July 19 | Lake Whatcom, WA
LAKE WHATCOM: A GRITTY GAUNTLET IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
KFNW Tour Event 4 took the kayak bass fishing battleground north to Lake Whatcom, a long, deep-cut gem tucked into the hills of Bellingham, Washington. Known for its scenic beauty and sneaky schools of smallmouth, Whatcom had one more surprise in store: gray skies, chilly temps, and a stiff headwind that greeted 48 determined anglers paddling into the morning murk.
This wasn’t just a bass battle—it was a war of wills.
From the jump, Kevin Frank came out swinging. His lines hit water and the scoreboard lit up. Frank was the early leader, with his first fish caught just two minutes after lines in. Frank looked poised to run the table. But as every seasoned angler knows, the leaderboard tells only half the story—and the other half was still uploading.
Just before noon, the plot twisted.
When the digital dust settled, David Tarshis emerged from the shadows with a strong 91-inch limit, punching his ticket to the top. Not far behind was Bellingham’s own, rookie Will Raymond with 89 inches in his very first KFNW Tour appearance. Welcome to the big leagues, kid.
But if there was one moment that defined this event—one flash of sheer grit, timing, and a little bit of good fortune—it belonged to Brandon Hua.
With only four fish on the board and the submission clock bleeding away, it looked like Hua’s AOY hopes might take a serious hit. But with just seven minutes to go before lines out, he did the unthinkable: stuck a 19-inch brute and uploaded just in time. That’s clutch, capital C. That last fished tied him with Jordan Dugger for 4th place but Dugger’s 18 inch kicker fell short of Hua’s 19, granting Hua the tiebreaker.
Meanwhile, another rookie made waves—David Curtin landed the biggest bass of the day, a 20.25-inch tank that powered him into Big Bass stardom.
But this one wasn’t just about inches—it was about heart. Whatcom demanded patience, precision, and next-level perseverance.
As the KFNW Tour barrels toward its final stretch, one thing’s clear: the Angler of the Year race is heating up, and names like Hua, Williams, and Osojnicki are staking their claim in bold ink.
Lake Whatcom delivered a battle. And the anglers? They brought the fire.
🏆 Podium Finishes
- 🥇 David Tarshis (OR) had 91 inches and won $2,296
- 🥈 Will Raymond (WA) had 89 inches and won $994
- 🥉 Kevin Frank (WA) had 88 inches and won $777
Big Bass Buy-In (47 Anglers)
- David Curtin netted a 20.25 inch smallmouth to win $704 ($504 in cash and $200 from Three Rivers Tackle)
Tourney Trivia
- Totals: 146 fish were submitted and accepted by 43 total anglers, that’s 3.4 fish per angler
- Where From: Washington: 34 | Idaho: 2 | Oregon: 11 | British Columbia: 1
- Citation Bass: 6 Smallmouth (19+ inches)
- First Fish of the Day: Kevin Frank at 6:02 AM (two minutes after lines in)
- Final Fish of the Day: Patrick Kelly at 1:57 PM (3 minutes before lines out and 22 seconds before Carlos Torres)
KFNW Kayak Bass Classic Qualified Anglers
West Coast Championship Qualified Anglers
Full Final Standings
We paid out $4,323 to the top 4 anglers with a 90% payout rate, plus $704 for Big Bass.
| Rank | Name | City, State | Earnings | Qualified | Fish 1 | Fish 2 | Fish 3 | Fish 4 | Fish 5 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarshis, David | Happy Valley, OR | $2,296 | KBC, WCC | 19.50 | 18.50 | 18.50 | 18.25 | 16.00 | 90.75 |
| 2 | Raymond, Will | Bellingham, WA | $994 | KBC, WCC | 18.50 | 18.25 | 18.00 | 17.50 | 16.75 | 89.00 |
| 3 | Frank, Kevin | Seabeck, WA | $777 | KBC, WCC | 18.75 | 17.50 | 17.50 | 17.50 | 16.75 | 88.00 |
| 4 | Hua, Brandon | Hillsboro, OR | $256 | KBC, WCC | 19.00 | 18.50 | 14.50 | 13.75 | 12.50 | 78.25 |
| 5 | Dugger, Jordan | Ephrata, WA | $100 | KBC, WCC | 18.00 | 17.00 | 14.75 | 14.75 | 13.75 | 78.25 |
| 6 | Potts, Trey | Waitsburg, WA | WCC | 19.25 | 17.00 | 16.50 | 12.25 | 12.25 | 77.25 | |
| 7 | Osojnicki, Tj | Boise, ID | WCC | 18.00 | 16.50 | 16.00 | 13.00 | 12.75 | 76.25 | |
| 8 | Dugger, Jeff | Wenatchee, WA | WCC | 19.50 | 16.00 | 14.50 | 12.75 | 12.25 | 75.00 | |
| 9 | Long, Hong | Bellevue, WA | WCC | 17.25 | 15.00 | 13.75 | 13.00 | 12.25 | 71.25 | |
| 10 | Moore, Pat | Bellingham, WA | WCC | 16.00 | 14.50 | 12.75 | 12.50 | 12.50 | 68.25 | |
