Are you ready? Hobie Fishing World Championship 7 presented by Rhino-Rack will be contested from May 15-20, 2018 in Amal, Sweden.
Kayak anglers from across the globe will converge on the western waters of Lake Vanern, Sweden’s largest lake and the third largest in Europe.
The Hobie Fishing World Championship has always had a worldly hue. It started in 2011 in Australia, before moving the next year to Texas, immediately doubling in size. After a return to Australia in 2013, the Hobie Fishing Worlds hopped to Vinkeveen Plassen in the Netherlands for 2014. In 2015, anglers tested their skills on Shang Lake, Changshu, China. Last year the rich fishery of Louisiana hosted an intense competition. Now it is time to return to Europe once again.
“The championship in Amal, Sweden is set to explode, with anglers chasing the huge, legendary predators that stalk the waters of Lake Vanern. I can’t wait for this one, it should be an absolutely fantastic world championship,” said Steve Fields, Hobie Fishing Worlds Tournament Director.
The Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) event will target two exciting species: pike, which can grow to 140cm in these cool, northern European waters; and perch, common in Lake Vanern. These fish hide in structure, emerging to smash lures that are nearly as big as themselves.
The world’s best kayak anglers, from five continents, will be fishing from identically and lavishly rigged 2018 Hobie Mirage® Pro Angler 14 kayaks driven by the incredible MirageDrive® 180 pedal system with its forward and reverse capabilities. The angler who hauls the highest cumulative length of pike and perch – within the daily tournament limit – aboard their Hobie PA14, over the three-day championship, will be crowned the 2018 Hobie Fishing World Champion.
“I think 2018 will be the strongest field we’ve seen. The Europeans have qualified an incredibly talented team this year,” said Keeton Eoff, Director of Global Strategy and Development at Hobie.
“They are very strategic and versatile anglers, and the conditions on Lake Vanern in May will play favor to local knowledge. Targeting two species in these conditions will be a difficult challenge for the internationals and very favorable for the European team. To do this, the Europeans will have to defeat the top kayak anglers in the world and that list of names will include past champions Steve Lessard and Richard Somerton, hands down two of the world’s best!”
Past Hobie Fishing Worlds Champions:
• 2011 – Scott Baker (Australia)
• 2012 – Marty Mood (USA)
• 2013 – Richard Somerton (Australia)
• 2014 – Steve Lessard (USA)
• 2015 – Xiaohong Ma (China)
• 2016 – Steve Lessard (USA)
Hobie Fishing Worlds presented by Rhino-Rack is sponsored by Gerber, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Aftco, Daiwa, RAM, YakAttack, Lurefans, Hobie Polarized, and Mustad. For more information about the competition, visit www.hobiefishingworlds.com.
