Colorado Kayak Fishing Enthusiasts Battled It Out in Horsetooth Reservoir

The Denver Post reports that roughly 30 kayak fishing enthusiasts began the competition at 6 a.m. The kayakers had to catch at least three fish of the same species. The reservoir is mostly composed of bass, trout, walleye, and panfish.

Though only one aquatic angler was able to do so — Mark Farmer, who actually caught nine smallmouth bass — the club members held the event for more than bragging rights.

“Yeah, it’s a little exercise, a little sightseeing,” said Chris Lee, who co-founded the CKFC, along with its current president, Johnny Wegienka. “But mostly it’s not working. That’s what we’re getting today.”

Since launching three years ago, the CKFC has slowly but surely gathered memberships. With more than 300 members (at least according to the registered users on its Facebook page) and four more tournaments in line through August, the club has taken its eclectic but satisfying sport to new heights.

Kayak fishing is only one of the various types of fishing out there. Other types of angling include bait fishing, fly fishing, spinning, trolling and spear fishing. Spear fishing, like kayak fishing, is a great way to test your abilities fishing right in the water. Learning how to spear fish can be a challenge, but many anglers find the adventure worthwhile.

Though kayak fishing is nothing new, it has only recently gained traction as a non-competitive form of fishing. Kayak fishing is similar to angling fishing done on land except that in a kayak, which for recreational use is usually 8-12 feet in length, space is much more constricted. Kayak fishing is novel for catching fish easily spooked (such as trout), though many kayak anglers do it more for the exercise and thrill.

“I just got a kayak 2½ months ago, so this is my first tournament,” said Jeff Reising of Colorado Springs. “I just got tired of sitting on the shore. The kayak is pretty simple, straightforward. Plus, it’s good exercise.”

Some of the club members and other anglers at Horsetooth Reservoir no doubt eat the fish they catch. High in Vitamin D and calcium (among other nutrients), fish improves the immune system and bone structures. A three-ounce piece of salmon, for example, contains three-quarters of the recommended daily ingestion of Vitamin D.