Tournament Report – 2016 TJM Kayak Fishing Tournament
Catching the Grand Slam (flounder/speckled trout/redfish) aggregate title, Nathan Culp won the division and took home a new Native Slayer 13 Propel fishing kayak during the 8th annual TJM Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament. This is the fifth year that Culp has fished the tournament, but just having had a new baby, he didn’t get the time to pre-fish that he would have liked. “I usually fish Fort Fisher about 10 times a year, but I haven’t been there in a while,” said Culp.
Paddling out, he hit some familiar spots and hooked up first with a redfish on a live mullet. The redfish came in at 28.25”. Moving locations, the flounder (21”) and speckled trout (17.25”) were landed back to back, both falling for artificial swim baits.
“I had all the slam bites by 8:20 am,” he explained, “and then I just paddled around trying to upgrade the trout size.”
Culp wasn’t sure if the three fish would be enough for the win, but he felt like it would be close, and it was enough with a total aggregate length of 66.5”.
Nathan Culp accepting his awards as the 2016 TJM Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament Grand Slam Champion. The total length of his redfish, trout, and flounder was 66.5 inches.
Spencer Cooke, of Asheville, took home a kayak for his 33” redfish that clinched the division win for him in the Red Drum category. Cooke was in the area for work, so he decided to fish the day before. After having success, he signed up at the 11th hour and paddled out the day of the event in a whitewater kayak. “I’ve only competed in a few tournaments, as my attempts at competing have not been successful,” said Cooke.
Working two rods, Cooke casted out live bait for a red and waited, while hooking up with a flounder on a soft plastic. As soon as the flounder was to the boat, the redfish hit. The double hook-up was netted, with the red being the winning fish.
Scott Nicholas, winner of the Flounder division with his 23” flatfish, did his pre-fishing during a trip out with a local captain. The morning of the tournament hadn’t been too successful, and when a storm started to roll in, Nicholas headed back to his car.
“While I was waiting for my friends, I threw a bucktail with a curly tail grub and hooked up,” he said, with the surprise last minute fish being enough for the win. “I am admittedly the worst flounder fisherman I know,” he said with a laugh, explaining that he usually hooks more reds than flatfish.
Jerry Adams, of Fayetteville, was the winner of the Speckled Trout division with a 22” fish. He was participating in his first tournament ever and had only paddled a kayak about 20 times before the day of the event. Paddling out from Federal Point, he hooked up with a speckled trout a little after 11:00 am.
“I wasn’t sure if it was a winning fish when I got it to the boat, but I thought it would be a contender,” he explained.
For more information on the TJM Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament, including full results, visit Hook, Line and Paddle Canoe and Kayak Outfitter’s website at www.hooklineandpaddle.com.
