Dear fellow kayak angler,

Another CBKA Tournament is in the books! And for once, Mother Nature cooperated. Mostly flat waters and overcast skies made for some great fishing conditions. The rain that came through in the afternoon did not deter most of you from continuing to cast one last time, for another hour or two. And though no giant stripers were caught on this day (biggest was 24”, caught by Robert Clemente), many large white perch got their mug shots taken, including 2 citations by a young angler named Noah Tomasik, as well as some unusual fish such as toadfish, needlefish and even a Spanish mackerel!

As you know, the mission of CBKA is threefold: To raise money for our charities, Make-A-Wish and the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland; promote conservation of the Chesapeake Bay and, promote kayak fishing as a low impact recreational activity for the young and old, experienced and new, male and female, to have a great time fishing and hanging out together.

I can tell you from having counted all the greenbacks you donated, that we raised a good bit of money. Final accounting is forthcoming and will be made public in due time. Make-A-Wish and CCA are great organizations that we are proud to support.

And from the feedback we’ve gotten from many of you, we are happy to hear that you had a great time. From the oysters donated by True Chesapeake Oyster Co. and shucked by Tyler Sondberg and Matt Baden, to the crabs donated by Dana Cooper and Bette Kenzie, (who also donated a couple $25 Bass Pro gift cards courtesy of Ms. Kenzie's neighbors!) to the delicious dishes many of you brought to the potluck, there was no shortage of food to be had. Mustafa’s masgouf demo was, as always, a popular attraction, and boy, was that bluefish tasty. The fishing report and motivational speech given by Shawn Kimbro, the valuable fisheries management information shared by Tony Friedrich of CCA and the preview of the Fishing Log app by Dr. Greg Schildwachter of Chesapeake Catch! All of this served to make a rewarding experience for all.

The tournament is made possible by the many sponsors that donate goods and services to CBKA. We had some great division and raffle prizes this year, including the chase boat and $500 donation to Make-a-Wish by Carefree Boats, several high-quality coolers, kayak fishing equipment and tackle, charter trips, books, rods and reels, gift certificates, shirts, hats… and of course, a Jackson Big Rig kayak donated by Valley Mill Boats! CBKA, and I’m sure you as well, are very grateful to these companies for helping make this event all that it is. We ask that you support our sponsors, and mention CBKA to them, whenever possible.

Most importantly, we would like to thank YOU for participating in the event. The positive energy you shared and your generosity are extraordinary. Our kayak fishing group is one-of- kind. We bind together and help each other out. In how many competitions does an angler find fish, and instead of keeping them to himself, calls everybody over so they can catch some too? We see this type of thing happen again and again, and we are proud to be able to contribute to this great community.

We've posted a ton of photos of the event on our website. Check them out! There's probably a picture of you in there somewhere. And stay tuned for details about the photo contest to which many of you have contributed some great pictures. We're in the process of arranging all of that.

Hope to see you again next year!

Sincerely,

John Foley and the entire CBKA Team

John, Michael, Bryan, Martin, Ryan and Mike
www.chesapeakebaykayakanglers.com