New Kayak Fishing League Features Upstate New York Team

According to a report by Karen Edwards of Spectrum News 1, the new national Kayak Fishing League features a team from upstate New York, the Empire New York team.

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The league features 28 teams from across the country competing against each other in tournaments remotely. When an angler catches a bass at least 14 inches long, they photograph and release the fish and upload the photograph to spectators and judges. Empire New York is the only New York team in the league. And according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, competitive kayak fishing brings millions of dollars into the state which helps small businesses.

The league has weekly matches throughout the summer, pitting teams from different states against each other every Saturday. There's even a fantasy section on the league's website so fans can get involved as well while they're watching live.

Bryan Nunziato, a member of the Empire New York team, told Edwards "It's a fun experience. I really like it. I really like the team dynamic. Everybody's just working together toward a common goal."

One great aspect of the league is how inclusive it is. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is helping the team win.

Trisha Angelini-Luciano, another member of the Empire New York team, told Edwards "When I first started doing this, there weren't too many female kayak anglers. There are challenges with anything you do. Whether you're a woman, a man, it's just overcoming them and doing what you want to do. I love doing this."

The Kayak Fishing League's season runs nine weeks from June 4th to September 3rd with two off weeks and a bye week for each team. So halfway through the season, Empire New York is sitting atop their division with a 3-1 record.