The stakes are higher when you’re fishing from a kayak. The craft’s instability makes it tougher to manage how much pressure you put on the fish, not to mention the fact that landing a serious pike or muskie means you have to be wary of teeth in addition to hooks. Here’s how to handle the heavyweights.

PREPARATION The key is letting the fish get tired enough to handle—but not so worn out as to prevent a healthy release. Straddling the kayak (1) will give you leverage and better balance. Make sure that all landing tools are within reach but out of the way (2). Because you’re so low to the water, a net is rarely necessary.With the fish beside the boat, turn on the reel’s clicker. Keep at least a rod’s length of line out (3) since too much line tension loads up the rod and could result in you getting yourself impaled by a hook.

EXECUTION It’s usually when you go to lift a pike or muskie that they are going to thrash about. Keep your eye on the lure at all times. Holding the rod in one hand, grab the back of the... [ Read Full Post ]

Writing this blog is somewhere between eulogizing a friend and giving the groomsmen’s toast at a rehearsal dinner for a buddy that’s marrying a swim suit model. The “old” TOC was nothing fancy, but a straight forward competition that didn’t “wow” you, but was dependable. The new reality version is a little scary; not really knowing what’s coming, but it will be very exciting and make this thing’s popularity blow through the roof.

At Regionals, competitors will have to compete in archery, bait casting, and air rifle. Five shots/casts, with our gear, to demonstrate how well they can perform with a bunch of eyes on them. If they meet the set minimumscore, they move to the screen test. If they don’t, it’s back to the house.

After the Regionals are complete, screen tests will be reviewed by a whole slew of folks to determine your on-camera presence. They will also take things like outdoor sports experience and competitive skill level into heavy consideration when selecting the eleven lucky competitors. Then there will be an announcement naming those who have advanced to Dogwood Canyon for the Finals.

(And the screen test/selection... [ Read Full Post ]

If you've happened to read p. 38 of the November issue of Field & Stream, you might've noticed a little contest we're having. Up for grabs is a copy of our new book, The Total Outdoorsman Manual. Here's how to win:

We're going with a bit of Total Outdoorsman Challenge Trivia here. List, in order, the competitors who placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 2008 TOC finals?

You have until noon (EST) on Monday, Oct. 17, to guess. If multiple people get it right, we'll put the names in a hat and draw a winner.

Good luck! [ Read Full Post ]

Saturday and Sunday, September 10-11, 2011, from 11:00-3:00, Field & Stream and the sponsors of the Total Outdoorsman Challenge will have a village at the Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO. You can check out the products, the kids can participate in the Kids Challenge, and everyone can win some prizes. Add being at the flagship store of the best outdoors chain in the world and it sounds like a decent weekend.

The Kids Challenge will have archery, casting, paintball, the tent challenge, and a spin n’ win prize wheel. The kids will get all types of swag from Field & Stream, Bass Pro Shops, and the other sponsors, as long as supplies last.

The sponsors village has other prizing too; a chance to win a $25 gift card to Bass Pro Shops from Mobil 1 (just fill out a survey), six pairs of Adventure Passes to Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, and Gorilla Glue will be giving away samples. Visit the Allstate booth and register for a chance to win a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card.

This is the last blog before the Finals and there really isn’t much left to say, other than “good luck” to the competitors.... [ Read Full Post ]

Endurance is the final discipline of the seven the competitors face in the Total Outdoorsman Challenge Finals. While they need to be physically fit to complete the course in a competitive time, it’s more about testing the competitors’ ability to adapt and skill level in some uncommon tasks.

Throwing knives, blow guns, and slingshots are usually seen as novelties, but they are skills we all should have. Pretty sure if I had to make a slingshot or blow gun, I could, and probably learn to use them effectively and relatively quickly. But put into a situation where I HAD to use them to eat, I’d be fighting with doubt, as well as hunger. Never a good thing in a survival situation.

Knowing more than one way to light a fire and build that flame fast can be a life saver when the time comes.

Point being, the competitors have handled firearms, bows, rods, and ATV’s in the previous six disciplines. Let’s find out what which one(s) could keep their butt alive if they had to, so the theme of this year’s Mobil 1 Endurance course is survival.

Hunt with a primitive weapon. Have the mental toughness to think through tasks... [ Read Full Post ]

One part of the Total Outdoorsman Challenge that I love is that the hosts actually hunt, fish, and are passionate about the outdoor sports. Sure Kelly Gotch and Eddie Nickens are both pretty faces (I do have to admit that I find one significantly more attractive than the other, but that just my bent), but they both are the real deal. Both have very high skill levels, and both love to try outdoor activities that are a little out of the norm.

Kelly’s Facebook Fan Page was covered up this spring with not only turkey hunts, but some serious mushroom hunting. Eddie’s personal page has been filled with tent camping all over the Western U.S. Point being, they are not only good talking about this stuff, they actually do it.

As Field & Stream’s “resident Total Outdoorsman," Eddie has edited a book, The Total Outdoorsman Manual, that is just handy for those of us who really try to improve our outdoors skills. Fishing, hunting, survival—this book has it all, and written in a way that makes it easy to learn.

Several of the tips Eddie covers in the Manual will appear in the 2011 TOC Finals. ... [ Read Full Post ]

It’s been hot and dry in this part of the world, and the water temps on Table Rock Lake are in the 80- to 90-degree range. If it stays this way, the Bass Fishing disciple of the TOC Finals just may be the toughest nut to crack for the competitors. It’s one of the early events and there is always a big shift in the standings when the chunkin’ and a windin’ segment is over.

