To cast your vote in Round 3 go to www.yakangler.com/choice. The final results will be announced October 17. At this point, it’s all up to you!
Kayak Angler of the Year
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Robert Field
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Jason Hopper
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Guillermo Gonzalez
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Chris Castro
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Mike Baker
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Dee Kaminski
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Robert Field is a full time kayak angler and videographer. As owner of YakFish TV, he documents his kayak fishing trips around the country and abroad. He has earned a reputation for targeting large and unusual species. See his work at www.yakfish.tv and at www.youtube.com/YakFishField.
Jason has been kayak fishing for over 8 years. He started and has been directing the largest tournament trail in Georgia and formed the first Georgia Kayak Bass Fishing State Championship. He does his best to help all the anglers he come in contact with to achieve their goals and help them grow. Kayak fishing is Jason’s strongest passion, it has helped him out in so many ways including when my daughter had leukemia 3 years ago, and the kayak fishing community nationwide helped him get through it with moral support so he could stay strong for my family. So now he gives back whenever he can. To Jason it's a brotherhood, not just a sport.
Puerto Rican born angler Guillermo Gonzalez is currently residing in Fort Worth, TX and has quite the fishing resume to boot. He grew up fishing for just about anything that swims in South Florida. He currently leads the championship race in three different kayak tournament series with 11 top 5s. On top of that, he has won 5 out of his last 6 events including 2 in the first annual KATS Classic Elite Series.
Chris Castro takes kayak fishing and turns it up a notch with his team of anglers. He is a native of Corpus Christi, TX and his goal is to bring the audience closer to the adventure. Yet to be guided, he has created a more complicated journey. Not just catching a black drum, but chasing bulls and catching them with a lure. Not just catching a bull redfish, but chasing two down at once. Not just searching for gator trout, but having one slip out of your hands. To him kayak fishing is next-level fishing, and he makes sure to always leave you hanging at the end of each episode in anticipation of the next.
Mike is married and has three children between seventeen months and five years old. He is a member of the Wilderness Systems and Torqeedo fishing team, as well as a guide in southern Maine. Three years ago, Mike started Kayak Fish New England, a guide service specializing in kayak and surfcasting excursions. In 2015, he won the Jamaica Bay Kayak Classic, and this past summer he took first in the NEKF Striper Shootout's open division . While pre-fishing for the shootout, he hooked his personal best striper and a milestone for striped bass fishermen - a fish that was well over the 48 inch tape he had and estimated over 50 lbs.
Dee Kaminski's passion for fishing started over fourty years ago when she was growing up in the Midwest, and fishing the waters of Canada, Michigan and Wisconsin for walleye, northern pike, musky, and bass. After moving to Melbourne Beach, FL and as her knowledge of the personalities and habitats of the different saltwater species grew, she choose a kayak as her method to stalk fish. Wanting to share her passion and successes with others, Dee started Reel Kayak Fishing Charters, guiding full-time from the Mosquito Lagoon down to Ft. Pierce and targeting monster snook, bull redfish, “gator” sized speckled seatrout, and flounder using light spinning tackle with artificial baits.Kayak of the Year
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Wilderness Systems “A.T.A.K."
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Hobie "Pro Angler 14"
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Vibe Kayak "Sea Ghost 130"
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Jackson Kayak "Coosa HD"
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Old Town "Predator PDL"
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Paddle of the Year
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Bending Branches “Angler Pro"
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Werner "Camano Hooked"
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Feelfree "Camo"
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Bending Branches "Angler Classic"
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Backwater "Assault"
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Magazine of the Year
| Kayak Angler Magazine | Kayak Bass Fishing Magazine |
| Kayak Fish Mag | Extreme Kayak Fishing Magazine |
| Saltwater Angler |
Forum of the Year
| Texas Kayak Fisherman - TX | Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club - LA |
| Kayak Bass Fishing - TN | New England Kayak Fishing - NE |
| Kayak Anglers - PA | Austin Kayak Fishing - TX |
Product of the Year
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YakAttack “RotoGrip Paddle Holder"
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Line Cutterz “Line Cutterz Ring"
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River2Sea "Whopper Plopper"
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TourneyX "Tournament Management"
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YakAttack "LeverLoc Anchor Trolley"
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Retailer of the Year
| Austin Canoe & Kayak (www.ack.com) TX | Hook 1 (www.kayakfishinggear.com) TN |
| Appomatox River Company (paddleva.com) VA | The Kayak Fishing Store (www.thekayakfishingstore.com) NJ |
| Outside World (www.theoutsideworld.net) GA | Ozark Extreme Outdoors (www.ozarkextremeoutdoors.com) MO |
Location of the Year
| Susquehanna River, US | Lake Fork, TX |
| Chesapeake Bay, US | Kentucky Lake, US |
| Keys, FL | Lake Guntersville, AL |
Video of the Year
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Kayak Bass Fishing - The Kayak Fishing Experience by KayakBassintv |
Kayak Fishing for River Monsters by Robert Field |
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Kiera Landers: 11 year old kayak fishing tournament angler by Robert Field |
Hooked On Wild Waters - Episode 1 by Drew Gregory |
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Kayak Fising for Double Hookup BULL REDS by Chris Castro |
Photo of the Year
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Sweet Home Alabama by Jonathon Fordham
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Pedal boats aren't really kayaks. But that's none of my business by Rob Choi
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Bass on the Fly by Steve Fisher for Outside Television
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Rock Island Nights by Chris Funk
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Jay Wallen Puts the Hammer Down at the Hobie Bass Open by Paul Lebowitz
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Blog of the Year
| Kayak Fishing Blog by Chris Payne | Catch Fish or Die Trying by Andrew Cameron |
| 30mo VLOG by Ty Southerland | River Goat Kayak Adventures by Jim Ware |
| ACK Blog by Austin Kayak | Saltwater Kayak Fisherman by Rob Appleby-Goudberg |
Employer of the Year
| YakAttack - (Manufacturer) VA | Jackson Kayak - (Manufacturer) TN |
| ACK - (Shop) TX | Vibe Kayaks - (Manufacturer) GA |
| Yak Gear - (Manufacturer) TX |
