this event and came in second at 8.05 pounds. Chris Muzyka edged out Charlotte Smallwood for third, with 7.96 pounds to her 7.95 pounds. Charlotte found some consolation by catching the big bass of the day, a 2.48-lb. spot.

That brings the regular seasons to an end for the Georgia Kayak Bass State Championship clubs. Check back next week for all the details on the State Championship, Oct. 12-13.

Jamie Dabbs, first place Chattahoochee Kayak Anglers event.