Realtree Fishing KBF PRO SERIES Presented by Dee Zee
OVERVIEW — KBF Pro Members can pit their skill against other kayak bass anglers on the national level to establish the foundation for a true stand alone professional kayak fishing series.
Entry fee for KBF PRO SERIES Tournaments is $150 for 2023. The 2023 KBF PRO SERIES Championship Entry Fee is $300 (Fall 2023). KBF will pay out 10% of the field at all KBF PRO SERIES Events and the KBF PRO SERIES Championship. Over the next three years the goal is to pay out increasingly higher percentage of the field and ultimately get to where we are paying out 20% or more of the field. In order for anglers to truly reach sustainability for fishing as a full time career, KBF will work diligently to help cultivate a platform where anglers can truly offer a great return on investment for potential sponsors.
KBF PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED: JOIN HERE
In order to create a truly self-sustaining professional kayak series, KBF must increase payouts, promotion and appeal to national level sponsors. In order to do that, here is the three year plan for increasing payouts. These are tentative beyond 2023, but the $50,000 First Place Guarantee for the first KBF PRO SERIES Championship is locked in and official. (Additional information below)
2023 – KBF PRO SERIES Championship Entry Fee – $350 (Payout 10% of the Field) – $50,000 First Place Guarantee**
- Lake Hartwell | Anderson, SC – March 17-19, 2023
- Qualifications Based on 2022 Season
2023 – KBF Pro Series Entry Fee – $150, KBF PRO SERIES Championship Entry Fee – $250 (Payout 15% of the Field) – $25,000 First Place Guarantee**
- TBA – Fall 2023 | Florida
- Qualifications Based on 2023 Season
**Projected based on participation of 200 KBF PRO SERIES anglers throughout the season. Season entry fees include a $50 KBF PRO Series holdback per entry.
2022 KBF PRO SERIES Angler of the Year Points will be awarded according to performance to every KBF Member who registers to compete in the KBF PRO SERIES Tournaments. First Place earns 600 AOY Points, Second place 594, Third 588, and so on, dropping by 6 points with each step down in rank. 120 points is the minimum awarded to any Active Participant. If one registers but doesn’t compete, 60 Registration AOY Points are awarded.
2022 KBF PRO SERIES Angler of the Year:
• Top three (3) scores from 2022 Realtree Fishing KBF PRO SERIES Tournaments (600 points max at each, totaling 1,800 max, with 6-point decrement per step down in ranking)
• 2022 KBF PRO SERIES Championship (900 points max, with 9-point decrement per step down in ranking) (March 17-19th, 2023 Lake Hartwell | Anderson, SC)
Ties are broken by 2022 KBF PRO SERIES Championship ranking.
2022 KBF PRO SERIES Qualification** — KBF PRO SERIES Tournaments are qualifying events for the 2022 KBF PRO SERIES Championship.
KBF PRO SERIES is OPEN to all KBF PREMIUM MEMBERS for the 2022 Season in order to establish a solid baseline for a successful PRO SERIES in 2023 and beyond.
2022 KBF PRO SERIES Championship Qualification** — (March 2023)
Top 200 – KBF PRO SERIES Ranking
Top 100 – 2022 KBFNC
Top 5 – 2022 KBF Challenge Series Championship
Top 50 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Championship
Top 200 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Ranking
2023 KBF PRO SERIES Championship Qualification** — (Fall 2023)
Top 200 – KBF PRO SERIES Ranking
Top 100 – 2022 KBFNC
Top 20 – 2022 KBF Challenge Series Championship
Top 50 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Championship
Top 200 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Ranking
2023 KBF PRO SERIES Qualification** — KBF PRO SERIES Tournaments are qualifying events for the 2023 KBF PRO SERIES Championship.
All anglers previously Qualified for the KBF Dee Zee The TEN
All anglers that participated in a 2022 KBF PRO SERIES event
Top 100 – 2022 KBFNC
Top 50 – 2022 KBF Challenge Series Championship
Top 50 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Championship
Top 200 – 2022 KBF TRAIL Series Ranking
Top 100 – 2023 KBF Challenge Series Overall AOY Ranking
The KBF TRAIL Series, KBF Challenge Series and the KBF AmBASSadors Series events will continue to serve as the pathway to becoming a professional kayak angler. In addition, once the PRO SERIES achieves the ability to operate independently, the number of events will be reduced to between six and nine. This will accomplish a couple of things. First, it will reduce the financial burden on many anglers that can’t afford to fish ten or more events to remain competitive, it will raise the stakes and importance of each event and it will also afford anglers the opportunity to fish other series’ such as the Hobie BOS or BASS Nation Kayak Series in order to provide as much possible return on investment for their sponsors that they can, while also providing additional opportunities to place in events and generate enough revenue to sustain themselves and their families.
Can anyone fish a KBF PRO SERIES Tournament in 2022?
No. Participants must qualify for the KBF PRO SERIES and meet eligibility standards outlined in the KBF PRO SERIES Overview.
What is the minimum number of registrants required for a KBF PRO SERIES Tournament to "make"?
There’s no established minimum for the first two years (2022 and 2023)
