Two of the fastest-growing inshore fishing tournaments will once again stage their championship events at Houma, Louisiana. With increased payouts and contingency prizes for the championship events the IFA Redfish Tour Presented by Cabela’s and the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing arrive in Louisiana this October.
The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Championship event will begin with registration on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 5-7 p.m. at Quality Hotel of Houma (210 S. Hollywood Rd., Houma, LA 70360) followed by the captain’s meeting. Anglers will launch Friday and Saturday from the location of their choice and return to Quality Hotel of Houma for the weigh-ins each day. Check-in times will be announced at the captain’s meeting on Thursday.
The IFA Redfish Tour Championship will run October 24-25 (Friday and Saturday), with a pre-tournament captains meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 5-7 p.m. at the Quality Hotel of Houma with the captain’s meeting following registration. Anglers will launch at safe light each day from Falgout Canal Marina (1868 Doctor Beatrous Rd., Theriot, LA 70397) and return to the marina for each day’s weigh-in.
All anglers who fished at least two regular-season kayak events will qualify for the $50 entry-fee championship. First-place prize at the IFA Kayak Championship Presented by Hobie Fishing, regardless of field size, is a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler kayak valued at $2,549. Second and third place finishers will be awarded cash prizes of $1,500 and $750, respectively, with a Hobie Advantage Prize of $1,000 going to the highest-place finish for an angler competing out of a Hobie kayak.
Teams fishing any two of the IFA Redfish Tour’s 10 regular-season events are automatically qualified for a $250 entry-fee championship event, pitting qualifiers from each of the five divisions for lucrative payouts and prize packages. The Divisional Teams of the Year will also compete for the coveted Cabela’s Overall Team of the Year award.
The 2014 IFA Redfish Tour Championship will award first and second-place finishers, guaranteed, with a Ranger 220 Bahia w/a Yamaha 150HP Package ($41,000) and a Ranger 1862CC w/a Yamaha F70HP ($25,995). Cabela’s Overall Team of the Year will receive a check from Cabela’s for $5,000.
As part of the IFA championship week, the inaugural College and High School Saltwater championships are set for Oct. 19. Both competitions will showcase some of the best collegiate and high school saltwater anglers and provide an opportunity to introduce young anglers to competitive fishing.
Collegiate and high school anglers will check in at Falgout Canal Marina at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 18. Anglers will take off from the marina at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, and return for the weigh-in at 2:00 p.m.
The IFA would like to give special thanks to the Houma Area Convention and Visitors bureau for their continued support for the IFA Redfish and Kayak Tours.
To contact Quality Hotel of Houma or Falgout Canal Marina, call 985-868-5851 or 985-872-1636, respectively.
For more information or to become a member of the IFA, visit www.ifatours.com. To discover more about kayaking and Hobie Fishing go to www.hobiefishing.com.
IFA events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of these well-respected brands: Hobie Fishing, Ranger Boats, Cabela’s, Lucas Oil, Yamaha Outboards, RAM, Berkley Gulp!, Berkley Gulp! Alive!, PENN Reels, Spiderwire, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Power-Pole, Amphibia, Arctic Ice, Protect the Harvest, General Tire, Bob’s Machine Shop, Blue Point Fabrication, SuperClean, Progressive, Mustang Survival, iON Cameras, Valley Fashions, Powertex Group, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Falgout Canal Marina and Quality Hotel of Houma.