Courtesy photo Jonathan Pepin fights with a fish near Cedar River on Lake Michigan, July 2020.

ESCANABA — Whether it be wading in the waters of the many lakes, rivers and streams of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, casting from their shores or heading out aboard a boat, the ways and places to go fishing offer something for all sorts of anglers.

One specific form that has begun to take hold in the U.P. is kayak bass fishing via the Upper Peninsula Kayak Anglers club.

The UPKA is currently in its third year and second of hosting live tournaments across the U.P.

UPKA Founder and Tournament Director Jonathan Pepin of Escanaba — who has been casting from kayaks competitively for five years — says fishing from a kayak offers a unique challenge while preserving the fish population.

“What makes kayak fishing great in my eyes is that it’s more intimate,” Pepin said. “It’s you on a smaller watercraft battling the water, the fish, and your own thoughts. You have to do more thinking of how to set yourself up to not only find and catch the fish but how to do it safely and efficiently while in a tournament setting. You have to know how to manage your time on the water and game plan for the event. It’s not as easy as motoring down and covering miles of water in a boat to find a new spot to fish or make it back to your check-in at tournaments end.

“… We practice CPR — catch, photo, release. All our fish are registered by length through a cell phone app and immediately released back into the water, giving the fish the greatest chance of survival!”

Utilizing social media, the UPKA has been growing in terms of both its online and competitor communities.

“Currently, we have over 500 followers on our UPKA Facebook page, and we also have an Instagram and are working on a YouTube page as well,” said Pepin. “We are averaging 15 anglers per live event in 2021, and that’s not all Yoopers! Many have traveled from downstate and even as far as Ohio and Illinois. We not only continue to grow as a club and community in the U.P. but statewide with our partners in the Topwater Series and Michigan Kayak Trail.”

The UPKA, beyond providing a place to compete in the U.P., also presents the opportunity to fish beyond the confines of the U.P. waters.

“One great thing about UPKA is we are a Kayak Bass Fishing affiliate club and our anglers all have the opportunity to qualify for the KBF National Championship and many other national events,” Pepin commented. “In 2020, I was able to participate in the KBF National Championship down on Lake Guntersville in Alabama.

“The National Championship offers a giant payout and the chance to fish some of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. Last year’s National Championship winner took home over $50,000, fishing from a kayak!”

One of the goals Pepin and the UPKA strive to accomplish is help bring attention to the quality of fishing in the U.P. to a wider audience.

“The Upper Peninsula has an amazing bass fishery,” he said. “From the Great Lakes to inland, numerous Master angler size smallmouth and largemouth bass call the U.P. their home. We not only try to bring competitive kayak bass fishing to the U.P. but also showcase the U.P.’s fisheries on a nationwide scale!”

Through its supporters and participation, Pepin is confident in the growth of the UPKA, with plans to continue flourishing in the future.

“It is definitely growing,” he said “Not only with angler participation but with our tournaments as well. Next year, in 2022, we are planning some big things that will be firsts in the U.P. and for our anglers. “We couldn’t do it without our anglers and committed sponsors. Local, statewide and nationwide sponsors have allowed us to give back to the anglers and kayak community in the form of 100% paybacks, prizes, discounts and much more.”

To keep up to date with the Upper Peninsula Kayak Anglers, the club can be found on Facebook or on Instagram (@upkayakanglers).