| 11 | Janke, Andrew | Scappoose, OR | WCC | 16.75 | 13.25 | 13.00 | 12.50 | 12.50 | 68.00 | |
| 12 | French, Eddie | Camas, WA | WCC | 15.75 | 13.25 | 12.50 | 12.50 | 12.25 | 66.25 | |
| 13 | Mao, Citha | Kirkland, WA | 14.50 | 12.50 | 12.50 | 12.00 | 12.00 | 63.50 | ||
| 14 | Curtin, David | Graham, WA | $704 | 20.25 | 14.00 | 14.00 | 14.00 | 0 | 62.25 | |
| 15 | Dugger, Lacey | Wenatchee, WA | 17.00 | 13.75 | 13.25 | 12.25 | 0 | 56.25 | ||
| 16 | Hittenberger, Tyler | Eugene, OR | 14.25 | 12.50 | 12.00 | 12.00 | 0 | 50.75 | ||
| 17 | Williams, Chris | Olympia, WA | 14.00 | 12.75 | 12.00 | 12.00 | 0 | 50.75 | ||
| 18 | Harrison, Garrett | Coeur d'Alene , ID | 12.25 | 12.25 | 12.25 | 12.25 | 0 | 49.00 | ||
| 19 | Kelly, Patrick | Enumclaw, WA | 17.75 | 15.00 | 13.25 | 0 | 0 | 46.00 | ||
| 20 | Carlson, Jason | Bonney Lake, WA | 18.50 | 13.50 | 12.50 | 0 | 0 | 44.50 | ||
| 21 | Glover, Chris | Poulsbo, WA | 17.25 | 13.00 | 12.75 | 0 | 0 | 43.00 | ||
| 22 | Leonard, John | Graham, WA | 14.50 | 13.75 | 13.00 | 0 | 0 | 41.25 | ||
| 23 | Walker, Dan | Seattle, WA | 14.00 | 13.50 | 13.00 | 0 | 0 | 40.50 | ||
| 24 | Motherwell, Robert | Seattle, WA | 14.75 | 12.50 | 12.25 | 0 | 0 | 39.50 | ||
| 25 | Torres, Carlos | Shelton, WA | 13.75 | 12.50 | 12.25 | 0 | 0 | 38.50 | ||
| 26 | DePeel, Mike | Richland, WA | 12.75 | 12.50 | 12.00 | 0 | 0 | 37.25 | ||
| 27 | Sutton, Colin | Bend, OR | 18.50 | 13.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32.25 | ||
| 28 | Forte, Marvin | Portland, OR | 19.25 | 12.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.25 | ||
| 29 | Sapp, Methea | Spokane, WA | 17.25 | 12.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.00 | ||
| 30 | Dowson, Hayden | Osoyoos, BC | 17.25 | 12.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.50 | ||
| 31 | Carlile, Corey | Spokane, WA | 15.25 | 13.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.75 | ||
| 32 | Zarate, Junior | Wenatchee, WA | 14.75 | 12.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.00 | ||
| 33 | Soule, Shaun | Yelm, WA | 17.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.00 | ||
| 34 | Larson, Andrew | Donald, OR | 17.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.00 | ||
| 35 | Davis, Dan | Kirkland, WA | 16.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.75 | ||
| 36 | Prom, Thorn | Seattle, WA | 13.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.25 | ||
| 37 | Hittenberger, Shawn | Eugene, OR | 13.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.25 | ||
| 38 | Vargas, Carlos | Chelan, WA | 12.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.75 | ||
| 39 | Burdick, Matthew | Albany, OR | 12.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.50 | ||
| 40 | Doll, Sheree | Coupeville, WA | 12.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.50 | ||
| 41 | Kraan, Justin | Klamath Falls, OR | 12.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 | ||
| 42 | Harris, Leo | Scappoose, OR | 12.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 | ||
| 43 | Cary, Jim | Spokane, WA | 12.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 | ||
| 44 | Amaral, Kevin | Seattle, WA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 45 | Morgan, Josh | Stanwood, WA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 46 | Treptow, Riley | Vancouver, WA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two anglers were DQed, did not complete the event, or did not attend the awards and were removed from the standings
Pre-Tournament Details
Lake Whatcom is the seventh largest lake in Washington state and it’s known for big smallmouth. Whatcom is a long, slender lake, about ten miles, and only one mile wide at its widest point. There are three main basins in the lake. The northernmost, Silver Beach Basin, is the deepest, reaching up to 100 feet. The Geneva Basin, located in the middle, is where Bellingham gets its drinking water. It’s the shallowest, with a depth of around 40 to 60 feet. The southernmost basin, Basin 3, is the most remote and the deepest, at 328 feet. This basin holds about 96% of the lake’s total water. The lake gets its water from nine annual streams and approximately 25 smaller creeks and tributaries, making up 23 sub-watersheds — it drains into Bellingham Bay through Whatcom Creek.
