Presented by
#3
"Ozarkana" presented by Old Town Watercraft
Poplar Bluff is known as "the gateway to the Ozarks" because it really is the first town you get to when heading across the Mississippi River floodplain westward. Everything north & west is considered Ozarks, while south and eastward is the floodplain. However, both areas hold good numbers and sizeable bass that the KAS anglers will soon find out!
The main storyline to watch will be which direction the anglers head to get the job done. The flood plain may not be as "scenic," but the Ketch measuring board doesn't discriminate. When we unite in the Rodgers Theater for the Awards Show the winner will be the longest 5 regardless of which side of the town they came from!
The Rodgers Theater opened in 1918 and is currently being renovated in order to be ready for the KAS in 2024! Seating over 1000, let's see how full we can get this place!
Ozarkana Waters
A tale of two different geographic zones - Ozark mountain lakes and streams vs Mississippi River flood plain rivers and lakes.
"Ozarkana" Basic Event Information (scroll down for hour by hour itenirary & more detailed info)
*(if) any changes are made on this page after it goes live, that could affect the competition portion of the event, they will be updated & kept red for 1 year
Tournament Dates: July 12 & 13th Official Kayak Sponsor for "Ozarkana"
Tournament Week: July 7-14th
Host City/ies: Poplar Bluff, MO - seetheozarks.com
River/Lakes: Lake Wappapello {} Clearwater Lake {} Duck Creek Conservation Area {} Mingo Creek & Wildlife Refuge {} Current River {} Black River {} St. Francis River {} Castor River/Hubble Creek & any free flowing tributaries into those core bodies of water
--- Scroll down this page for detailed map w/ boundaries & preview video.
Registration/Divisions: (Scoring powered by the "Realtree Fishing Realtime Leaderboard powered by TourneyX)
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Individual Division presented by Torqeedo {} $150 per angler {} Learn More {}
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X2 Team Division presented by X2 Power {} $150 per team ($75 an angler) {} Learn More {}
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Crescent Kids by 5-Star Heating & Air {} $75 per angler (enters them in Individual Division) {} 16 & under {}
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Z-MAN's "Micro Finesse" Micro Bag" division {} $25 per angler {} 5 Smallest bass (min 5-inches) {} Learn More {}
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Batteries Plus+ Sunday Side Pot {} $25 per angler {} Learn More {}
Other Awards (ways to win):
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MoYak Kayak Series joint event:
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Boonedox Big Bass: longest bass award receives the KAS Big Bass Bling trophy...just wait.
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GoPro's Epic Edit Award: Best edit of the previous KAS tournament to be shown on the theater big screen as a "preview" before awards
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Crosskix Century Belt: All anglers who catch 100+ inches at a tournament will receive a century belt award on stage at that event13 w someone will
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"Tackle for Trash": Angler who picks up the most unique trash item while on the water wins $100 gift card to TBD
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Raffle Kayak/s: Proceeds going towards our supporting riverkeepers, and Pediatric Cancer through the PUNT Foundation.
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Day 2 Darkhorse: presented by, who else, Darkhorse Tackle: Angler who jumps most places from Day 1 to Day 2
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Crescent Kids Kayak: The top youth at each event will win a Crescent kayak, thanks to Crescent Kayaks & 5 Star Heating & Air
Opening Ceremonies: Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill @ 336 Vine St, Poplar Bluff, MO
Closing Ceremonies Social (Yard Games, Kayak Demos, Food etc): Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill @ 336 Vine St, Poplar Bluff, MO
Closing Ceremonies (Awards Show): Historic Rodgers Theater @ 204 N Broadway St, Poplar Bluff, MO
Closing Ceremonies (Afterparty): Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill @ 336 Vine St, Poplar Bluff, MO 7:15-9pm & Half Whiskey Saloon from 9-11pm
Recommended Lodging/Camping: {} *Holiday Inn Poplar Bluff* (Official Hotel Partner) {} Fairfield Inn & Suites (Official Hotel Partner)
The Camp at Lake Wappapello {} Chaonia Landing Resort {} Sam A Baker State Park {}
Recommended Fishing/Kayak Retailers: Dunhams Outdoors {} Godwin's 303 {} Academy {} Wal-Mart
Recommended Restaurants/bars: Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill {} Haff Whiskey Saloon {} Mimi's (lunch) {} Myrtle's Place {} King David's Brewery Winery {} Foxtrot Coffee {} Wine Rack {} Big Whiskey's {} Castello's
Recommended Non-fishing Activities / Sites to see: Ozark Trail {} Big Springs {} Mingo Wildlife Refuge {} Greer Spring {} Alley Mill {} The Landing (tubing) {} Eco Bluff State Park (hikes, wild horses) {} Elephant Rocks {} Johnson Shut in State Park
KAS Friends & Family Excursion (Sat Morning during event): TDB
Kayak Demos: Saturday 2-5pm @ Wiseman Park (free 2 min shuttles from Closing Ceremony Festival) courtesy of Eco Fishing Shop
Bass U Brunch, presented by Bass University: 10:00am-12:00 @ Half Whiskey Saloon 309 S Broadway St, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
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10:00-10:45am - Drew Gregory "River Bassin Secrets I don't want to divulge"
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10:50-11:35am- TBD
Kayak Fishing Faith Fellowship: Friday @ 12:30 at Haff Whiskey when seminars are over
Supporting Local Riverkeepers: Ozark Smallmouth Alliance
Supporting Charity: Pediatric Cancer through PUNT Foundation & Downtown Poplar Bluff Inc
Historic Rodgers Theater
Location of the Closing Ceremony Awards Show
"Ozarkana" Detailed Itinerary
January 24th
January 24th
June 27-July 11th
July 7th
July 8th
July 11
July 12th
July 13th
July 14th
Early registration begins
Official Preview Livestream/Podcast on the Kayak Adventure Series YouTube Channel
Pre-fishing window begins (max of 4 days on the water within this 2-week window)
Early registration ends
Late Registration begins (ends July 11). Increased entry fee, no registration gift bag
Thursday - Opening Ceremony Social
4:00pm - Check in & late registration begins @ Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill
4:00pm - Merch tents & yard games open, food & drinks available inside Haffy's
5:30pm - Pre-fishing ends (must be off water)
6:00pm - Live Music begins
6:30pm - Check in & late Registration ends
7:00pm - 7:30pm - Optional Rules Q&A Session
7:30pm - whenever - Food, drinks, music, games - HAVE FUN!
