Live Weigh-in Format Bass Tournaments

I get to participate in tournaments like this on my kayak and I love it.  I've built the live-well and the whole deal works well for me.  But I'm the only kayak competing, and wondering if others are interested in this way of competition.  Picture FLW style on a smaller scale.

Thanks,

Aaron Swerkes

That's great.  I really miss the competition, but wouldn't trade anything in the world for the feeling of self reliance that paddling my kayak gives me. Are they local club tournaments and how do the bass boaters feel about it?   Andy

Actually, I'm a member of a float tube/kickboat club, where most of my opponents are fishing from pontoon-style kickboats.  No motors are allowed.  Just had our final points paying event for the year and I finished in 4th, despite missing 2 events.  We mostly fish the Delta with a few stops at Clear Lake and a few others.

So, not talking about ditching the kayak.  Actually embracing it while adopting a mainstream bass tournament format.

-Aaron Swerkes

are you talking about the guys in bass n tubes?  i've looked into it but only slight interest really.  part of the AOTY lure is going out after fish i do not normally fish for.  bass are OK in my opinion but i have really fallen out of it, no longer buying into the supposed allure

The Hobie bait tank is 5 gallons...

just about all it would be good for...  I heard it devourers bait

I think the Bass Masters saw us coming a long time ago, I'm fairly sure Pro Bass Tournaments state that you must be powered by 90 hp or better...

Sounds similar to the Bass N Tubes tourney series. That's a pretty cool deal. I participated in a few of their events back in like 1999/2000 from my floattube. But back then, it was only required to have a floating pen/livewell. The new livewell restrictions are too strict for most kayaks to participate. (Maybe I'm wrong though?) Because you're required to have a minimum 10gal livewell onboard and, well, 10gal = 83lbs and I don't think its a good idea to lug around 80+lbs of water on a SOT yak. It's kind of a safety issue.
I wonder how the mussel inspectors at Coyote, Calero, etc feel about those livewells?

The Bass N Tubes livewell requirements are copy+pasted below.
Minimum livewell requirements are:
a. - Kickboats using oars must have an out of the water livewell.
b. - A 350 GPH minimum bilge pump is to be used for refreshing out of water livewells with fresh lake water.
c. - Out of water livewells must use an aerator.
d. - Livewells must be constructed from a minimum 10 gallon container.
e. - Float tubes and kickboats without oars may use mesh style fish baskets that have a full frame to ensure that the bag will not collapse around the fish while moving.

Although not required we STRONGLY recommend the following, at all times, for the well being of the fish.
a. - An insulated ice chest livewell that is 48 quarts or larger.
b. - A 5 inch or larger aerator stone (larger is better, so go with what you can fit)
c. - Doping products (Rejuvenade, Please Release me, etc.)
d. - Ice on very hot days.
e. - Refreshing with lake water, at least 3 times an hour throughout the day for an amount of time that will pump a minimum of 3X the volume of the livewell.

I've been thinking about getting back into tournaments again.  I was liberated from my bass boat years ago after renting a kayak and going fishing from it in Hawaii where I used to live.  It helped that I got lucky and caught several large reel screeming Ulua on my first trip.  Andy

I have a 48 quart igloo cooler converted to a livewell that has qualified to fish the B-N-T events, as well as the SCBBBC State Classic for the last 3 years.  I've used it on my (current) Cobra FND kayak, as well as on a Hobie Outback I let go of earlier this year with no issues.  And I have yet to see a fish go belly up in my livewell. 

We had another kayaker that used to fish with B-N-T a lot from his Hobie.  He used a livewell too, with no problems.  I'm pretty certain that a lot of SOTs are capable of doing this.  I am also certain, from experience, that a drag-bag is not a good solution for keeping bass when used with a kayak.

I dig B-N-T, and I've learned a lot fishing with this club.  I'd just like to see if I can find a group of kayak anglers to get out there and do this kind of thing.

-Aaron Swerkes

Was there something you disliked about the outback?

No, not really.  The only minor complaint was the lack of a flat place to stand.  Other than that minor inconvenience the Outback was a great bass fishing platform.  Sold it because I needed cash and my Cobra is too beat up to be worth much.  I might pick up another eventually.

Seems like a lot of us are in that boat.  I love my fish in dive for the river and lakes but it kills me if I have to paddle far in the ocean.  I'm going to keep it for friends because of its stability for the newbies though.  Good luck with getting some kind of kayak bass thing going.  Andy

Nice to know another Bass Bro welcome and heck ya I would love to put a tankwell on my yak for any Bass Event!

it just seems like you do really good in a tournament with say 5   5lb bass, your going to be pretty cramped for space with that livewell

it just seems like you do really good in a tournament with say 5   5lb bass, your going to be pretty cramped for space with that livewell

I've seen a 27 pound limit anchored by an 8.48 pound hog brought to the scale in a 50 quart livewell and all 5 fish were released alive and well.  You'd be surprised how well this set-up works.  Of course, I recommend a snug bungee for securing your livewell lid, as those fish can stage a full on prison break and you'll find yourself chasing culling buoys into the tules. 

I'm always thrilled to see someone put together a bag like that during a 6-8 hour tourney, as it doesn't happen real often with human powered craft.

im interested in your live well setup. is it just a store bought one that bass pro has with the lid that unscrews?  if not could you post some pics?   hows paddling with the live well in back?