2025 KFNW / OKBF Season Kickoff Open

May 10 | Dorena Lake, OR

View on TourneyX.com
KFNW Season Kickoff Open - Dorena Lake
Dorena Lake
Dorena Lake from Baker Bay Launch

Focus on Fun

The Season Kickoff Open promises to be a blast. Come on out to fish and meet other kayak anglers (experienced and newbie alike are welcome).

Kayak Bass Fishing Tournament

This bass fishing tournament is focused on fun and teamwork. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved in competitive kayak fishing, the Season Kickoff Open is a great place to start. We will randomly pair one less-experienced tournament angler with one more-experienced tournament angler, to compete as a two-person team for the tournament. We will be fishing for largemouth bass and/or smallmouth bass. We score fish by length, using the smartphone app TourneyX Pro. We practice CPR (catch, photo, release) to tabulate our scores. A certified bump board must be used: YakAttack Leaderboard, Ketch Karbonate, Ketch X Aluminum Board, and Original Ketch Board are the ONLY boards that will be accepted. There’s a six fish limit per team (three fish limit per angler). Catches between you and your teammate are combined to tabulate your team score. This means that you and your teammate need to catch three fish for the best chance of winning. We also have an optional Big Bass Buy-In side pot, in which the competitor who catches the largest bass of the day gets the pot (minus PayPal fees).

The 2025 KFNW / OKBF Season Kickoff Open
is presented by Next Adventure

Tournament Schedule

All times are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

Registration Deadline

Late registration is available on a limited basis, and is first-come, first-served. There is a $10 service fee for late registration.Friday – May 9, 2025

Friday, May 2, 2025 – Registration Deadline

  • No Prefishing Restrictions
  • 10:00 PM – Identifier Code Released

Saturday – May 10, 2025

  • 5:40 AM – Sunrise
  • 6:30 AM – Pre-Event Briefing and Team Assignments | Row River Nature Park
    Anglers MUST check-in by this time. Failure to check-in on-time will result in disqualification. We recommend all anglers unload their gear before check-in. Kayaks and gear may be stored on the bank, or near the launch. Be sure to leave room for other people to use the ramp.
  • 7:30 AM – Launch (Shotgun Start) | All Competitors
  • 7:30 AM – Lines In
  • 1:30:00 PM – Lines Out
  • 2:30:00 PM – Upload Deadline / Off the Water
    Cell Service on Water: Poor
    Cellular service may not be available on the water. It is the competitor’s responsibility to find service and upload their fish before the deadline.
  • 3:00 PM – Awards Ceremony and Gear Drawing | Bohemia Park
    Competitors MUST be present at Awards ceremony location by this time. Competitors who are not present by this time will be disqualified.

Location Details

Oregon Regulations and Links

  • An Oregon fishing license is required (temporary or annual) – Visit ODFW
    • Columbia River Basin Endorsement is not needed for bass in Oregon
    • Salmon/Steelhead Harvest Card is not needed for bass in Oregon
  • Watercraft registration is required for motorized watercraft (residents only) – Visit OSMB
  • Waterway Access Permit is required for non-motorized watercraft 10 feet or longer (residents and non-residents) – Visit OSMB
  • For motorized watercraft (residents), AIS Permit is included in your watercraft registration.
  • For motorized watercraft (non-residents), Out-of-State Motorized AIS Permit is required – Visit OSMB

Eligible Water Boundaries

  • Main water body
  • Connected creeks, rivers, sloughs and tributaries accessible via kayak from the main body of water are in-bounds (conditions permitting for safety and accessibility)
  • Disconnected sloughs and ponds are out-of-bounds
  • Portaging is not permitted
  • Only public waters are allowed

Pre-Event Briefing Location

Pre-Event Briefing Details

  • Before the Pre-Event Briefing, a video will be published to go over specific details for this Tour Event. Certain rules may be discussed, but we will not review all the rules. It is the competitor’s responsibility to read and know all rules as published in the Rules Standard.
  • A signed hard copy of the Liability Release is required by all competitors for each Event. You can download the Liability Release in advance and bring the completed form (download below).
  • Electric Motor Inspection form is required for all competitors with a motor for the season or whenever a motor is added or equipment changed (download below). Once the form is completed, KFNW staff will determine if an inspection is necessary.
  • Certified bump board is required and board check will be performed. Boards should be clean and dry.
  • Competitors will have the opportunity to ask any questions before the meeting is adjourned.
  • Attendance at the Pre-Event Briefing is mandatory. If you can’t attend the meeting due to work or an unavoidable obligation, another angler can bring your Liability Release and bump board on your behalf. This solely the responsibility of the two competitors and no exceptions will be given.

Downloads

Designated Launch Location

Awards Location

Special Rules

  • This is an open tournament, no KFNW membership is required.
  • No AOY points will be recorded.
  • This is a team tournament. Angler may NOT compete alone. The Tournament Director will assign teammates at random, pairing more-experienced tournament anglers with less experienced tournament anglers. Anglers will fish as a team, and scores will be calculated on the best team score (two longest fish per angler, four fish total). If one of the two teammates does not catch two fish, culled fish from the other teammate can not be counted.
  • There will be a shotgun start for this tournament, so all competitors may launch at the same time.
  • Teammates are expected to fish near each other. We also expect experienced anglers to offer assistance to their less-experienced teammates.
  • For these Season Kickoff Team events ONLY, we waive some assistance-related rules. You can assist your teammate, or other anglers, by holding on to their kayak, and reaching in to their kayak to help them take their submission photos.

Safety Notes

  • An overhead 360° light is required in low light conditions. A high-visibility flag, vest-type PFD, and sound signaling device (whistle) are required on the water at all times. Failure to utilize any of this safety equipment may result in disqualification.

Tournament Director

Links

KFNW Membership
Liability Release
Rules Standard
Identifier Card