The 2012 Columbia Sportswear Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic was another huge success, raising approximately $35,000 for the Down’s Syndrome Association of Jacksonville and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

There were approximately 400 kayakers of all ages fishing this year. The bait shops had lines forming in the early hours of the morning, with anglers trying to get on the water first. Fishing began at safe light, and check-in ended at 4:00 pm. The weather was nice this year, except for the 15-20 mph wind. Many fishing reporters talked of white caps on the creeks, and how they’d hate to be a kayaker that day. However, many nice fish were caught, and the leader board posted some nice numbers.

The flounder bite seemed to be on fire for many. Anything less than 20″ left you out of the top 10.Trout ranged from 20″ to 26.5″. Some big redfish were caught, too, with the top fish a solid 34″.

There were 15 slams checked in for the day.

• Eddie Cabler of Jacksonville, FL checked in a slam of 62.8″, and took home an Ocean Kayak “Trident Ultra 4.3” Kayak w/Ice Box Dry Storage.
• Kevin Fox of Rockledge, FL checked in a 34″ redfish for first place in the redfish division, for which he took home a Freedom Hawk “Pathfinder”.
• Bart Swab of St. Augustine, FL checked in a 26.5″ trout for first place in the trout division, and brought home a Jackson “Cuda”.
• Kevin Lairsey of Callahan, FL took first place in the flounder division, checking in a 22.1″fish and taking home a Native “Mariner 12.5 Propel”.

With over $80,000 in prizes and gifts, and almost $35,000 in funds raised, everyone was a winner this year.

 About the Author:  Brandon is a native of Jacksonville, FL and began kayak fishing in December of 2010. He had fished a little here and there, but didn’t take it up seriously until this same time. With kayak in hand he began fishing the creeks of Jacksonville, and his addiction began.

I recently had the opportunity to test out the GreenFish “CPR Mount” camera mounting system. After several kayak fishing trips using the CPR Mount, I’ve put together some thoughts and observations.

The greatest thing about the CPR Mount is its versatility and ease of use. The CPR Mount fits into any flush-mount rod holder or Scotty mount. This is perfect if you want to switch the mount from one kayak to another. Assuming that your kayak came with a flush-mount rod holder, no other installs are required. The CPR Mount utilizes a patent-pending “Expansion Locking System”. You simply drop it into any flush-mount rod holder, turn the knob on the base of the mount and BAM – you’re done! Turning the knob expands the base, creating a snug fit that secures your mount to the  kayak.

The other mounting option is using a Scotty mount, which requires installing a Scotty base. There are several types to choose from, and once the base is installed on your kayak you have the option of many products that also use Scotty mount bases.

The CPR Mount gives you the option of mounting your camera utilizing the flex arm or directly to the solid base. Using the flex arm gives you the ability to take video or photos from a wide variety of angles and heights, making this one of the most versatile camera mounts on the market.  

Pros:

In my opinion, the CPR Mount’s versatility is its strongest feature. I really love the ability to move it from one kayak to another by simply dropping it into a flush mount rod holder. It seems to be a quality made product that will last for years.

Cons:

The biggest issue I found is that the flex arm is flexible. Okay, that seems a bit redundant, but my point is that the flexibility in the flex arm can be seen when bumping rocks or taking on rapids. There were also a couple of times where I hit the camera with my paddle and knocked the camera out of position.  

I really enjoyed using this product, and would recommend it if you are looking for versatility in your camera mounting options. The CPR Mount retails for $95.99, with $4.00 of that price being donated to your choice of one of four charities. For more information on the CPR Mount, please visit: http://www.greenfishmovement.com/