CKA Mission Statement
Founded in 2013, Carolina Kayak Anglers [CKA] is North Carolina’s oldest kayak bass fishing trail. Our primary function is organizing and hosting competitive kayak fishing tournaments across the state. Additionally, CKA partners with state & local agencies to promote the sport of fishing, collaborates with kayak fishing industry sponsors and occasionally holds charitable events.
Our sponsors include kayak brands, fishing tackle companies and retailers, manufacturers of clothing and gear for paddle sports as well as local businesses. Our title sponsor, Get Outdoors Pedal and Paddle, is an independent retail store in Greensboro, North Carolina. Anglers who fish CKA events receive discounts on purchases at the store.
CKA also promotes the sport of kayak fishing through and for its sponsors and allied organizations. We partner in and coordinate events with other kayak fishing series, advertise and distribute sponsor products and collaborate with national organizations to grow the sport of kayak fishing. CKA is an AmBASSador Series partner of Kayak Bass Fishing [KBF] and our Tournament Directors contribute to discussions of rules and formats that grow the sport as well as regional planning of major tournaments. CKA anglers have qualified for and competed in both KBF and B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series events through our series, enjoying high levels of success, winning money as well as prestigious titles and events.
As a registered non-profit in North Carolina, the club is run by and for its anglers. Tournament directors work on a volunteer basis and are NOT paid.
About CKA Tournaments
CKA’s primary competitive tournament series holds nine single-day tournaments from March-October of every year, in which the target is black bass species. CKA also holds an on-line series (“20 for…) from March through August and a Winter Series (December through February).
No membership is required to attend and fish in CKA events – anglers simply register Fishing Chaos, pay a tournament registration fee and fish (however, if an angler wishes to keep the points earned in a tournament, he or she must be a member prior to competition time).
CKA anglers compete for cash prizes and other rewards at regular season individual events. In addition, anglers earn points toward Angler of the Year (AOY) and Rookie of the Year (ROY) prizes, which are determined at CKA’s final regular season competition, the Gate City Classic, in September of every calendar year. Hosted by Get Outdoors Pedal and Paddle, the Gate City Classic also determines the location of the Tournament of Champions event where the top anglers in the series face off in a single, unique tournament.
In addition to the regular season and Tournament of Champions, CKA also collaborates with other kayak fishing clubs in North Carolina and Virginia. We hold joint events and also organize the Battle on the Border every year. The latter event is staged on Kerr lake (Buggs Island) with generous support from Vance County, NC.
History
Carolina Kayak Anglers was founded in 2013 by military veterans from three branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. CKA has organized over 80 kayak fishing events in North Carolina since its inception. CKA played a pivotal role in sustaining the kayak bass fishing community at its inception. When Carolina Yakfish ceased operations in 2013, CKA picked up the torch in the very same month, providing continuity and a new series. The entire family tree of North Carolina kayak bass fishing can be traced from that pivotal event, which is commemorated in our Hall of Champions.
In recognition of the sacrifices made by active duty personnel and veterans, CKA works with charity organizations by raising money and awareness through tournament fishing. CKA has worked with:
- Heroes on the Water (HOW), a charitable organization dedicated to helping veterans and active duty personnel fish, paddle and join the community of kayak anglers.
- Socks and Cookies/Kickin’ Bass 4 Troops charity on-line series, which is held on TourneyX.
In the ten years of its operations, CKA has transformed the state’s kayak bass fishing community into one of the largest and most successful kayak fishing scenes in the United States. As a leading ambassador of a rapidly growing sport, CKA upholds its core values of fair competition, good sportsmanship and responsible outdoor recreation for anglers and paddlers.
© CKA 2013-2024
