As we head into the home stretch of the 2025 CKA tournament season, let’s take a look at where things stand across the various points races, payouts and more!
The Pre-Fishing Rule
New champions and challenges emerge every season, but CKA 2025 has been different in one important way: for the first time, CKA instituted a ban on pre-fishing during the weekdays prior to tournament day. The goal was to decrease pressure on fisheries and increase the challenge of tournament day problem-solving.
So far this season, we have had five different event winners across six tournaments. Three of those winners are first-time champions, and two are rookie anglers. There has only been one repeat champion (down from two in 2024, who combined to win five events).
The initial result is promising: the rule is making the challenge greater on tournament day. It also increases roll-downs for the Tournament of Champions. Can we perhaps tweak it for 2026? Sure. Constructive feedback is always welcome, so reach out to directors with thoughts about it.
Payouts
After a banner year in 2023, CKA tournament attendance has been down for the second straight season. The trend is obvious across the region and country as various factors impact participation.
CKA directors have nonetheless managed to keep tournament payouts at a reasonably high level. For example, first place payouts have averaged above $1k per event, with the highest being $1,855.
Additionally, the Big Bass Hourly side action remains popular with high participation and good payouts (roughly $100 per hour). About 50% of anglers who win hourly payouts in this event do not cash checks in the main event, so the Hourly Big Bass provides anglers with options and opportunity. And for anglers who do cash checks, the Hourly Big Bass adds gravy to the meal.
20 for 25 Online Series
In the CKA on-line series, Christopher Hadden and Jeremy Vaughn currently hold the top spots, with Leland Stiff in third place. With August being the last month, those two anglers will qualify for the TOC should the current standings become official. What that means is at least one TOC spot will roll down to another lucky CKA angler (for more about the TOC, see below).
AOY and ROY Races
P.C. Hawj had the most dominant AOY run in club history, winning three Angler of the Year titles from 2016-2018. Prior to 2025, the closest any other angler has come to winning three titles is Bryan Tsiolkas (he was runner-up in 2015, and won the titles in 2022 & 2023).
It appears that Will Lambert will have three non-consecutive titles when the 2025 points race concludes, and a shot at a three-peat next season to match P.C.’s feat.
The CKA Rookie of the year Race is always a good one, and this year the field has fished hard. With two events remaining, anything can happen (ROY counts top three scores plus the Gate City Classic). So each angler technically still has two events to drop in a tight race. Here is how it looks heading into Falls Lake:
Falls Lake 100 presented by Four Seven Lures
CKA anglers have sustained an unprecedented twelve seasons of kayak fishing tournaments in North Carolina. It has been an awesome run as we have adapted to change and challenge along the way to keep our busy club humming along.
Our next tournament will be at Falls Lake. One of the best bass fisheries in the Southeast, Falls has regularly produced great memories (including a 24” bass landed by CKA angler Brad Crater in 2017).
CKA has fished Falls Lake in the spring of late, stopping there in March of 2022 and May of 2024. Our last summertime visit to the lake was in 2021, when we fished it in June. CKA has not fished the lake this late in this season since the T.O.C. that was held on it in 2018.
This is the last regular season event prior to the Gate City Classic (which is double points). We invite anglers past and present to join us and catch big bass for our 100th event at one of the best lakes on our circuit. For sign up, click: https://app.fishingchaos.com/tournament/l0LFRLvgdWrdHKioE4KX
Tournament of Champions Qualification
To date, seven anglers have locked up a spot in the CKA Tournament of Champions, to be held at an as yet to be determined lake on September 27-28th (lake drawing will be at the Gate City Classic).
To qualify through the CKA points standings, an angler must fish
- Bryan Tsiolkas (Tillery, 1st place)
- Isaiah Stanley (Harris, 1st place)
- Will Lambert (Mack & Reese/Lucas, 1st place)
- Tad Whitley (James, 1st place)
- Drew Blair (Tuckertown 1st place)
- Alex Sterling (KAS, highest placing CKA team)
- Hank Veggian (KAS, highest placing CKA team)
- Ryan Hayes (2024 TOC Champion)
Additionally, the 2025 ROY and AOY will each receive a bid, as will the top two 20 for 25 competitors. The top 20% of members who have fished at least five events also get in. That means that roughly one dozen more anglers will qualify for the exclusive CKA Tournament of Champions, which has no entry fee and guaranteed payouts.
Currently, the cut off in the AOY standings is 13th place, but the last TOC ticket would go to the 17th spot due to a roll down. That will likely all change by the end of the season, however, and now it is simply a matter of fishing events and culling low scores. 24 anglers have fished four or more events, so with two events remaining there is time yet to qualify the race for those final spots will be tight – even for anglers who have only three events!
Additional Info
To register for Falls Lake, click here: https://app.fishingchaos.com/tournament/l0LFRLvgdWrdHKioE4KX
If you have questions, reach out to CKA through our email address.
All content and photos © Carolina Kayak Anglers LLC, 2025.
First Published August 15, 2025. ROY graphic was updated on August 20,2025.
