Tag: Rey Morales

Todd Brothers Dominates on the Kennebec River!

September 25, 2024 0 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!

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

August 22, 2024 0 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.

Consistency Pays Off for John Ferreira at the 2023 EKF Championship

October 23, 2023 0 Comment

The fall bite on Lake George is legendary—if you time it right.

The two-day Elite Kayak Fishing Championship took place on October 14–15, a time of the year when bass should have been bunched up across the lake, feeding and getting fat for the winter. A sense of excitement and anticipation filled the air as thirty-six of the Northeast’s top anglers gathered with one goal in mind…

Become the 2023 EKF Champion.

But while the autumn foliage and crisp fall breeze painted an expected picture above water, things weren’t so predictable beneath the surface.

Record-breaking high temperatures preceded the week of the event, which meant the water temperature was warmer than normal this time of year (or higher than anglers had hoped it would be). This presented a challenging experience for those seeking to take home the EKF championship trophy.

With the bass less predictable, and the fall feeding frenzy only beginning to turn on, consistency over two days would be the key to victory.

As Matthew Zapala noted before the event, “Consistency will be an issue with the temps the way they are and how random it can be when it’s like this.”

After a week of cool temps, some rain, and windy conditions, day one of the event presented mostly sunny skies and light wind. Smallmouth were active this day, with only one largemouth showing up in the top-five anglers’ limits.

At the end of the day, last year’s EKF Champion and Angler of the Year, Nick Audi, no stranger to the top of the leaderboard, found himself there once again with 95.25 inches. But with this being a two-day event, and with John Ferreira (94.5), Frank Matylewicz (94), Todd Dyer (93), and Rey Morales (90) close behind, there were no guarantees for victory.

Sunday arrived with a dip in air temps and a strong northerly wind for most of the day, changing things dramatically for some anglers on day two.

When the waves settled, Ryan Matylewicz landed in fifth place with a solid limit of 177.25 inches. Ryan covered miles of water, starting at the southern end of the lake each day before packing up and moving to a mid-lake area. A dropshot presentation was how he enticed them into the kayak.

With another strong performance in his first season with EKF, Rey Morales expertly used a jig to haul in 178.25 inches of both smallmouth and largemouth, giving him a very respectable fourth-place finish to cap off an excellent year.

     

On Saturday, smallmouth pushed Nick Audi to the top spot, but on Sunday his quality smallmouth bite had disappeared. A last-minute 20-inch largemouth saved the day, giving him a much-needed 4.5-inch upgrade, which was the difference between a sixth- and a third-place finish. He had 180.25 inches total.

Nick also landed the Three Belles Outfitters Big Bass of the event with a giant 20.50-inch smallmouth.

Frank Matylewicz and Benjamin Bornhorst also caught 20.50-inchers, but Nick caught his first, which was the tie-breaker.

As noted, consistency over two days was key for this event, and Todd Dyer’s persistence was on display as he finished in fourth place each day. His masterful jig work in deep water earned him a two-day total of 181.5 inches and a well-deserved second-place check.

     

While being consistent will always benefit an angler, luck can sometimes throw a wrench in the works. John Ferreira worked a large area of the lake for three days during pre-fishing, putting up over 90 inches each day, utilizing a variety of baits. Like Rey and Todd, the jig was his most productive bait, and on Saturday it resulted in his best day of the week with 94.50 inches. Everything was going his way.

Come Sunday, however, things changed. Before noon, John’s biggest bass was a 17.50-incher. It appeared that after five days his luck—or good fortune, if you will—had finally run out.

Under pressure, John remained focused and covered nearly ten miles in his tricked-out Jackson Kayak Take Two. It was a game of hide-and-seek, and finally, at 11:58 AM, he found the first of four big smallmouth that would ultimately propel him to the top of leaderboard.

In quick succession, John hauled in a 19.75, a 19, an 18.50, and a 19.25, among others that didn’t make the cut, to firmly secure the championship crown with 188.50 inches, seven inches over second place!