Whatcom features a variety of cover, like docks, wood laydowns, and plant life including Eurasian Milfoil and lily pads. Native fish species include kokanee salmon, coastal cutthroat trout, longnose sucker, peamouth chub, sculpin and three-spined stickleback. Smallmouth were stocked here by WDFW, along with bluegill and rainbow trout. Largemouth bass have been illegally stocked in the lake, along with brown bullhead, pumpkinseed and yellow perch.
Boundaries for this event feature approximately 4,900 acres of water and over 30 miles of shoreline.
Qualifier for the KFNW Kayak Bass Classic and the West Coast Championship
- Top 10% of the field qualifies for the KFNW Kayak Bass Classic on October 11-12 at Potholes Reservoir.
- Top 25% of the field qualifies for the West Coast Championship on August 22-23.
Last time we visited Lake Whatcom: May 5, 2024
We had 44 anglers and 58 fish were submitted. Garrett Harrison (Post Falls,ID) took first place with 85 inches of all smallmouth, including a 18.75 inch kicker. Dan Walker (Seattle, WA) took second place with 71.25 inches of smallmouth and a 17 inch kicker. Kevin Frank (Seabeck, WA) took third place with 58.75 inches of smallmouth, and a 20.75 inch kicker. Big Bass of the day went to Kevin Frank (Bonney Lake, WA), with a 20.75 inch smallmouth. Garrett also won at Whatcom on June 3, 2023 with 94.5 inches and a 19.75″ kicker, so Garrett May be the angler to beat!
Lake Whatcom Special Requirements
ALL kayaks must be inspected at Check-In. EVERY angler must click on this link and complete the seven-question course.
Once you complete this form, you will be in the Lake Whatcom database. The morning of the event they will have your name listed.
IF YOUR NAME IS NOT ON THIS LIST YOU WILL BE DENIED ENTRY TO THE LAKE!
Inspections
- AIS Inspections are required for all kayaks, no exceptions.
- If you are prefishing, you will be required to get your inspection before you can launch.
- Bloedel Ramp inspections are available 5:00 am to 9:00 pm, seven days a week, except Saturday, July 12 when the ramp is closed until 2:00 pm.
- South Bay WDFW Boat Launch inspections start at 9 am, so there’s no point in getting there early.
- For more info, visit: Inspection Locations – Whatcom Boat Inspections
- The inside of your kayak MUST BE DRY AND CLEAN. If it has so much as a drop of liquid they will deny you access. Please make sure it’s dry. It is YOUR responsibility to wipe the kayak down inside and out, until it is dry, before inspections begin. They won’t allow wipe downs during inspection because it takes too long and there will likely only be one to two inspectors. If the park denies you there is nothing that I can do about it. Please make sure your kayak is clean and dry.
Permit Fees
- If you are in a paddle kayak or a pedal kayak there are no additional fees. YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY ONLINE!
- IF YOU HAVE A MOTOR: YOU WILL NEED TO PAY $5 CASH BEFORE INSPECTION, OR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE YOUR MOTOR. Marvin will make one payment for everyone to the Lake Whatcom inspection folks after inspection. THEY WILL NOT LET YOU PAY THEM DIRECTLY!
- There are wristbands given that show the patrol you have been inspected. The Tournament Directors will have control of these bands for everyone. NO BAND, NO ENTRY! You don’t get your band until we get that $5 for motors. The inspectors will be tracking who has a motor and who does not have a motor. IF YOU GET CAUGHT WITH OUT A BAND ON THE WATER IT WILL BE A $250 FINE!
- THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO SOME OF THIS: You can purchase an annual (or temporary) permit for Lake Whatcom. But you still MUST to do the boat inspection each day you fish. If you intend to prefish, we recommend you purchase the annual or temporary permit ahead of time. That way, you won’t have to pay $5.
- THEY WILL NOT BE ISSUING ANNUAL PERMITS THE MORNING OF THE EVENT! If you want an annual permit, you need to order yours in advance of the event.
- If you have any questions at all, contact your Tournament Directors Jim Davis, or Marvin Forte.
AIS Inspection Review
Don’t wanna read? Jim and I go over all the details in this video.
Parking and Inspection Info
Inspection
- See the map below for the area you need to park when you arrive for inspection.
Motorized Permit Fees
- If you prefished and are from out of state, you should have paid a permit fee of $25 per day or $50 for three days. These rates went up and we didn’t realize that until we got feedback from some of the people prefishing.
