Kayak tourneys spread

KBS, KBF give paddling bass anglers a competitive stage

The Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Majors don’t have anything on bass anglers who fish from plastic boats, thanks in large part to two groups that have organized local, regional and national tournaments that provide a competitive outlet for kayak bass anglers.

The Kayak Bass Series, aka KBS, is a tournament trail for kayak-bound bass fishermen. Top anglers will compete in eight tournaments in eight states for some of the biggest cash purses in kayak fishing, sponsored prize giveaways, and a chance to compete in the KBS Classic to determine KBS Angler of the Year and the KBS Classic champion. In addition, anglers can compete in one of nine divisions of online tournaments, the KBS Elite Trail or the KBS Youth Trail.

At the end of the season, the Classic and division championships will be held Sept. 21-21 on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville.

Kayak Bass Fishing, aka KBF, is the brainchild of Chad Hoover, a TV show host, kayak gear salesman and all-round spokesman for kayak bass fishing. The KBF Tournament Trail also offers a myriad of opportunities for kayak bass anglers to compete against one another.

Participating in one or both of the major-league kayak trails is a lot like trying to follow an NFL fantasy football competition. Each has numerous competitions and divisions, complete with side competitions, so it’s hard to keep up with everything that is going on unless you are participating. Both have multiple events, divisions and series that allow anglers to travel extensively or stay relatively close to home and still compete for Angler of the Year.

When anglers are not in their kayaks fishing, spending ample time online is almost a daily necessity in order to stay abreast of recent developments, new schedules, and updated points accumulations.

Fortunately, the rules for the two organizations are nearly identical, which allow anglers to compete in portions of both series.

Tourney X – Online fishing tournaments made easy

It might be hard for old-school bass anglers to grasp, but there’s a tournament going on right now — in cyberspace. Anglers don’t show up for weigh-ins or bring fish to the ramp. They catch a fish from a kayak, take a photo and release it.

Welcome to Tourney X.

Anglers must sign up on the Tourney X website, and once registered, they can pick whichever tournament they want. Some events span days, some hours, on a given lake, but versatility and technology make things more simple.

Once the angler is logged in, he or she can register for any tournament that he chooses. When registering, the angler is charged the amount the tournament director has set up.

Once registered, anglers need to download rules. Going to the dashboard, you will be able to submit a catch, cull a fish, view submissions and view standings. If fishing a tournament on the water, anglers can visit to the website via smartphone, log in and upload your catch straight from the water.