1 | PRO-FILES
TOUGHER THAN COMPETING ON UNFAMILIAR WATER. PHOTO: ERIC HARRISON
TOURNAMENT FISHING IN YOUR BACKYARD CAN BE
ELIAS VAISBERG
HOMETOWN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
LEADERBOARD 2013 and 2014 Kayak Fishing Classic at Jamaica Bay Slam champion, 2013 largest striped bass and 2014 Hobie Worlds participant
SHOUT-OUT Hobie Fishing Team, Team Eposeidon
TARGET Striped bass, summer flounder and bluefish
WINNING DRIVE I fish Jamaica Bay every weekend, so the tournament is just another day in my favorite fishing hole.
KEY TO SUCCESS I am extremely confident in my fishing techniques. After winning the tournament two years in a row, I’m more competitive than ever.
PREFISH Even though Jamaica Bay is my home-water, I vary my fishing each trip so prefishing is still important. I don’t fish the same place each time. And there are parts of the bay I don’t know. I look for the bait and consider the weather, then set my strategy. Tournament day is like any other day, except there are 300 anglers.
TOP GEAR The Lowrance Mark 4 fish finder is tough as nails. Finding bait and structure is the first step to finding fish, so a high-quality fish finder gives me an advantage. I’ve rolled the kayak and it still works.
FISH STICKS Use wire leader with cut bait. A bluefish’s razor sharp teeth will make quick work of monofilament.
ROOKIE ADVICE The Jamaica Bay tournament offers prizes for biggest fish and slam, but anglers also have a shot at winning prizes in the raffle. Even if you don’t catch a trophy, you can still walk away with a pile of good stuff.
VICTORY LAP Last year started slow. The first day was a blow- out and the second day I struck out. Things looked up on Sunday morning. By nine o’clock, I had a 33.5-inch striper, a 36.5-inch bluefish and a 22.5-inch fluke. I’ve never had a better series of catches, and it happened when it counted most. I won the tournament and got to fish the Hobie Worlds in Denmark.
46 … KAYAK ANGLER
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