2022 Southern Illinois Kayak Club Season

Director: Joshua Lincoln

The 2022 Southern Illinois Kayak Club season will go down as one of the most competitive and dramatic years in club history. From grinding spring events to scorching summer tournaments and a razor-thin Angler of the Year race that came down to the final cull, the season showcased everything that makes SIKC special.

Across seven regular-season events, anglers battled tough weather, heavy fishing pressure, and changing patterns while competing for Angler of the Year, Rookie of the Year, SIKC20 Big Bass, and coveted Crossroads Team positions. Consistency mattered more than ever, and by season’s end, the leaderboard told a story of how close the competition truly was.

Scroll below to revisit the full 2022 season — including tournament results, season awards, and final AOY standings.

2022 Tournament Schedule & Results

Stop #1 – Newton Lake – April 10, 2022 → 🥇 Rece Schneider (89.75”)

Stop #2 – Sangchris Lake – May 7, 2022 → 🥇 Austin Weidhuner (89.50”)

Stop #3 – Little Grassy Lake – June 6, 2022 → 🥇 Darren Hemker

Stop #4 – Coffeen Lake – June 2022 → 🥇 Mike Gragert (84.75”)

July Monthly Tournament – July 2022 → 🥇 Jonathan Kessler (105.50”)

Stop #6 – Prairie Lake – August 20, 2022 → 🥇 Michael Radake (67.50”)

Finale – Cedar Lake – September 2022 → 🥇 Dalton Williams (86.75”)

Season Awards

🏆 Angler of the Year: Dustin Siegel
🌟 Rookie of the Year: Dalton Williams
🎣 SIKC20 Big Bass Champion: Dustin Siegel

Tournaments
Cedar Lake – September 2022
Cedar Lake – September 2022

Dalton Williams earns his first SIKC victory at Cedar Lake, sealing a Crossroads Team spot as the 2022 regular season comes to a close.

Prairie Lake – August 20, 2022
Prairie Lake – August 20, 2022

Michael Radake earns his first SIKC victory at Prairie Lake, edging out the field by inches in one of the tightest tournaments of the 2022 season.

July Monthly Tournament – July 2022
July Monthly Tournament – July 2022

Jonathan Kessler tops the July Monthly Tournament with a massive 105.50” five-fish limit, as anglers battle the heat during one of the hottest events of the 2022 season.

Coffeen Lake – June 2022
Coffeen Lake – June 2022

Mike Gragert edges out the field by just ¼ inch to win at Coffeen Lake, claiming Big Bass honors and his second career SIKC victory in a tightly contested event.

Little Grassy Lake – June 6, 2022
Little Grassy Lake – June 6, 2022

Darren Hemker lands a last-minute cull to win at Little Grassy Lake, earning his second career SIKC victory during a productive third stop of the 2022 season.

Sangchris Lake – May 7, 2022
Sangchris Lake – May 7, 2022

Austin Weidhuner earns his first SIKC victory at Sangchris Lake, landing 89.50” while anglers battle tough winds in Tournament #2 of 2022.

Newton Lake – April 10, 2022
Newton Lake – April 10, 2022

Rece Schneider opens the 2022 season with a win at Newton Lake, grinding out 89.75” in cold, windy conditions to begin his AOY title defense.

2022 AOY Standings (Final Top 5)

1️⃣ Dustin Siegel — Angler of the Year Champion
1️⃣ Darren Hemker (points tie)
3️⃣ Dalton Williams
4️⃣ Rece Schneider
5️⃣ Jake Schultz

The 2022 season set a new standard for competition within the Southern Illinois Kayak Club. Tight finishes, rising talent, and unforgettable moments laid the foundation for what would become another incredible chapter in SIKC history.

With Dustin Siegel earning his place to defend the AOY title in 2023, the stage was officially set for the next season.

