Tag: north carolina kayak fishing

The Official 2026 CKA Schedule

Hank
The Official 2026 CKA Schedule

The official 2026 CKA schedule was a group effort, a combination of angler feedback, TD meetings and collaboration with other entities. CKA has been rejuvenated with an influx of anglers who are new to the sport. At the same time, kayak fishing has new gadgets available to it. The combined demographic and technological changes have provided CKA with the opportunity to bring tournaments into the future while also maintaining the traditions of fair sportsmanship that have made CKA the state’s longest running kayak bass fishing series. The new 2026 schedule…

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Falls Lake 100, Home Stretch Preview

Hank
Falls Lake 100, Home Stretch Preview

As we head into the home stretch of the 2025 CKA tournament season, let’s take a look at where things stand across the various points races, payouts and more! The Pre-Fishing Rule New champions and challenges emerge every season, but CKA 2025 has been different in one important way: for the first time, CKA instituted a ban on pre-fishing during the weekdays prior to tournament day. The goal was to decrease pressure on fisheries and increase the challenge of tournament day problem-solving. So far this season, we have had five…

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Drew Blair wins at Tuckertown

Hank
Drew Blair wins at Tuckertown

Drew Blair won at Tuckertown on Saturday, June 14th, the fifth tournament of the 2025 CKA tournament season. It was the last tournament before CKA detours to clean up Jordan Lake with Hobie Eyewear on June 29th and to fish for charity with Reel Heroes on July 12th (see below for more info). It was also another chance for long time CKA angler Drew Blair to go home with a win. If you know Drew, you know it’s been a long time coming – he’s been fishing CKA tournaments for…

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Whitley wins Classic, AOY & ROY Updates

Hank
Whitley wins Classic, AOY & ROY Updates

The third edition of the Carolina Classic marked another milestone for North Carolina’s home-based fishing clubs: since 2023, each of the three founding clubs has hosted the event one time. The event has become a staple of our busy state-wide community and the 2025 edition, hosted perfectly by Foothills Kayak Anglers (with an assist from Waterways of Old Fort N.C.) added a memorable chapter in the event’s story. What will 2025 bring for the Carolina Classic? We shall see! The Carolina Classic also imparted some definition to the respective CKA…

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CKA Recap: Tsiolkas Wins Windy Season Opener at Tillery

Hank
CKA Recap: Tsiolkas Wins Windy Season Opener at Tillery

Tsiolkas Wins, Approaches All Time Record When CKA directors set up the 2025 schedule, we listened to angler suggestions and feedback. And we decided to open the year at Lake Tillery, the southernmost fishery on the Yadkin Chain in North Carolina, and one of the southernmost lakes in our rotation. It was the first time Tillery hosted a CKA season opener, and with two visits to the Yadkin Chain (CKA will fish Tuckertown in June), it made for a nice trip. With the scenic Uwharrie Mountains framing the fishery, anglers…

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