Ken – Elite Kayak Fishing

Todd Brothers Dominates on the Kennebec River!

September 25, 2024 Ken0 Comment

On September 21, the 2024 Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series, presented by Black Hall Outfitters, wrapped up its fourth and final regular-season event on one of Maine’s hidden gems—the Kennebec River.

The Kennebec offers a diverse fishing experience, with fast-moving waters around rocky ledges that attract smallmouth bass, while its quieter sections and weedy backwater areas are perfect for hunting largemouth. Despite its abundance of fish and stunning scenery, this river remains under the radar compared to some of Maine’s more famous bass fisheries.

When Mike Guarino from Mid-Maine Bass Fishing suggested we host an event on the Kennebec, many were skeptical. But after a short test in 2023, we were convinced—and after this year’s event, so are the anglers.

Most entered the tournament with low expectations, having little experience with the river. However, Khoa Dao pre-fished the week prior, catching a six-pounder and two bass over five pounds. Returning the day before the tournament, he landed another five-pounder. Chris Gomes and Anthony Campbell both reported over 90 inches during their pre-fishing sessions. Even those who didn’t have epic pre-fishing days found themselves with plenty of bites.

But as the week progressed, temperatures dropped, and the fishing conditions toughened for tournament day.

With Jake Angulas aiming for his fourth straight win to sweep the regular season, Todd Brothers put an end to that streak. Todd secured his first Elite Kayak Fishing victory with a combined 91.25 inches of largemouth and smallmouth bass, beating out a very competitive field.

Khoa Dao, in just his second Elite Kayak Fishing event, repeated his strong performance on the St. Lawrence River by taking second place with 88.75 inches, including a 19.75-inch largemouth that broke a tie with Angulas. Angulas finished in third, also with 88.75 inches, narrowly missing his chance at another win.

Rey Morales followed closely in fourth with 88.00 inches, and Matt Lee completed the top five with 86.50 inches. The Fresh Baitz Big Bass for the event was a 20-inch largemouth caught by Jon Richardson in the last thirty minutes!

Check out the full results here

Up next is the highly-anticipated two-day championship on Candlewood Lake, taking place October 12–13. See you there!

Register Early and Reel in Top-Tier Doomsday Gear!

August 28, 2024 Ken0 Comment

Want to win a Doomsday Tackle Co. rod bundle?

Register for our Kennebec River event by September 14 and you could!

Nearly $500 worth of premium fishing rods—two 47 Series casting rods and one spinning rod—could be yours! Don’t miss your chance to reel in this top-tier Doomsday gear!

Register now!

Jake Angulas Conquers the St. Lawrence River, Dominates Season So Far

August 22, 2024 Ken0 Comment

On August 17, the 2024 Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series, presented by Black Hall Outfitters, held its third event of the season on the legendary St. Lawrence River, widely regarded as one of the top fisheries in the United States. This scenic stretch of upstate New York also allowed anglers to fish two of its tributaries, the Raquette and Grasse Rivers, which are also known for their excellent bass fishing opportunities.

More well-known of the three rivers, the St. Lawrence is famous for its pristine, crystal-clear waters and varying currents, making it a prime habitat for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. The rocky shoals and underwater structures offer ideal spots for trophy-sized smallmouths, while largemouth bass tend to hide in the river’s calmer, weedy areas, giving anglers a variety of fishing challenges. The beauty of the river and the thrill of battling these bass make it a top-tier destination for competitive and recreational anglers alike.

(Watch our live event broadcast on YouTube)

Tournament day saw intense competition, with anglers battling not just the fish but the challenging river conditions. Jake Angulas once again proved to be a dominant force, claiming his third win of the season with an impressive total of 88.75 inches of bass. Angulas strategically focused on smallmouth bass in the early hours before transitioning to shallow largemouth later in the day. His decision to switch tactics and employ a chatterbait over submerged grass paid off handsomely, securing his place at the top once again.

Khoa Dao made his mark in his first-ever Elite Kayak Fishing event, taking second place with a solid 85 inches of bass, a mix of both smallmouth and largemouth. Dao also captured the Fresh Baitz Big Bass prize with a hefty 18.75-inch largemouth, a highlight in a standout debut.

In third place, Rey Morales hauled in 83.25 inches of smallmouth bass, showcasing yet again that he is one of the best anglers in the Northeast. Close behind was Antoine Desrochers-Gagnon, whose 83 inches earned him a fourth-place finish. Rounding out the top five was Gerard Elias, whose 78.75 inches of bass capped off a strong tournament for all competitors.

Check out the full results here and watch our EKF LIVE recap show with Khoa Dao…

The Kennebec River is up next on September 1. The river may not be so well-known among our anglers today, but it will be after our event. Mark our words! Don’t sleep on this one.

Want to Win a Dakota Lithium Power Bundle?

July 27, 2024 Ken0 Comment

Want to win a Dakota Lithium Power Bundle?

Register for our St. Lawrence River event by August 10 for your chance!

The power bundle includes a 10ah Powerbox, 60ah Powerbox with a built-in Multi-Function Inverter, 23ah battery with USB ports, and a second standalone Multi-Function Inverter. Nearly $1,500 worth of power!

