Round 2 of the KAOTY (Kayak Angler of the Year) took place on Rutland Water this weekend. This was the second in a series of three Hobie Fishing Worlds 10 qualifiers in the UK.
On our arrival the team at Rutland Waters Fishing Lodge had set up an area for the competitors to park and launch and made us all feel incredibly welcome.
After a short briefing the 24 competitors were able to get out on the water slightly earlier than scheduled, with rods in at 10am when the Score Fishing App went live.
Many headed off to get their three perch required for their score sheet, others heading around to the usual zander marks.
Shaun Milner the winner of the KAOTY Pitsford round had filled his perch card quite early, as had David Morris. Dane Wood who was fishing the same area had started on the perch and also picked up a very nice bonus zander.
Once the sun came out and with no wind the zander were off the feed only a few had been caught by early afternoon. Andy Dougan who had struggled with his perch caught four zander almost immediately on the south arm of the reservoir. Andy had earlier caught a huge roach whilst perch fishing. He only needed a pike to fill his card.
At around 4pm a light breeze arrived and the kayaks had started to drift over the marks, no coincidence the fish were biting and those that were quick enough, managed to slowly fill their zander card with time to upgrade.
5pm and the finish of the tournament came all to quickly and everyone headed for the Lodge and the prize giving.
Andy Dougan had done more than enough to take the win with 364cm and took home a Garmin Panoptix Livescope System for his efforts. In second place Alan Robson who had spent most of the day fishing for pike had arrived right on que when the zander went on the feed, he had managed 6 fish for 235cm and David Morris was in third place with 6 fish for 214cm.
Biggest Zander (75cm) was caught by Andy Dougan, Biggest Perch (41cm) Dane Wood and Biggest Pike (90cm) Romuldas Kokstis.
Those anglers that failed to score at each event will be added into the Palm Europe Doughnut Draw to win a Palm Kola Angler PFD.
The prize table was amazing thanks to the continuing support of Garmin UK, Flambeau UK, Daiwa UK, Navionics UK, Railblaza UK, SMGroup, Palm Europe, Reuben Heaton and of course ShoreThing who also helped on the day with adjudicated the scoring.
We do it all again when KAOTY heads to Grafham Water for the final event of 2021 on 2nd October 2021. With Andy Dougan series leader with 552cm and Shaun Milner with 454cm. With three pike, three zander and three perch required it’s still any ones game.
KAOTY is a Hobie Fishing Worlds 10 qualifier. One kayak angler will be competing for Team GB at the Hobie Fishing Worlds 10, location to be announced.
