The official 2026 CKA schedule was a group effort, a combination of angler feedback, TD meetings and collaboration with other entities.
CKA has been rejuvenated with an influx of anglers who are new to the sport. At the same time, kayak fishing has new gadgets available to it. The combined demographic and technological changes have provided CKA with the opportunity to bring tournaments into the future while also maintaining the traditions of fair sportsmanship that have made CKA the state’s longest running kayak bass fishing series.
The new 2026 schedule balances opportunity with tradition. Angler feedback has been central to CKA’s work in recent years. Last year we modified competition rules to limit pre-fishing and adjusted the organization’s geographic footprint to accommodate travel pressures for anglers who fish between multiple series.
In 2026, CKA listened to anglers who wanted to limit the use of forward-facing sonar [FFS} technology. As a result, the schedule was designed to allow four FFS events and four events in which FFS is prohibited. Using a random draw to pick the lakes, the resulting schedule was decided. As a result, the season’s first two events will be non-FFS tournaments, followed by four consecutive FFS events, and closing with two non-FFS events. Use of FFS in the final tournament – the exclusive Tournament of Champions – will be decided by a coin flip at the Gate City Classic.
The 2026 schedule draw adds a new dynamic to how anglers can approach the season. Will you fish all non-FFS events, and dip into some FFS events in order to qualify for the Tournament of Champions? Or vice versa? Qualification for the TOC will depend on it, and so will the race for Angler of the Year.
Additionally, CKA has continued its history of collaboration with other clubs in the state and region. For example:
- The season’s third event, on the Yadkin chain in early May, provides a chance to compete in the concurrent N.C. Bass Nation Kayak Series,
- CKA will continue its support for REEL Heroes (Purple Heart Homes) and its signature tournament in July,
- The Battle on the Border returns for its eighth edition after yet another successful fall event (but this time earlier in the year, in September).
As CKA enters the 2026 regular season, it kicks off its 13th season of tournament kayak bass fishing in North Carolina. As always, we welcome new and returning members, and look forward to another exciting year!
The 2026 CKA season is sponsored by the following companies:
Dakota Lithium
Carolina Waters
Four Seven Lures
YakAttack
Bingo Braid
Kayak Kushion
Hobie Eyewear
Visit Greensboro
Visit Stanly County
Reel Heroes Purple Heart Homes
Additional Info
To become a CKA member, click here: https://app.fishingchaos.com/club/hcdRny0qxmGvi5nnjxjR
If you have questions, reach out to CKA through our email address.
All content and photos © Carolina Kayak Anglers LLC, 2026.
First Published January 23, 2026.
