The 2nd Annual Indian River Paddle Classic kayak fishing tournament for Coastal Charities was held on September 25th all along the Space Coast. The captain's meeting was held at Strike Zone fishing and tackle store on New Haven Avenue in Melbourne, Florida. Bryan Cheek was the host and did a great job explaining the rules and running the raffle. This was a catch and photo tournament. The weigh-in was held at the Lagoon House on U.S 1 in Melbourne, Florida. Over 55 anglers competed for prizes. I was reported, by Brian Cheek, "that it was a tough day on the water and with windy and muddy conditions, the snook bite was modest at best". The prizes for 1-3rd Red Fish, Trout, Snook and Slam. Because there were no winners in the Snook category, the Snook prizes were added to the general raffle making for a very exciting tournament conclusion. Over $5,000 was raised for Coastal Charities. All though I was not in the money, I had a great time by catching 12 catfish and two small under sized red fish. This non-profit charity is dedicated to funding youth education through activities in coastal waterways. To register go to www.coastalcharities.org and download an application. Here is the link for the tournament winners.
http://www.indianriverkayakfishing.com/Tournament%20Page.html