A table with numerous fishing trophies, including fish figures on top, displayed at an outdoor event by a lake. A banner with various logos and the text "SIKC Southern Illinois Kayak Club" hangs above the table. People are gathered in the background
Smiling man holding multiple fishing trophies in front of a lake with green trees in the background.
Man with a gray beard and sunglasses holding a trophy shaped like a pineapple near a river with green trees in the background.
Person standing outdoors near a river holding multiple trophies, with trees and grass in the background.
Three men standing outdoors near a body of water with trees in the background, holding oversized checks for fishing awards. The man on the left is holding a check for third place, the man in the middle for first place, and the man on the right for se
A man standing outdoors by a river holding a giant check and a foam fish cutout. The check is made out to Wil Abbott for $342, awarded for second place in a fishing competition. The foam fish indicates the prize of $20 for Big Bass. The background fe
A man with sunglasses, a cap, and a beard holding a large check for $684 made out to Kevin Cox, awarded for first place by the Southern Illinois Kayak Club, standing by a river with trees in the background.
A young man holding a large check for $114.00, awarded for third place in a kayaking competition, standing outdoors near a lake with trees in the background.
A man smiling and holding a wooden award plaque beside a river, with green trees in the background. He is wearing sunglasses, a cap, and a long-sleeved fishing shirt with various patches and sponsor logos.
A person fishing on a kayak in a lake surrounded by trees.
Man fishing on a kayak with fishing poles on a lake, surrounded by green trees.
A person sitting on a kayak holding a fishing rod with a fish in hand, smiling, in a calm lake with green trees in the background.
Three men standing outdoors on grass with trees in the background, holding large checks for kayak tournament prizes. The man on the left holds a check for second place, $360, and is dressed in camouflage shirt and gray pants. The man in the center ho
A man holding a fish-shaped sign that reads 'Big Bass $215.00' outdoors on green grass with trees in the background.
A man standing outdoors in front of green trees and grass, holding a large ceremonial check for second place in a kayaking competition, issued by Southern Illinois Kayak Club
A man standing outdoors holding a large white check for $120 made out to Jerry Bryson from Southern Illinois Kayak Club, indicating a third-place finish at Cedar Lake, date 7/19/25. The man has short gray hair, a beard, is wearing a black T-shirt, an
A young man wearing a fishing shirt and cap, standing outdoors in front of green trees, holding a large check for $720 made out to Dalton Williams for first place at Cedar Lake from the Southern Illinois Kayak Club, dated July 19, 2025.
Young man with curly hair smiling, holding a large check for third place, in front of a lake with green trees in the background.
Two men standing by a lake holding boxes of Railblaza products, with trees and water in the background. The man on the left has a grey beard, wearing a white and green long-sleeve shirt, a cap, and is holding a box for a kayak mount. The man on the r
A young man standing by a lake, holding a large fish-shaped sign that says 'Big Bass $245.00,' with logos from the Head's Up Taxidermy and Midwest Kayak. He is wearing a beige and brown fishing jersey with multiple patches, a cap with sunglasses, and
Man holding large check in front of a lake with green trees in the background.
A man holding a large check standing by a lake with trees in the background. The check is made out to Dalton Williams for $770, dated 6/7/25, and is from the Southern Illinois Kayak Club. The man is smiling and wearing a kayak fishing jersey and a ca
Three men standing outdoors by a lake, each holding a large check with details and awards for a kayaking competition. The backdrop is a wooded area with a body of water, and the sky is overcast.
Four people fishing from three small boats on a calm lake at sunrise with trees on the shore.
A man holding multiple packages of baby diapers and wipes outdoors near a lake, smiling at the camera.
A man smiling outdoors holding a trophy and a box of Huggies diapers in front of a lake and trees.
Young man holding a large check for $150 at Otter Lake during a rainy day, with trees and lake in the background.
A man wearing glasses, an orange hat, and a brown jacket holding a large check from Southern Illinois Kayak Club, awarded for second place in a fishing competition at Otter Lake, dated 5/31/25, with a background of a lake and green trees.
Young man holding a large fish-shaped sign reading "Big Bass" and "$270.00" in front of a body of water, on a cloudy day.
Three men standing on a dock holding oversized checks, with a lake in the background. The man on the left has a beard, glasses, and is wearing an orange hat and brown jacket. The man in the middle is wearing a racing jacket, holding a check for first
A young man holding a large check at Otter Lake, celebrating first place in a kayak fishing contest, with trees and lake in the background.
A man with curly hair and sunglasses on his cap standing in front of a lake, holding a large check for third place at the Southern Illinois Kayak Club, dated 4-12-25, made out to Darren Hemker for $154.00.
A man holding a large check in front of a lake with trees in the background, celebrating his second-place finish at the Southern Illinois Kayak Club event on April 12, 2025.
Man holding a large check for 1st place at Southern Illinois Kayak Club, date April 12, 2025, $924.00, standing by a lake with trees in the background.
A man wearing sunglasses, a boat racing jersey, and a cap stands by a lake holding a green fish-shaped sign that reads "Big Bass" with a $280 price tag. The background features a blue sky and trees on the shoreline.
Two men standing on a rocky beach near a lake, holding kayak and canoe cart boxes, with a clear blue sky and trees in the background.
Three men standing on a lakeshore holding large checks with the date 4-12-25. The man on the left holds a check for Keith Gressler for second place, the middle man holds a check for Wade Hobaugh for first place, and the man on the right holds a check
A man in a blue jacket and shorts standing on a small fishing boat in a lake, holding a fishing rod. The boat has multiple fishing rods and equipment, with a forested shoreline in the background.
Smiling woman holding a wooden trophy with a lake and a small dock in the background.
Three people standing outdoors near a lake, holding large checks. The person on the left is a man with a beard, wearing a black cap, dark clothing, and blue shoes, holding a check for second place. The person in the middle is a woman with glasses, we
A woman stands on a dock by a lake, holding a large check for $504 made out to Susie Roloff, indicating she won first place at the Southern Illinois Kayak Club event on March 29, 2025. She is wearing sunglasses, a blue t-shirt with the club's logo, a
A man holding a large award check standing by a lake with a dock in the background. The check is from the Southern Illinois Kayak Club, dated 3/29/25, made out to Brady Barlow for $144.00, for second place in the SIKC Classic.
Man with beard wearing fishing jersey and cap, standing by a lake, holding a large cardboard fish cutout with the labels 'Big Bass', '$135.00', and 'Heads Up Taxidermy' logo.
Young man holding a large check at a lake, celebrating third place in a kayaking competition, smiling, wearing a kayaker sponsored jersey and sunglasses, with a floating dock and water in the background.
A person in a fishing kayak holding a yellow fish release tool with a fish in a net, with the Ketch logo overlayed on the image.
Man fishing on a yellow kayak in a peaceful lake surrounded by green trees.
A man fishing on a kayak on a lake with trees showing fall colors in the background, and a logo with the text "Midwest Kayak Co. 2023" and crossed paddles.
Person in fishing gear standing on a boat fishing in a river with trees in the background.
Man in kayak on river with lush green trees in background, holding a fishing rod and wearing a cap and life jacket.
A person fishing on a kayak on a lake, with a lush, green forest in the background. The image includes a logo for the Southern Illinois Kayak Club and text announcing that memberships are now available.
Schedule for the SIKC 2025 fishing tournament, listing dates at various lakes, including Coffee Lake on 4/12/25 and Newton Lake on 9/13/25. A man is fishing from a kayak in a natural setting.