http://www.hardcorekayakfishing.com/index.php?pr=2009_Fall_Hardcore_Invitational
Follow the link for all info---- rules, maps, sponsors, "the works".
Just a "warning shot" post to let everyone know and start throwing out any input on it to help me sharpen it up.
We are going to put together a 20-25 man tourney to raise money for the Mt. Island Wildlife Stewards. Shooting for 1st half of October. Plan on entry being $25-$30 and if all goes well will have 2 each year. (spring and fall)
It will be a true invitational and probably 1/2 the entrants will be affiliated with the team. Including myself. I`m not putting one on and not fish! Judging will be done by someone unafilliated with the team and all entries will be viewable by all entrants. Alot of the rest will be from NCangler. Invites will be going to previous winners/placers of other tourneys but may be tough on "out of towners" cause the Hardcore tourney launches with a shotgun start at dawn. I`m thinking of you decorated guys (Jeffonc, Erayyak, Skooteri, yak4fish, druminator, fishjunky, etc. ) And will be begging the sponsored guys to help with any "schwag" they can. Will be an invitation to anyone on the Great Outdoors team as well. I hope to have one "media entry" and hope it will be from N.C. Sportsman. Due to being our 1st tourney and location limitations we want to limit entries to guarantee a quality tourney and not overload the area.
This will be the FIRST kayakfishing tourney in Charlotte that I know of and of course the 1st invitational. Will be on north end of Lake Wylie tentatively near MT. Holly. Will be a CPR format with only 1 minor tweak. Artificials only. 5 fish limit allowed but only 1 fish per inch. Meaning if you catch 5 bass all measuring 12 to 13 inches----- tough luck. Only 1 will count. Judging will be by a Non-Hardcore entity and all will be viewable by any entrants. Identifiers will be given out at launch (each will be unique) and each entrant will bring their own "golden rule".
ALL, 100% of the the proceeds will go to the Wildlife Stewards to help with their projects. If nothing else we owe them for the 100 fish attractors put in Mt. Island. I`d wish everyone (like myself) thought this was a worthy enough cause to join in regardless of prizes but that may not be the case for everyone. There WILL be prizes. I don`t think for a tourney this size it will be a yak from a sponsor. I will be doing all I can to get some donated and if I`m not happy with it I am going to give away my Dagger bayou tandem. Don has already said he`d donate a $100 St. Croix rod as well. I plan on having Captains bags and will be asking everyone I can think of to donate for that. I`m sure I`ll get a bunch of stickers, (we`are making a vinyl sticker just for the tourney) coupons,who knows what all. Kayak angler will probably be the official media sponsor and will throw in some back issue mags as well as coverage after the event. Will be talking to our shirt printer and hopefully be able to have one for everybody.
I have a million more ideas/points from the organizer end but just want to get the ball rolling. The invitational is not to exclude anybody just to keep a limit on it as well as ensuring quality entrants and area representation. There will be (I hope- Sponsored anglers, tournament winners, multiple yakkers with over 10 yrs, people from the local media, anglers from the NCWF, and one or two special regional paddlers- and some newer paddlers with a Hardcore attitude) Anyone wishing to be involved just let me know.
I will keep everyone posted and all details will be on www.hardcorekayakfishing.com as well as all winner photos afterwards.
Anyone wishing to post a "letter of intent" please feel free to say so since I haven`t made the official list yet don`t think I`ll have any trouble hitting our limit.-----------------------------------stu