Benton Parrott, of Daphne, Alabama, measured a combined two-day total of 121.38 inches in length to win the 2015 IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Championship presented by Hobie Fishing at St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, on Oct. 10. The angler won the first-place prize of a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler kayak, valued at $2,549, and a Power-Pole Micro Anchor.
Not only did Parrott’s win give him back-to-back championship titles, it vaulted him to the top of the 2015 IFA Kayak Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) year-end standings. The AOY award paid Parrott an additional $1,000.
“To win the championship and the Angler of the Year award means the world,” said Parrott. ” Those are coveted titles. That’s what I work for all year.”
Along with contingency winnings and his AOY award, Parrott took home a total of $9,396 for the championship event.
Steve Lessard, of Geismar, Louisiana, measured a combined two-day total of 113.88 inches to take second place and $1,752 in winnings. A consistent winner fishing from his kayak, Lessard is also a past IFA Kayak Tour Champion and won the 2014 Hobie Fishing World Championship event in the Netherlands.
Lessard jigged Berkley Gulp! deep for his reds and threw top-water baits for trout in the Grand Isle area.
Third-place finisher Brendan Bayard, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, measured a combined total of 113.25 inches, just .63 inches shy of second place. The angler faced a tough bite and only boated one redfish on day one.
“That was clutch on day one for the last minute redfish,” said Bayard. “But, I was happy with my trout fishing.”
Bayard won the $1,050 third place prize and added $228 in Anglers Advantage cash.
While most kayak anglers are finished with competitions for the season, three IFA Kayak Tour anglers are gearing up for the upcoming Hobie Fishing World Championship, Nov. 9-15 on Shang Lake, China. Benton Parrott, Steve Lessard and Dave Jaskiewicz will join 44 international competitors from 19 different countries to vie for the title of world champion.