John’s ability to track down schools of quality smallmouth bass led to a pattern that held up for the duration of the event.

The top ten was rounded out by Benjamin Bornhorst (175.75), Matthew Conant (172.00), Matthew Zapala (171.25), Ken Wood (167.75), and Joseph Horgos (167.75).

Over the course of two days, thirty-six champion-worthy anglers put up 354 green and brown Lake George bass. Payouts totaled just over $6,000 (with more in prizes), bringing the season total cash payouts to nearly $50,000!

And with that, the 2023 EKF season has come to an end. This season would not have been possible without the support of Dakota Lithium Batteries, Three Belles Outfitters, and National Trade Services, as well as Bending Branches, Crosskix, Catch Co., Fresh Baitz, Harpoon Brewery, Hobie Eyewear, Lunkerhunt, Rogue Gear Co., and YakAttack!

Though our sponsors are the foundation on which we all stand and compete, we must always thank you, the angler, for making EKF the great success that it’s been! It has been an amazing season for us and we’re looking forward to making 2024 even better!

Nick Audi Triumphs in a Windy Battle at Lake Champlain

June 7, 2023 0 Comment

Known for its scenic beauty and abundant fish populations, Lake Champlain provided the backdrop for the second Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series event of the season.

Presented by Three Belles Outfitters, this world-class bass factory produces giant largemouth and smallmouth like few others, and it did not disappoint this weekend.

Leading up to the event, pre-fishing reports were great, but everyone knew the conditions—a sustained north wind in excess of 25 mph—on tournament day would eliminate some of the most productive areas on the lake. Despite the challenging conditions, which transformed the lake into a menacing beast, anglers braved the relentless, dangerous wind, demonstrating their skills and producing impressive limits of both smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Amidst the tumult, it was Nick Audi who emerged as the victor once again, demonstrating his exceptional adaptability and resilience. Not only did he claim the first-place title, but he also secured the Three Belles Outfitters Big Bass with a 20.50-inch smallmouth bass and the Double Down side pot.

Ryan Matylewicz, braving the windy main-lake conditions, secured a commendable second place with a total of 97.75 inches.

Following a top-ten finish at our Cayuga Lake event, and just a fraction behind Ryan at Champlain, Rey Morales claimed third place by putting up 97.50 inches before his spot became too treacherous to continue fishing.

     

The battle for the remaining positions was intense, with Jake Angulas, Mike Morcone, and Chris Gomes showcasing their exceptional angling abilities. Angulas clinched fourth place, amassing an impressive limit of 97.25 inches, while Morcone landed the fifth spot with 97 inches. Chris Gomes rounded out the top six with a noteworthy 96.75 inches.

Nearly the top twenty anglers put up over 90 inches of bass in their quest to win the highly sought-after Elite Kayak Fishing trophy, but in the end it was Nick Audi’s exceptional performance, marked by an impressive total of 99 inches of smallmouth bass, that secured his well-deserved victory.

With 62 anglers, we paid out nearly $7,500 in cash and even more in prizes.

Anglers submitted 139 largemouth and 243 smallmouth bass to the National Trade Services Live Leaderboard.

Check out the full results here.

As always, a big thank-you to everyone who supported this event!

And to Dakota Lithium Batteries, Three Belles Outfitters, and National Trade Services—THANK YOU!

Please support these amazing companies whenever you can, as well as our other sponsors: Bending Branches, Crosskix, Catch Co., Fresh Baitz, Harpoon Brewery, Hobie Eyewear, Lunkerhunt, Rogue Gear Co., and YakAttack!

Our next event is on the Connecticut River and Moore Reservoir on July 8. A relatively unknown fishery compared to Lake Champlain or Cayuga Lake, but we hope to see you there!

Register here!

Nick Audi Does It Again!

May 9, 2023 2 Comments

The Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series presented by Three Belles Outfitters kicked off its third season this past Saturday on famed Cayuga Lake, one of eleven finger lakes in upstate New York.

A record-breaking 109 anglers turned out for this one, hoping to take home the coveted Elite Kayak Fishing trophy!

