KayakCentre Fishing Tournament rules

Download a pdf file with the rules here

Version: 17/04/2023

SUMMARY
KFT2023 is an international event involving top kayak anglers from across Europe for two days of competition.

FORMAT
Anglers will be participating in a two day event using CPR format. Anglers will turn in pictures of their best predatory fish (Pike, Perch and Zander) each day. Anglers must be using an approved measuring device, provided by KayakCentre.

KFT2023 will consist of two days of competition, the breakdown of these days as follows:

      • Friday June 23rd , Registration, Pre Fish Day, Briefing
      • Saturday June 24th , Tournament Day 1
      • Sunday June 25th , Tournament Day 2, Awards

REGISTRATION & ENTRY FEE
All participants must register and pay via www.kayakcentre.nl

Entry Fee will be 60,00 EUR per angler.

SPORTSMANSHIP
All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship on and off the water. Be respectful of other participants that are launching or fishing in similar areas to you. Anglers are expected to follow all the rules. Anyone caught cheating could receive punishment by law and receive lifetime bans from other kayak fishing events and tournaments.

SAFETY
Each angler must have a valid fishing license for the days they will be on water. All participants must wear their life vest through the duration of the competition. At the morning Check-in the competitor will be issued with a numbered key tag that will be the anglers starting and competitor number for that day only. Anglers will be issued with a different tag number each day. All competitors MUST return their key-tag to the tag board when they return to the event site at the end of the fishing day regardless of whether they are measuring fish or not.

In the event of an angler not returning their key tag to the board by the specified finish time, the event organizers will commence a search for the missing competitor(s).

KAYAKS
All kayaks brands are allowed. No engines or sails are allowed.

BRIEFING
Attendance at the Competitors Meeting (June, 23th) and daily briefings are mandatory for all competitors. See event Information sheets for exact briefing times.

CHECK-IN
Exact check-in times will be announced at the Competitor Meeting. All competitors must collect their key tags & Scoring Marker before the start of each day and must have their key tags on the board by the nominated finish time. Failure to do so will result in time penalties at the rate of 1cm per minute late (or part thereof) and disqualification of the bag for returns over 15 minutes late.

FISHING
Competitors must abide by all of the national fishing and boating regulations. Be prepared to show your current fishing license at registration and have it with you all times while fishing. Inspectors may patrol the tournament waterways.

      • ALL events are expected to start at 07.00 am and finish at 03.00 pm.
      • ALL fish must be taken with a fishing rod, line and hook on the day of the tournament. No other methods are permitted.
      • This is a lead free fishing event.
      • ALL three species must be the minimum length. Fish below the minimum size should be immediately be released alive. No pictures to be taken, no points of score. The legal length are as follows:
        • Pike: 46CM , Perch: 23CM , Zander: 43CM
      • Any undersized fish will be disqualified from the angler´s bag.
      • 1 Pike, 3 Perch and 3 Zander
      • Only 1 rod may be used at a time
      • Cast-and-retrieve only – Lure fishing only, no live baits, no dead baits and no trolling, no lead weights/jighead etc.
      • It´s the angler’s responsibility for the wellbeing of the fish.

SCORING MARKER
Anglers will be given a Scoring Marker (assigned unique identifier) for each day of the tournament. This scoring marker is very important to the angler as it must be in the picture of your fish for the fish to count. An angler is responsible for this token from the moment it is assigned to them until they check in for the day. No replacement scoring markers will be available.

PREFISH BANS
Anglers fishing KFT2023 will not be allowed to access the tournament arena ‘Het Haringvliet’ from and including Friday the 9th of June 2023, till and including Thursday the 22nd of June 2023. A pre-fish ban means anglers are not allowed on competition waterways and linked systems for ANY REASON.

A pre-fish day will be allowed for the competitors only Friday June 23rd 2023.

SCORING
The event uses catch-photo-release scoring determined by the length of each species (Pike, Perch, Zander), combined in the case of an “Aggregate” Each angler will be issued a “uniform measuring device” and unique scoring marker at the Briefing.