The local I lean on for Bass Fishing recon is Drew Simon, a TOC Finalist in 2007, and a bass fanatic. Just got off the phone with him and while conditions make it seem like a big stringer would be hard to come by, Drew said that local tournament fisherman have been bringing in nice fish consistently. You got to work hard for ‘em, but it is happening.

Long, rolling points in 18 to 30 feet of water and deep treetops have been the consistent fish producers lately. Making it happen early is key, for the bigger fish especially.

The tournament for our game starts at 7:30 a.m. and they’re finished at 10:30. Two in a boat and they both handle the front... [ Read Full Post ]

Pretty sweet prize this week, seems like the little spam problem has been handled, and it’s the second week of the quiz, so hopefully a lot of responses. Be the first to answer one question correctly and behind curtain number one we have for some truck luggage from Truck Accessories Group.

I watched the wonderboy, Luke Hitt, cast a big ol’ streamer at some hook-jawed, pig nasties during the Finals last year. Second or third cast, one crushed his fly, shook, and broke off. It was the only fly Luke had in that exact pattern and now it was stuck in the mouth of a pissed off 22-inch rainbow, who was sulking on the other side off the creek.

Luke sulked even more than the fish when it set in what had happened. It may have been the only time of the entire week that Luke couldn’t think of something to say to make me laugh out loud. (While the trout is still probably mad, Luke will get his shot for redemption, as he made it back to Dogwood)

Question: What was Luke’s biggest mistake in this situation? [ Read Full Post ]

Competitor numbers, talent, and the temperatures were all high last Saturday in Leeds, Alabama. The field of 47 had eight former finalists and quite a few others who have missed out on the Finals by just a few points in past Regionals. Rough and tumble, boys and girls, but a lot of fun to watch it play out.

Donald Bishop of Mills River, NC, was one that has been close in his two previous attempts to advance. Donald finished second in Archery, Air Rifle, and Skills to leave no doubt that he was going to Dogwood in 2011. A twelfth in Bait Casting gave him a total score of eighteen and the win.

The Wildcard selection for 2009, David Smith of Roswell, GA, has fought his way out of the Regionals in 2010, and now again in 2011. A win in Skills, second in Bait Casting, and fifth in Air Rifle gave David enough room to survive a struggle in Archery. His total of thirty-seven was good enough for second place overall and a third trip in a row to the Finals.

Another returning former finalist, Jay Moore, of Millbrook, NY, earned the third... [ Read Full Post ]

If anyone thought that the “celebs” were just going to come out, joke around, sign autographs, and go half-ass through the competition, just ask Chris Reed how serious most of them were. While Chris didn’t have on his game face and was playing nice, he didn’t wear the crown of champion at the end of the day. When I saw Lucas Hoge show at 9:30 a.m. for a 12:00 start, I knew he wanted to win.

Lucas was so fun to watch; he’s not one with the tag of “outdoors celebrity” as well as country artist, and he wasn’t supposed to be a contender. With a win in Air Rifle, a second in Archery, and a fourth in Skills…well, maybe the Outdoor Channel may want to get Lucas to move over from his show on Animal Planet.

Ty Brown was an artist I didn’t know that much about before Friday, but now I’m a big fan. He’s incredibly nice, humble, and a hoot. He showed his Mississippi raisin’ with a win in Archery to propel him to a second place overall finish.

Chris Reed finished third, but to his defense, he shot my bow on... [ Read Full Post ]

For three, the path to Dogwood Canyon ran through Grapevine, TX. Congrats to Loren Autrey, Luke Hitt, and Kaston Jonhson for battling through the heat and taking the next step towards the prize money and the title of Field & Stream’s Total Outdoorsman.

The Quinlan, Texas boy, Loren Autrey, did the homefolks proud with an overall score of 13. A great start on the Skills course gave Loren the jump start he needed, and consistently good on the other three disciplines pushed him to the title of the Grapevine Champion for ’11. Autry was very disappointed in his performance in the Finals last year and was determined to make it back for the sweet taste of redemption.

The wonder boy from Rogers, AR, Luke Hitt, struggled to a second place finish; sounds funny, but after his dominance in the ’10 Independence Regional, anything less than crushing the field looked like a struggle for Hitt. Luke is another who left the Canyon last year already planning for a return and redemption.

Kaston Johnson from Grove, OK, picked up the final ticket to the Finals. He’s young, quiet, and perceptive, the kinda guy you avoid in a fight…and he should scare... [ Read Full Post ]

Everything you really have to know is on the Regionals tab of the Event Info page of this site. Dates, times, location…all the stuff that I never can remember. Luckily, my boss, E-Matee, can roll off when we start/finish, register, when the Starbucks opens, and when Scout and I need our medicine.

Me, I’m like his Biden; kinda cranky, handy with the wacky information, and really good at causing distractions. Rules and course description is my deal.

With that said, y’all just click on that hyperlink up top for the logistical stuff and I’ll throw out some of the “unwritten” info that may help you navigate through the Regional stage.

For the Archery discipline, you can use some of your own gear (release and arm guard) if you so choose. We will have some to choose from on-site if you forget yours. Oh, and don’t expect three-broadside targets sitting in the sun; prepare for nasty angles and strange bulls-eye placement.

Baitcasting will have a few surprises this year. It’ll be the same targets, but an early end to deer season gave me some extra time to design a really difficult, but true-to-life bedding scenario course. It’ll... [ Read Full Post ]