Western PA

"Welcome to Kayak Anglers of Western PA. Our chapter is co-directed by Kevin Rohland and Frank Yamada. Both of us have been with KAWPA for several years and have been co-directors since 2024. We share a passion for kayak fishing and hope to follow in the footsteps of previous directors to help build a local community of fishing and fellowship. We are a grassroots organization so no matter your skill level, age, or budget we offer sustainable, fun, and competitive catch-photo-release kayak tournaments for everyone. People come to see how they fare against other anglers—several who compete at the professional level—and stay for the friends they meet on the water.

Kayak Anglers is more than just kayak bass tournament fishing. We are also a 501c3 charitable organization and donate part of every entry fee to various charities like Shriners Children’s Hospital, Unity, A Journey of Hope, and Casting for Recovery. We have five chapters, so if you don’t live close enough to attend one of our events, we have chapters in Northeast Ohio, Laurel Highlands of PA, Central PA, and Eastern PA. From live in-person events to online virtual events we have a little something for everyone whether you like to fish lakes, ponds or the many rivers and creeks in Western PA.

Kevin Rohland joined KA in 2020 after watching the group on Facebook for a year and was interested in fishing different waters and meeting other people with common interests. He enjoyed fishing as a kid whether it was in a neighbor’s pond, a small stream, or roughing it for a week in Canada. As he grew older, other responsibilities took precedence and he stopped fishing for almost 15 years. The stresses from work started building up and he needed a way to relax and unwind, so he bought his first kayak in 2017, which was a pelican sit-in. He quickly learned that kayak fishing was more than a hobby and it quickly evolved into a passion that he loved. Kevin met KA President Dain Provins while fishing in 2019 and he encouraged him to try Kayak Anglers the following Spring. Kevin was hesitant at first to enter the competitive fishing world, but the experience made him glad he followed Dain's advice. He has met many life-long friends in KA and gained a ton of experience. As a chapter leader now, he would love to help other anglers experience the same camaraderie.

Frank Yamada started kayak fishing in 2018 when his wife suggested that they should combine two activities they loved, kayaking and freshwater fishing and has not looked back. After a chance encounter with former KA President Dain Provins at Lake Arthur, he was encouraged to try tournament fishing and fished his first KA tournament at Lake Arthur in 2020. He really enjoyed the competition and camaraderie and joined KA in 2021. His first tournament as a member of KA was Bass on the Bay at Lake Erie’s Presque Isle Bay, his favorite fishery. He won that tournament and cashed his first check, and he has been hooked ever since. He wanted to compete regularly with a good group of people who are just as passionate about kayak bass fishing as he is.

We are all volunteers at KA, including Seth Willoughby, who deserves a big shout out. He has been in KA leadership from the beginning. He is a co-owner of Fishing Online with John Harley. Fishing Online continues to be one of our premier sponsors. We could not run this trail without their support. Seth also keeps the books, makes payments out to anglers, and acts as KAWPA’s own treasurer.

If you have any questions about our organization or the tournaments we put on, do not hesitate to reach out through our Facebook page, or email Kevin (rohland@gmail.com) or Frank (frankyamada@gmail.com). We look forward to seeing you on the water!

Kevin and Frank

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