FAQ

Busy, friendly, and more manageable than it looks from the outside. A little preparation goes a long way, and Arizona Kayak Bass Nation welcomes new competitors. Introduce yourself to a board member or another angler and ask for help - everyone had a first tournament.

No. You do not need the most expensive kayak or years of tournament experience to get started. Focus on being prepared, fishing safely, learning the process and enjoying your time on the water. You can improve your strategy and your setup over time.

Visit our Membership page for the current membership requirements, the application and waiver, and payment instructions. Complete the required membership and participation documents before you compete.

Create a TourneyX account if you do not already have one, follow the registration link for the tournament you want to fish, read the event information, and complete registration before the published deadline.

Yes - make sure you can sign in to TourneyX on the phone you will use during the tournament.

No. This guide helps you prepare; the official tournament rules and the event instructions govern competition. Read the complete rules before your first event.

Tournament waters, boundaries and off-limits areas. Approved launch and take-out locations. Registration and fish-submission deadlines. First Launch, First Cast or Lines In, and Lines Out times. The awards location and the mandatory checkout deadline. Required fishing licences, vessel registrations, permits and access fees.

No, and the difference matters. Permission to launch does not mean you can begin fishing.

Yes. Watch or review the entire electronic Captains Meeting before competition begins. It carries the event-specific instructions: times, boundaries, safety information, the identifier release time and the checkout requirements.

No. Do not assume instructions from a previous tournament apply to the next one. You are responsible for knowing and following the current event instructions, and if something is unclear, contact the Tournament Director before competition.

One that meets the club's eligibility requirements and complies with applicable laws.

A properly fastened, chest-type U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device, worn over your outermost clothing while on tournament water during Official Practice and competition - belt-style inflatable PFDs are not allowed. An audible emergency whistle. A 360-degree white light, or installed lighting visible from all directions, used whenever the law or the event instructions require it. An approved measuring board: current KETCH Products boards and the YakAttack Leaderboard are approved under the current club rules. A working phone that takes clear photographs and can complete the required TourneyX functions. Your tournament identifier card with the correct event code.

Your vessel, propulsion, batteries, lighting and phone. Make sure your measuring board is readable and unaltered.

A paddle is strongly recommended even if you use pedal or electric propulsion. Bring drinking water, sun protection, weather-appropriate clothing, and a way to keep your phone charged and protected. Make a night-before checklist of everything to charge, pack and load - and before you launch, check again that your essential equipment is actually in your kayak.

Print one from the club website before the event.

The identifier code is released through TourneyX the evening before the official tournament start, and the exact release time is given in the Captains Meeting. Once it is released, write it clearly on your printed card and keep the card secure and easy to reach for fish photographs.

The code must be visible and legible in every fish submission photo, and the card must not rest on, cover or obscure any part of the fish.

Get familiar with your measuring board and the TourneyX submission process beforehand, and set up a safe, reachable place in your vessel for measuring and photographing a fish. Practice reaching your board, your identifier and your phone, so tournament morning is not your first attempt.

Use an approved measuring board. Keep the whole fish visible, from the tip of the lip to the end of the tail. Close the fish's mouth completely and position it correctly against the board's fence. Take the photograph directly overhead. Make sure the measurement marks and the tail tip are clearly visible, and keep the lip, eye and tail end unobstructed. Remove hooks, lures and holding devices from the fish, and keep hands and fingers out of the gill plate. Show the correct identifier code clearly, without placing the card on the fish.

Check the photograph. Make sure it clearly shows everything the judge needs to see, keep handling brief, and release the fish promptly.

No. Only original, unedited photographs are accepted - no cropping, no editing, no screenshots.

Under the current rules an eligible bass must measure at least 12 inches after any deductions, and measurements are rounded down to the next lower quarter-inch mark. Review the complete photo criteria and the scoring deductions in the official rules: a photograph that looks fine at a glance may still miss something the judge needs to see.

Choose a legal launch, check travel time and access hours, and allow enough time to unload and prepare without rushing. Build in extra time for your first event - you may need to adjust equipment, ask a question, or solve something unexpected.

Only when it is necessary to clear the ramp, and you must stay within the designated staging area or the limits described in the rules. Do not use an early launch to move toward fishing areas, and do not begin fishing until First Cast or Lines In.

The Tournament Director's contact information, your take-out plan, and how you will reach the awards location for checkout.

Catch, Photograph and Release - CPR. Fish are scored by verified length rather than weight. Handle each bass carefully, take a clear legal photograph, check it, and release the fish promptly.

Through TourneyX, before the published submission deadline. Confirm that your submissions appear in the event, and watch for any judging feedback or requests.

Unless the event says otherwise, your five longest verified eligible bass make up your daily score. You can still submit a score if you catch fewer than five eligible fish.

Save the catch to the TourneyX in-app Livewell and keep the original, unedited photograph. The Livewell stores a catch on your phone without an internet connection - but saving to it does not complete your tournament submission. Once you have service, open the Livewell and upload each pending catch by hand, and confirm every one has submitted before the deadline. You may need to move to better reception or return to a legal take-out location, so allow time for it. If you still cannot submit, contact the Tournament Director or the designated judge before the submission deadline and follow the event's alternate submission instructions.

Stop fishing and proceed safely to a legal take-out location. Unless the Tournament Director announces a change, competitors must return to a legal launch or take-out within one hour after Lines Out.

No. Every competitor who launches must also check out in person with the Tournament Director or a designated official at the awards location, before the announced checkout deadline. Find the official and confirm your checkout has been recorded - arriving at the awards location, or asking another angler to check out for you, does not satisfy the requirement.

The current rules impose a 2.5-inch deduction from your final aggregate tournament score. In an emergency or an exceptional circumstance, contact the Tournament Director as soon as is reasonably practical.

No - you are free to go once you have checked out. We would rather you stayed, met other anglers and supported the competitors being recognized.

Any board member, or another angler. Whether it is equipment, TourneyX, photographing fish or what to expect, we want you to feel comfortable asking. Everyone had a first tournament.

For official rule interpretations or event-specific instructions, contact the Tournament Director listed in the event information. For general club or membership questions, email azkayakbassnation@gmail.com.