      • Fish must be photographed in or on the kayak, on the provided measuring device, clearly showing the length of the fish with the scoring marker and boat visible.
      • Fish must measure above the state minimum to count.
      • Fish must be lying flat, facing left to right, with mouth closed in a natural resting position centered against the vertical portion of the measuring device. The fish must appear in a natural state. Any manipulation of the fish will result in a disqualification of that fish. The tail will be measured as it lies.
      • Only the anglers’ hand can hold the fish down on the board. Use of bands, grips, stringers, etc… Will result in a disqualification of that fish.
      • Competitors may enter seven (7) fish per day into the tournament, with a total aggregate number of centimeters of 1 Pike, 3 Perch and 3 Zander.
      • A minimum of 1 target fish species is needed for the ranking.

TOURNEY X

Participents will use TourneyX Pro app on their mobile phone to record and submit their fish.

      • Photos will have to be taken from within the TourneyX Pro app to record the gps-location of the catch. This data only is available for the judges to check if they are within the tournament arena and will not be shared with anyone else.
      • Images may not be digitally altered or enhanced in any way.
      • Judges have full discretion on open mouth and where the tail lies. If there is a questionable photo, judges can ask tournament director to make final ruling.

PHOTO CRITERIA

Each fish photo MUST include ALL the following criteria:

      • The whole fish, tip to tail (Aside from your hand, fish must be clear of any devices. Mouth / fins / tail cannot be obstructed in photo)
      • Laying with the tip of the lip at the beginning of ruler (mouth must be closed)
      • Measuring markings must be clearly visible.
      • Scoring Marker must be visible.
      • All criteria must be met or photo will not be scored.

 RECORDING OF FISH LENGTHS

It is the angler’s responsibility to submit the catches within the TourneyX Pro app.

When submitting, round up to the nearest full centimeter. A 30.1cm length fish will be recorded as 31cm, 30.5cm will be 31cm, 30.9cm will be 31cm.

TIES
Ties are broken based on the largest fish caught, if all fish are the same size, the angler who submitted their last catch first breaks the tie.

COMMUNICATIONS
The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular telephones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, pagers or any electronic device to communicate fishing information or to make contact with anyone, including family members, during tournament hours is strictly prohibited.

Communication among anglers is allowed on the water only by non-electronic methods. Emergency calls may be made and a tournament official should be contacted if such emergency call is made.

PROTEST
All protests must be submitted to the Tournament Director, in writing, along with a 100 EUR cash deposit, within fifteen (15) minutes of check-in time.

Any complaints regarding a breach of the rules must be addressed to the on-site Tournament Director within 24hrs of specific incidents. Penalties for rule and conduct violations may include the following:

      • Disqualification of catch for the day
      • Disqualification from the tournament
      • Disqualification from future events

Any concerns regarding clarification of rules can be discussed with the Tournament officials BEFORE the start of the tournament.

PRIZES

      • Top 10 Awards.
      • Free spot HFE2023
      • Big Fish Award.

Note: Prizes won or received at the event are final. There is no official trading or switching of items won!

RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE
A waiver, release of liability, and covenant not to sue is part of the entry form. It is required that all contestants take responsibility for themselves while participating in event activities.

PHOTO RELEASE
All photos taken by KayakCentre or Hobie Kayak Europe®  remain the sole ownership of KayakCentre and/or Hobie Kayak Europe

Contestants grant KayakCentre, and the event sponsors the unconditional right to use their name, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information in advertising, production, promotion, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use. 

FISHING LICENCE

All competitors must have a valid fishing license for ‘Het Haringvliet’. This is the VISPAS and can be aquired online. The procedure can be found on the website. Anglers need to have the VISPAS and a valid ID on them at any time fishing at ‘Het Haringvliet’. Sportvisserij Zuidwest Nederland, can be on the water for checks.

RULE CHANGES
Rules interpretation is exclusively left to the Tournament Director. Decisions of the Tournament Director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.

      • Any/all rule changes will be posted for viewing on the notice board and on the event website.
      • All rules are subject to change without notice at the discretion of the Tournament Director.