Jake Angulas Gambles Big on Winnipesaukee and It Pays Off

July 23, 2024 Ken0 Comment

On July 20, the 2024 Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series, presented by Black Hall Outfitters, hosted its second event of the season on one of the Northeast’s greatest fisheries: New Hampshire’s famed Lake Winnipesaukee!

With the scenic backdrop of the White Mountains and the pristine natural environment, forty-one anglers battled wind, waves, an endless parade of pleasure boaters, and aggressive smallmouth.

In contrast to our previous event on Great Sacandaga Lake, the smallmouth on this day weren’t as willing to eat, requiring many anglers to work much harder for their catches—and leaving many others scratching their heads.

Regardless, the tournament was a nail-biting affair, with anglers in the top ten constantly jockeying for position throughout the day. From the morning bite to the final moments, the leaderboard saw continuous movement as competitors reeled in bass after bass. Each hour saw a new contender scratching their way into the top ten, with inches separating the leaders in a fierce contest.

(Watch our live event broadcast on YouTube)

The lake’s diverse habitats and abundance of bass ensured that no angler was ever truly out of the running. As the hours wore on, the relentless back-and-forth battle at the top of the leaderboard highlighted the exhilarating nature of competitive kayak fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee.

In the end, it was New Hampshire native—and our Great Sacandaga Lake winner—Jake Angulas who clinched first place with a total of 93.75 inches of bass, highlighted by a standout 21.50-inch largemouth.

Jake sat atop the leaderboard for much of the morning until Matt Zapala not only took the lead, but increased it. Jake’s decision to swing for the fences and hunt for a kicker largemouth paid off, earning him the Fresh Baitz Big Bass of the event.

Matt Zapala followed closely in second place, amassing an equally impressive 92.75 inches of smallmouth bass.

Steve Hedges secured third place with 90 inches, while the fourth spot went to Todd Dyer, who finished with 89.50 inches, narrowly winning the tie-breaker against Nick Audi.

Check out the full results here and watch our EKF LIVE recap show with Todd Dyer and Matt Zapala…

Our next event will be on the St. Lawrence River on August 17! Register here.

Want to Win a Micro Power-Pole and Spike?

July 2, 2024 Ken0 Comment

Want to win a Micro Power-Pole and Spike?

Register for our Lake Winnipesaukee event by July 14 for your chance!

EKF Approves the YakAttack LeaderBoard!

June 26, 2024 Ken0 Comment

As of today, June 26, 2024, the new YakAttack LeaderBoard is approved for use in Elite Kayak Fishing events.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

Jake Angulas Secures Number Four!

May 6, 2024 Ken0 Comment

On May 4, the Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series, presented by Black Hall Outfitters, hit Great Sacandaga Lake in New York for the first event of the 2024 season.

This event marked an exciting change for EKF: the debut of EKF LIVE, a live-stream broadcast that brought a hyrbid of live commentary, pre-recorded angler spotlights and interviews, and more. EKF LIVE provided viewers with a “front-row seat” to all the angling action, allowing them to follow the highs and lows of the competition in real-time.

And what a thrilling battle it was!

This was a tournament within a tournament. With an abundance of smallmouth to be caught (no largemouth were submitted), the true challenge for the 56 anglers competing in this event was finding those “Sacandaga unicorns”—a bass over 17 inches long.

In a competition where every quarter inch mattered, the anglers managed to submit an impressive 512 bass (surpassed only by last year’s Cayuga Lake event, which had nearly double the anglers and 518 submissions), but only nine surpassed the elusive 17-inch mark. Jon Richardson hauled in the Fresh Baitz Big Bass of the day—an impressive 20.25-inch smallmouth. A unicorn, indeed!

As with any tournament, it had its twists and turns. Canada’s Antoine Desrocher-Gagnon’s caught the same bass twice, three hours apart on the same spot, which resulted in the latter being denied. This dropped him from fifth to sixth place, allowing Nick Audi to clinch the fifth-place slot. Both Desrocher-Gagnon and Audi finished with 85.75 inches, but Audi’s larger fish was the tiebreaker.

In fourth place was Christopher Nielsen with 86 inches, while Pennsylvania’s Dylan Miller made an impressive EKF debut, securing third place with 86.25 inches and being the only angler to land multiple fish over 17 inches—an 18 and an 18.25.

As the tournament neared its end, Benjamin Bornhost seemed poised for victory until a late surge by Jake Angulas catapulted him to the top spot by a mere three-quarters of an inch. Bornhost settled for second place with 87 inches, while Angulas claimed his fourth EKF victory with 87.75 inches.

Angulas’s winning strategy of cycling through seven different rods with seven different jerkbaits (read that again) proved effective in enticing quality smallmouth from Sacandaga’s rocky terrain.

With the excitement of Great Sacandaga Lake behind us, we now look forward to the next event at Pennsylvania’s Raystown Lake on June 22. Register here!

Updated Rules Addendum

April 29, 2024 Ken0 Comment

As we head into tournament week and prepare for the first EKF event of the season, please take a look at our rules addendum, which has been updated for clarification.

Though KBF has recently put an end to their Trail Series, we will still mirror their Rules Standard as our main ruleset. This may change next year, but for this season, out of convenience for our anglers, KBF rules apply unless otherwise adjusted in our rules addendum.

Please read both thoroughly. If you have any questions, reply to the message in the Fishing Chaos app or shoot us an e-mail.

Thanks!