- On Saturday, since we are a tournament, they are only charging the $5 permit fee for motors, which you will pay to Marvin (bring $5 cash).
- Jim or Marvin will distribute the wristbands. You MUST have a wristband!
- If you don’t have a motor, you won’t have to pay anything on Saturday but EVERYONE must be inspected.
Staging Area
- Once anglers have been inspected, they can launch at the ramp and stage their kayak in the dock area. There is a beach where you can park your kayak.
- While you are waiting for launch time, you may sit in the water in the dock area.
- Be sure to leave room for anything else launching!
Parking Area
- Once you have been inspected and you have launched, please park in the grassy area shown on the map below.
KFNW / WKBF Tour Event 4
Tournament Schedule
All times are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)
Off-Limits Period
- Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM through Friday, July 11, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Registration Deadline
- Friday, July 11, 2025 – 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.
Official Practice Period
- Saturday, July 12, 2025 through Friday, July 18, 2025
Bloedel Donovan Boat Launch is closed and off-limits July 12, 2025 until 2:00 PM due to a Triathlon happening in the park that day. Southerly Boat Launch may be used. - 5:00 AM – Practice Launch / Lines In
- 2:00 PM – Practice Lines Out / Off the Water
Friday – July 18, 2025
- 10:00 PM – Identifier Code Released
Saturday – July 19, 2025
- 4:30 AM to 5:15 AM – AIS Inpections and Pre-Event Briefing | Bloedel Donovan Park Boat Ramp
- We recommend anglers arrive early and prep their kayaks completely before 4:30 AM.
- All anglers must be present, parked, and have their kayaks ready for inspection at 4:30 AM.
- If you are not parked and in line at 4:30 AM, you will be disqualified. No exceptions.
- Keep your kayak adjacent to your vehicle and wait there for the inspectors.
- KFNW staff will have you complete AIS paperwork and bump board inspection while you are waiting.
- Once anglers have completed their inspection, paperwork, and board check, they can stage their kayak near the launch.
- Docks are not big enough for everyone. There is a beach alongside the shore near the ramp where anglers can stage their kayaks.
- 5:15 AM – Sunrise
- 5:25 AM – Launch (Shotgun Start) | Human-Powered
- 5:30 AM – Launch (Shotgun Start) | Electric Motors
- 6:00 AM – Lines In
- 2:00:00 PM – Lines Out
- 3:00 PM – Upload Deadline / Off the Water
- Cell Service on Water: Spotty
- Cellular service may not be available on the water. It is the competitor’s responsibility to find service and upload their fish before the Upload Deadline.
- 4:00 PM – Awards Ceremony and Gear Drawing | Bloedel Donovan Park
Competitors MUST be present at Awards ceremony location by this time. Competitors who are not present by this time will be disqualified.
Pre-Event Briefing
Pre-Event Briefing Location
- Bloedel Donovan Park Boat Ramp
- 2114 Electric Ave, Bellingham, WA 98229
- https://goo.gl/maps/kCDMHRBFC4di1ysz5
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.
Downloads
- Waiver and Release of Liability Agreement (Adult)
- Waiver and Release of Liability Agreement (Minor and Adult)
- Electric Motor Inspection
Location Details
Washington Regulations and Links
- A Washington fishing license is required (temporary or annual) – Visit WDFW
- Motorized watercraft registered in another country, or state (except Oregon or Idaho) must purchase an aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention permit before placing or operating the watercraft in any water body in the state – Visit WDFW
Eligible Water Boundaries
- Main lake body of Lake Whatcom
- 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
Designated Launch Locations
- Bloedel Donovan Park
- 2114 Electric Ave, Bellingham, WA 98229
- https://goo.gl/maps/kCDMHRBFC4di1ysz5
- No other launches are allowed
Awards Location
- Bloedel Donovan Park
- 2114 Electric Ave, Bellingham, WA 98229
- https://goo.gl/maps/kCDMHRBFC4di1ysz5
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.
KFNW Membership
- KFNW Membership is required to participate in this event. You can register at https://kayakfishingnorthwest.com/product/2025-kfnw-member-registration/
Tournament Director
- Jim Davis
- Email: jimdavis40@hotmail.com
- Phone: (541) 561-1447
KFNW Director
- Marvin Forte
- Email: marvinforte@kayakfishingnorthwest.com
- Phone: (602) 410-1002
Links
Lodging and Accommodations
- Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham Airport
4260 Mitchell Way Bellingham, WA 98226 - You can choose which nights to book from from 7/16 through the night of 7/20.
- Click the link below, or call the front desk at the number below.
- Discounted block rate of $124 per night for our anglers
- Front Desk: (360) 746-6844
KAYAK FISHING NORTHWEST IS PRESENTED BY:
