USAngling Introduces New USA Kayak Saltwater Fishing Team

Friday, April 5, 2024

USAngling Introduces New USA Kayak Saltwater Fishing Team

USAngling is proud to announce an exciting new sports team, Saltwater Kayak Fishing, to the USAngling program. USAngling has set up an USA Kayak Fishing Saltwater committee to select America’s best saltwater kayak fishing teams. These teams will represent the USA at the upcoming Costa Rica Pan American Championship in June and the World Championship in Spain this October. These are sanctioned events that will assist in the global effort to gain recognition for sport fishing by the International Olympic committee.

The committee currently consists of: Craig Storms – President, David Elgas – Vice President, Allen Sansano – Secretary, Annie Nagel – Communications Director, Adam Fisk – Team Coach, Robert Field – Gulf Coast Director and Joe Hector – Atlantic SE Director. This committee is establishing a program to build regional qualifiers, national championships, Pan Am events and a path for American athletes to compete in future Saltwater Kayak Fishing World Championships.

“USAngling is excited about this group of leaders and the future of our USA Kayak Fishing Saltwater team,” says USAKFS President Craig Storms. “We believe this angling discipline is poised to gain Olympic Recognition in the near future.”

“We are so thrilled to be included in the USAngling program and are beyond excited for the future of American Athletes,” said Robert Field, Regional Director of the Gulf Coast. “We expect to have more exciting updates on the kayak fishing program soon.”

“The USA provides over 95,000 miles of fish-able coastal shoreline,” said USA Kayak Fishing Saltwater Vice President, David Elgas. “From Hawaii to the West Coast, the Gulf Coast, and throughout the East coast; the USA is blessed with many saltwater kayak fishing opportunities so we’re looking forward to having a new chapter for angler athletes to compete world-wide.”

The 9 person USA Kayak Fishing Saltwater Team competing in Costa Rica will target jacks, roosterfish, snook, yellowfin tuna, skipjack, needlefish, wahoo, mahi, snappers, barracuda and more in a catch and release format where scoring is based on a point system per fish. With 3 teams of 3 for the World Championships in Spain, competitors will also use a catch and release format targeting pompano, sole, sea bream, sea bass, rays, eels, and others. Scoring will be based on a point system by length of fish.

“Saltwater kayak tournament fishing evolving to an international level is revolutionary,” said USAKFS Communications Director, Annie Nagel, “and we are extremely proud to be at the forefront of this movement.”

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Information on USAngling visit: www.usangling.org

Follow the USA Kayak Fishing Saltwater Team on Facebook: www.facebook.com/USAKayakFishingSalt