BRIAN NELLI
HOME FIELD Treasure Coast and Palm Beach, Florida
T AR GET SPECIES Sailfish, amberjack, tuna and king mackerel
TEAM Hobie
KA Y AK Hobie Outback
T OP FINISHES: 2009 DOA Lures Paddler’s Tournament, First Place
2013 Extreme Kayak Fishing May Madness, Second Place
2013 Extreme Kayak Fishing September Slam, First Place
GREA TES T VICT ORY In the 2013 September Slam I fished all day and only caught one fish. But the 34-pound king mackerel was big enough to win the whole tournament. Great to come back from a second-place finish in the May Madness tournament and win the Slam.
SECRET WEAPON Victory Lures vertical jigs for offshore fish. I start out working the jig fast, and then slow down my retrieve if the fish aren’t responding. A vertical jig is effective on tuna, kings, snapper and amberjack.
RIGHT S TUFF
Saving weight is especially important for offshore anglers. It’s easy to pack a bunch of stuff, but that’s more weight to paddle around and it makes it tougher to launch and recover through the surf. I’ve seen guys heading offshore with their anchor!
T A C KLE TIP
Make do with three or four rods and the most important tackle. When I’m fishing offshore, one rod is rigged with a vertical jig, two rods have live-bait rigs and I keep a big spinning rod rigged with a pitch bait.
A W A Y G AME Even if I’m fishing a new place, I try tackle and techniques that work at home. Look for similar structure and tide and weather scenarios that produce the same species where you fish. Many local anglers overlook a spot or miss an opportunity because they are stuck on what has always worked. Sometimes you can out think the locals with imported techniques.
56…KAYAK ANGLER
“LOOK FOR SIMILAR STRUCTURE AND TIDE AND WEATHER SCENARIOS THAT PRODUCE THE SAME SPECIES WHERE YOU FISH”
HOME FIELD Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania and Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
T AR GET SPECIES Largemouth and smallmouth bass
TEAM Johnson Outdoors Pro Staff
KA Y AK Old Town Predator MX
T OP FINISHES 2013 Marsh Creek State Park Tournament, First Place
2009 Appomattox River Company (ARC) Demo Day Tournament, First Place
2009 Perch Jerk’n Tournament, First Place
GREA TES T VICT ORY My fondest tournament moment was the 2009 ARC Demo Day tournament at Briery Creek Reservoir in Virginia. I landed the winning largemouth—a 23-incher—on my
first cast of the day. I was only 20 feet from the launch ramp.
SECRET WEAPON Seven-inch Tickler worm from Power Team Lures. This soft plastic can be worked across lily pads, fished weightless or bounced on the bottom with a jighead. I caught more largemouth bass on this bait in 2013 than anything else.
RIGHT S TUFF Know your kayak. Understand its design features and how it performs in specific weather and water conditions. Use the right boat for the conditions and the fishing. I often see anglers in small sit- insides trying to fish an open-water tournament. One big wave could fill their kayak. I’ve even seen the fire department rescue two anglers who were fishing in the wrong boat.
T A C KLE TIPS I typically start the day fishing with larger baits in hopes of catching a big fish right off. If the fish are not cooperating, I downsize my lures. Once I figure out the pattern, I will move to larger lures again.
A W A Y G AME
The best way to learn the waters is to hire a guide before the event. Not only will you learn the ropes, but you will have an incredible experience and make the most of your time on the water. Be sure to inform the guide that you are pre-fishing for a tournament when you book the trip.
T OURN AMENT D A Y Arrive to the launch early and be ready to hit the water at lines-in. Avoid returning to the car for lunch or snacks. And be sure to use the restroom before you launch!
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to find a fishing tournament close to you, or plan your tournament season, with the Kayak Angler Tournament Network.
PHOTO: BRIAN NELLI
PHOTO: JOHN OAST
PHOTO: BRIAN NELLI
JOHNTOAST OAST
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