As 2018 has come to a close; I reflect back at how great 2018 was and how exciting 2019 is going to be!
Lowcountry Kayak Anglers or LKA is a “not for profit” club of like minded people that love to fish and do it from kayaks.
The club has been around since 2015 and continues to thrive and grow as the sport of kayak fishing grows as well.
The club holds a number of fishing tournaments each year as well as a season-long (8 months) Angler of the Year competition.
In June we held our annual Battle at Paradise Charity Tournament with all the proceeds going to the SC chapter of Heroes on the Water (HOW) a veteran’s charity. They offer alternative therapeutic programs to serve veterans, active-duty military personnel, first-responders and their families.
We were able to raise over $1500 for the HOW chapter and had a great event on the water, 2018 also saw the launch of the inaugural LKA Inshore Trail series.
Three inshore tournament events that led to an inshore championship tournament for the best anglers out of the series events.
All of our tournaments use the “CPR” or Catch/Photo/Release format for scoring
All of our tournaments use the “CPR” or Catch/Photo/Release format for scoring. The angler measures the fish on a measuring board, takes a photo with a tournament identifier and submits that instead of a live weigh-in.
These two events are open to any kayak angler who wishes to participate. Our 2018 Inshore Trail Championship was won by Gary Carter.
The Angler of the Year is a competition open to all club members where they fish for 8 different species (both fresh and saltwater) of fish, one per month, with points awarded for fish submitted.
Congratulations are in order for our 2018 Angler of the Year, Greg Northrup!
Our final event for the 2018 club year is our annual Trout for Tots competition, another CPR tournament keyed on fishing for trout. Entry to the tournament is a donation to Toys for Tots and ran the month of December.
We were lucky to partner with Eye Strike Fishing and Coastal Angler Magazine Charleston to promote a great event open to all that will wrap up just after publication, so be sure to check online to see what the winning fish came out to!
Annual club membership is a very reasonable $25 for an individual and $50 for a family and registration for the 2019 season begins in April and membership includes discounts to local tackle shops and other local retailers as well as many other perks and events.
Looking forward to 2019 here are some dates to put on your calendar: Battle at Paradise Charity Fishing Tournament for HOW will be June 8th and is open to all kayak anglers.
The LKA Inshore Trail Series will have 6 events this year
The LKA Inshore Trail Series will have 6 events this year with dates on 17 March, 27 April, 26 May, 22 September, 20 October and 10 November.
More details as to times and locations can be found on our Facebook page as well as our website and is also open to all kayak anglers who wish to participate, 2019 looks to be a great year and I look forward to meeting you on the water!
We would also like to thank Coastal Angler Magazine Charleston for their support with this column space in 2018 and the many many sponsors and supporters that helped make 2018 happen. Be safe on the water this winter.
Tight Lines!
Mike Kohler
LKA Tournament Director
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