Bio: Tony Narcisse is a
huge advocate of the sport of kayak fishing in Georgia. He is the president of
Georgia Kayak Fishing and Paddle 4 Tomorrow. Tony dedicates much of his time
throughout the year to educate and introduce others to the sport of kayak
fishing. He is personable and friendly and always has time for others…and for
this interview.
WALT: Tony, what drew you
to kayak fishing?
TONY: I wanted a low cost
boat that allowed me to fish coastal Georgia.
As it turned out, my kayak allows me to fish a much wider variety of
water than I ever dreamed.
TONY: Hmmm… that’s
a tough one. A guess it’s less a personal achievement and more of a
collective achievement and pride in how Georgia kayak fishermen have embraced
the idea of openly sharing their passion for the sport while promoting the very
important principle of a balanced and sustainable approach in using our
precious natural resources.
TONY: It would need to be
a very versatile platform so I could use it in lakes, river and
coastal/nearshore situations. 12 to 13
ft, sit on top (self bailing cockpit) kayak that lends itself well to
rigging. I’ve owned boats from most of
the major manufacturers and each has a boat that would work for me.
TONY: Gratitude. I’ve
been extremely fortunate to enjoy this wonderful hobby. Sharing our sport with
others and doing our part to insure
these same opportunities are here for generations to come is deeply fulfilling. I know you get it. So do most GKF’ers.
WALT: What exactly is Georgia
Kayak Fishing/Paddle4Tomorrow?
TONY: Perfect
partners! GKF is the social side of our
house. We host events that give us a
chance to really enjoy the sport with friends -new and old- while visiting some
of the most beautiful destinations in the South East.
P4T is the side of the
house that allows us to share our sport with those that may need a helping hand
to get started. We have a tradition of
working with children that may not have gotten that opportunity without an introduction
from P4T. The same with Veterans and our
friends with physical or mental challenges.
P4T serves as a gateway to the world of kayaking and kayak fishing.
And then we bring it back
full circle. Many of our members started
with us from P4T events. Now, not only
are they engaged in GKF, but some have taken leadership roles in the
organization.
P4T also serves as the
engine that drives our efforts in gentle use of our resources. Our mission statement finds expression in our
events and is relatively easy to summarize:
Access Participation Sustainability.
TONY: The best way to
answer that question is to invite your readers to join us at an event. The
purpose of them is to have fun and enjoy nature. I don’t know of better therapy than laughing
and having fun.
TONY: We take the fun and
spirit of GKF events and expand upon it at our P4T events. Sharing what you
love is a powerful gift. As much a gift
to the giver as it is to the recipient.
I don’t know why that is true but we’ve experienced it too many times at
P4T to argue the fact.
WALT: Tony, I know that
Georgia Kayak Fishing has events that are designed to get kayak anglers together
and to introduce the sport to others all across the State. What kind of events
might interest our readers?
TONY: All of them!
LOL. I mean it. Join us once, be it a Meet n Greet,
tournament or Camp n Paddle trip and you’ll be hooked like the rest of us. There really is something to these silly
plastic boats…
Tony I would like to
thank you for your time, all you do for this sport, the community and our
natural resources. I am truly lucky to consider you a friend and fellow kayak angler;
I feel that if we all develop your passion, compassion and zeal this world
would be a better place.
Thank you as well,
Walt. With your leadership, Georgia
kayak fishermen continue to lead by example in the world of kayak fishing.
If you would like to know
more about Georgia Kayak Fishing and Paddle 4 Tomorrow you can check out their
web sites.
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