Given Cayuga’s reputation to churn out monster bass this time of year, all 109 anglers were undoubtedly anticipating an absolute slugfest. And for many, that’s exactly what it was!

Compared to events in previous years—2017, with Kayak Bass Fishing, and Elite Kayak Fishing in 2021, in particular—this year was a much tougher event, despite the top 15 anglers cracking 90 inches. Colder weather this season meant very little grass/weed growth and colder water temps, which had the bass hunkering down a little deeper than normal.

Anglers who found that offshore structure holding those big pre-spawn bass were rewarded. And of course the famous community holes that always attract the bass—and even more anglers—produced countless giants. The amount of 5- to 7-pound bass caught pre-fishing and during the tournament was staggering. A number of 8-pounders were caught as well, adding to the already long list of anglers breaking their personal best bass records (some more than once).

To say they’re built different in Cayuga Lake is an understatement. It’s football season all year long out there!

The flipside of this story is that a lot of anglers struggled to find those quality bites, or bites at all. Yes, the lake produced an obscene amount of monster bass, but only roughly half the field caught limits, leaving many scratching their heads.

With 109 anglers, we paid out ten spots and nearly $14,000! The top three anglers also earned a Fresh Baitz prize pack!

Anglers submitted an epic 518 bass to the National Trade Services Live Leaderboard, 42 of which were over 19 inches, with 18 of them surpassing the 20-inch mark. Sitting atop the Three Belles Outfitters Big Bass Leaderboard was a 21.50-inch behemoth hauled in by New York’s Brandon Brylinsky.

Again, football season all season.

In tenth place, the last of the money spots, was Stephen Sisto, who put 91.50 inches of Cayuga largemouth on the board. Just ahead of him was Rey Morales with 92.25, followed by 2021 Angler of the Year, Jake Angulas, and Dan Hargrave, both of whom put up 92.50 inches, with Dan’s 20-incher breaking the tie.

Serious Angler Podcast host, Bailey Eigbrett, got away from the northern crowd and headed a bit farther south, deep-cranking his way into sixth place with 94 inches, while Benjamin Bornhorst squeaked past him with a solid 94.25.

With 96 inches, Maine’s Shawn Marston secured fourth place, and Ryan Matylewicz, no stranger to the top of the leaderboard, settled into third on the backs of five bass totaling 96.75 inches.

A last-second—literally last second—19.25-incher pushed big-bass leader Brandon Brylinsky into second place for a big payday.

     

Brandon’s 98.75 was close, but ultimately not enough to dethrone our 2022 Champion and Angler of the Year, Nick Audi, whose 99.25 bested the other 108 anglers. Nick worked subtle, isolated offshore structure with a Z-Man Jackhammer, which had him at the top of the leaderboard for most of the day.

This is Nick’s third win with Elite Kayak Fishing, tying Jake Angulas for the most wins and putting him atop the Elite Kayak Fishing career earnings throne. Nick also took home the winner-takes-all Double Down sidepot, adding to his overall earnings—which totaled nearly $5,000!

Thank you to all the anglers who supported this event. We have come a long way in a short period of time, and our success depends heavily on your support. We salute you!

And to Dakota Lithium Batteries, Three Belles Outfitters, and National Trade Services, without whom we could not do this: THANK YOU!

To Bending Branches, Crosskix, Catch Co., Fresh Baitz, Harpoon Brewery, Hobie Eyewear, Lunkerhunt, Rogue Gear Co., and YakAttack, we thank you for the support!

Please support these amazing companies whenever you can!

Special thanks to Justin Hausner and New York Kayak Bass Fishing for their support and willingness to work with us.

New York Kayak Bass Fishing hosted their own club event, with 93 anglers competing. There was some double-dipping between groups, but it’s safe to say 150 kayak anglers, if not more, were out there on this day. All went as smooth as could be expected, and that is a testament to Justin and the New York Kayak Bass Fishing anglers. Thanks again!

Check out the full results here.

Up next is Lake Champlain on June 3. We’ll see you there!