Gabriel Grande, of Corpus Christi, Texas, measured a combined limit of 54.50 inches to win the final regular-season event for the Texas Division of the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour presented by Hobie Fishing on Aug. 16 at Port Aransas, Texas. The angler won a total of $2,919, including a Power-Pole Micro Anchor for his first-place finish.
Grande is in his first year fishing the IFA Kayak Tour. His skills are apparent with this win and his third-place finish at Corpus Christi in June, but Grande attributes his quick success less to his skills and more to chance.
“It’s like playing poker,” said Grande. “When the cards are hitting, you are winning. I have done real well this year with catching redfish.”
While Grande may be humble about his skills, no one can deny his dedication to fishing.
“Actually, tournament day was both my wife’s birthday and our anniversary,” said Grande. “She was very understanding and we plan to celebrate together in San Antonio.”
The angler stayed close to the weigh-in site and sight-casted over low waters with Berkley Gulp! in the Oso area,. The angler planned to fish most of the day but in the end only needed the first hour to land his winning fish.
“I started around 7:45 and caught both my fish within twenty minutes,” said Grande. “The crazy part is that both were in the same spot.”
Grande moved to another area to upgrade but never landed another fish. The two fish he did boat were enough to put him on top of the leaderboard. The angler cited changes in the weather as the cause for the finicky fishing.
“I could see lightening and it was raining in a few spots,” Grande said. “I called it a day around 11:45.”
Although new to competition, Grande does have over 15 years of fishing experience to bolster his short tournament resume. Grande has plans to expand his tournament outings to include the IFA Redfish Tour along with the IFA Kayak Tour.
Second-place finisher Joe Adame, of Corpus Christi, Texas, is also in his first year fishing the IFA Kayak Tour. The angler measured a 29.63-inch redfish and 21.88-inch trout to win $1,258.
Adame traveled eight miles to the Laguna Madre area where he fished soft plastics and top-water baits. The angler sight-casted for redfish and fished deep water over grass beds for trout.
“I felt good going in, but the conditions were tough,” said Adame. “Overall, I am very happy with my results.”
Another first-year IFA Kayak Tour angler rounds out the top three. Albert Soto, of San Antonio, Texas, measured a combined 51.25 inches to win $500.
The angler fished at the Boat Hole, an area home to both grassy flats and deep waters. Soto made short drifts across the islands with spinner baits and soft baits.
The next stop for the IFA Kayak Tour is Aug. 30 at Georgetown, South Carolina. Anglers who enter a minimum of two events and compete in at least one event will be qualified for the 2015 IFA Kayak Tour championship.
The fastest-growing kayak fishing tournament trail in the country, the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing events are catch-photograph-release tournaments, offering inshore kayak anglers from a multitude of states the opportunity to participate in competitive fishing tournaments with low entry fees and minimal travel requirements.
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, BoatU.S., Amphibia, Arctic Ice, Protect the Harvest, General Tire, Bob’s Machine Shop, SuperClean, Mustang Survival, iON Cameras, Valley Fashions, ENGEL Coolers, Bulldog Folding Trailers, Hildebrandt, T-H Marine, ATLAS, G-Juice Powertex Group, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Port Aransas Marine, Port Aransas Civic Center and Seaworthy Marine.
IFA Kayak Tour – Texas Division
Port Aransas, Texas (Top 10)
- Gabriel Grande – 54.50 inches
- Joe Adame – 51.50 inches
- Albert Soto – 51.25 inches
- Chase Okrasinski – 50.75 inches
- Eugene Mora III – 49.00 inches
- Martin Mendietta – 48.50 inches
- Fil Spencer – 48.00 inches
- Shane Okrasinski – 47.00 inches
- John Kay – 45.38 inches
- Clint Barghi – 45.25 inches