The Massachusetts Kayak Bassin’ Knockout Series is a random-draw, bracketed, one-on-one tournament series. Fish until you’re knocked out of the competition! Winners of each round will move on until one angler remains victorious above all others.
For the 2022 season, we have expanded the series to include all of New England. Many of rules are new for this season, while older rules have changed. Please read them below.
Unless specifically addressed in the addendum below, the official rules for this series will be KBF’s Competition Rules Standard.
EVENT INFORMATION
Entry Fee: $50.00
Tournament Format: CPR (catch-photo-release)
Minimum Length: 8.00 inches
Number of Fish: 3-fish limit
The random draw will be conductive live on the Massachusetts Kayak Bassin’ Facebook group page at 8 PM on March 15, 2022.
Refunds on entry fees, less credit card processing fees, will be granted prior to March 14, after which time it is non-refundable.
ROUNDS
Starting April 1, each round will run for six weeks (32 or 48 anglers) or five weeks (64 anglers) until all matches are complete.
With 32 anglers, the exact time periods are as follows:
Round 1: Apr 1–May 12
Round 2: May 13–Jun 23
Round 3: Jun 24–Aug 4
Round 4: Aug 5–Sep 15
Round 5: Sep 16–Oct 28
With 48 anglers, the exact time periods are as follows (please note that with 48 anglers there will be a three-way finale):
Round 1: Apr 1–May 12
Round 2: May 13–Jun 23
Round 3: Jun 24–Aug 4
Round 4: Aug 5–Sep 15
Round 5: Sep 16–Oct 28
With 64 anglers, the exact time periods are as follows:
Round 1: Apr 1–May 5
Round 2: May 6–Jun 9
Round 3: Jun 10–Jul 14
Round 4: Jul 15–Aug 18
Round 5: Aug 19–Sep 22
Round 6: Sep 23–Oct 27
It is the responsibility of the anglers to coordinate the date and time of their match within the given time frame. Failure to complete the match within that time frame may result in the disqualification of BOTH anglers, regardless of fault.
Therefore, if for whatever reason you cannot compete, please be fair and forfeit so that the angler with whom you are paired can move on to the next round.
REQUIREMENTS & RESTRICTIONS
a. During the regular-season rounds, anglers are not required to compete on the same body of water.
b. Anglers must fish on the same date at the same time.
c. Anglers may determine the length of each match. However, each match must run from between 4 and 8 hours.
d. Prior to the start of each match, anglers are required to inform the tournament directors (either Ken Wood or Shawn Dominik) of the location where they intend to fish.
e. Anglers are only allowed to fish each body of water one time per season.
f. Bodies of water that are connected via navigable waterways are considered to be a single body of water, thus eligible to fish only one time per season.
g. For the championship round, anglers must compete on the same body of water at the same time.
h. Using the Fishing Chaos app, anglers are required to check in (On the Water) before launching and check out (Out of the Water) when finished.
SCORING
a. Results will remain unofficial until MAKB staff verifies each fish and officially determines a winner.
b. Each tournament will run on a three-fish limit and an 8-inch minimum. Highest aggregate length wins the round and the angler moves on.
c. In the case of a tie, the tie-breaker goes to the person with the longest fish, determined by the actual length as it physically appears on the board, not by the last quarter-inch line it touches/crosses.
d. In the case of a tie for longest, the tie-breaker will then be the next longest fish, etc.
APPROVED MEASURING DEVICE
You may use one of three approved measuring devices, all made by Ketch Products: the original Ketch Board, the Ketch X board, or the Ketch Karbonate board.
Anglers using any other measuring device will have their fish denied.
TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
We will be using the Fishing Chaos platform to manage this series. Anglers are required to have a Fishing Chaos account and download the app.
There are two pricing plans available—monthly and annual—or you can opt to pay a small event fee instead.
IDENTIFIER
a. Anglers will provide each other a unique three-digit identifier code the night before or the morning of the match.
b. Anglers may write the identifier code on your hand or on another identifier, such as a KBF State Challenge identifier, as long as it is clearly visible in each photo.
CASH PRIZES
Payouts equal 100% of net entry fees (gross entry fees less credit card processing fees).
At the end of the series, with 32 or 64 anglers, payouts will go to the FIRST and SECOND place winners. With 48 anglers, payouts will go the FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD place winners. Payouts will also be made to the angler with the LONGEST fish of the series and the angler with the series’ LONGEST LIMIT of three fish during any round.
Example of Payouts (based on 32 and a pool of $1,600):
1st Place: $800
2nd Place: $400
Longest Fish: $200
Longest Limit: $200
Example of Payouts (based on 48 anglers and a pool of $2,400):
1st Place: $1,200
2nd Place: $500
3rd Place: $300
Longest Fish: $200
Longest Limit: $200
Example of Payouts (based on 64 anglers and a pool of $3,200):
1st Place: $1,600
2nd Place: $800
Longest Fish: $400
Longest Limit: $400
TOURNAMENT QUESTIONS
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us here.
If you have any further questions, please check out the FAQs below, or ask us if the answer is not listed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Does each tournament run for five or six weeks, similar to the month-long KBF online tournaments?
No. Though you have five or six weeks to complete your match, each match is a single-day tournament within that time frame.
Q. Do we need to fish 8-hour tournaments?
No. Paired anglers can fish a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of eight hours, weekends or weekdays, day or night. It’s all up to the competitors, whatever is agreed upon prior to the tournament.
Q. If I make it to the finale, can we fish a two-day tournament? And if yes, can we fish a different body of water each day?
Yes on both, but only your top three fish from day one would count toward the Longest Fish and Longest Combined Limit pools.
Q. Does it have to be a three-fish limit?
Yes.
Q. Do we have to fish in our home state?
No. You may fish anywhere in New England.
Q. Can we fish private bodies of water if we have permission?
No. Public bodies of water only. You must also launch from public access areas. KBF rules apply.
Q. Can I fish a lake that borders a state outside of New England?
Yes, but you must launch on the New England side of the lake. For instance, if you fish Lake Champlain, you may only launch from the Vermont side of the lake.
Q. Will you disqualify both anglers if a match cannot be completed?
Possibly, if fault cannot be determined. Anglers should make the time to fish, or be fair and forfeit if they cannot make it happen by the round deadline.
Q. If I am unable to compete in my match, will I be refunded?
There will be no refunds after March 14*.
* If any angler is unable to complete his or her round 1 match due to unforeseen circumstances—injury, family emergency, etc.—then a replacement will be sought. If secured, the entry fee will be refunded, even after March 14. Otherwise there will be no refund and your competitor will move onto round 2 via forfeit.
Q. Is it a 12- or 8-inch minimum?
Though we have adopted KBF’s Competition Rules Standard (see link at the top of this page) and they have upped their minimum to 12 inches, we still allow an 8-inch minimum.
Q. Do you allow electric-powered boats?
No.
We do, however, allow anglers to use trolling motors on their kayaks, as long as they are within the limits set by KBF’s Competition Rules Standard.
Q. Will 100% of the entry fees be paid out to the anglers?
Payouts listed above are approximate and based on net entry fees (gross entry fees less credit card processing fees: 2.9% plus $0.30).
Q. Can we use live bait if we agree to it?
No.
Q. If I am knocked out of the competition, will I still be eligible to win Longest Fish and/or Longest Limit?
Yes. All anglers will be eligible to win those categories regardless of their overall standing in the series.