Friday - "Afternoon Sesh" 4-hour afternoon sesh to get the tournament started
AM: Rigging, shuttling, exploring, scouting etc all allowed - NO LAUNCHING or FISHING
10:00am - Bass U Brunch @ Mimi's Market & Cafe (see speakers & times above)
2:30pm - Launching, paddling, pedaling, motoring allowed (no fishing). "Check in" on TourneyX app
3:00pm - Your "Afternoon Sesh" lines in; tournament weekend officially begins
7:00pm - Lines out; day 1 fishing ends
8:15pm - All fish submission photos due
8:15pm - 8:30pm - LIVE Day 1 recap & Day 2 ID released
Saturday - "Send it Saturday" presented by Uncle Larry's Outdoors #neverendthesend
6:00am - Launching, paddling, pedaling, motoring allowed (no fishing)
6:30am - Lines in ; tournament day 2 officially begins
9:30am - official family, friends & fans activity/meetup (TBD)
2:00pm - Food trucks, Merch tents & yard games open @ Haffy's Outside Beer Garden area
3:00pm - Lines out, day 2 fishing ends
3:00pm - 4:00pm - Don't forget to check out on Tourney X
4:15pm - All fish submission photos due
5:30pm - Closing Ceremony Festival ends; head to Rodgers Theater for Closing Ceremony Awards
5:30pm - Fisherman's Faith Fellowship (open to all) @ Rodgers Theater (Balcony)
6:00-7:00pm - Closing Ceremony Awards @ Rodgers Theater
7:00pm - Winner/s photos on stage
7:15pm - Winners press conference/livestream
7:30pm until the night ends - Afterparty back @ Haffy's Sports Bar & Grill
Batteries Plus+ Sunday Side Pot Tournament (6 hours fishing from your "check in" time on TourneyX)
Lines in @ your "check in" time on TourneyX
Lines out 6 hours after your "check in"
Photos due by 8pm, winners & results posted on KAS Socials
- Travel Safe...see you at the next adventure
Haffy's Sportsbar & Grill
Location of the Opening & Closing Ceremony Socials
Ozarkana's "Adventure Course"
Poplar Bluff, MO
Eligible water, hard boundaries, launch boundaries, opening & closing ceremonies etc
Eligible Water Adventure Course Map >>
Eligible Core Bodies of Water **
Lake Wappapello - Clearwater Lake - Duck Creek
Conservation Area - Mingo Creek & Wildlife Refuge - Current River - Black River -St. Francis River - Castor River/Hubble Creek
** including any and all free flowing canals, creeks & rivers feeding them. When scouting (online or in person) track all tributaries upstream until you hit any of the following man-made obstacles - solid or earthen dam, or road, culvert or pipe etc that you cannot kayak under/over. Any of these are hard KAS boundaries. A "spillway" or "lowhead" type dam is legal in KAS and anglers can fish & access above & below them. They are just "running the river" and are different from "solid or earthen" dams that have water flowing under the dam via a pipe or drain (think neighborhood or farm ponds, private lakes etc) or through larger outflows or turbines on larger public lake dams. If the water above in a larger public lake is legal in KAS it will be marked and listed as one of your "core" bodies of water on this page/map. If not, then it is not legal for the event.
Anglers must access "legally" and "publicly." If you find any water, or access, you feel may not be covered by the interactive map, preview video, or rules standards please contact the KAS Tournament Director prior to the event for clarification or risk being DQ'd if it is later deemed to be not eligible. For help determining "public" access you can also refer to the official Farwide Flowchart
ELIGIBLE WATER PREVIEW VIDEO
Click play to take a tour of the eligible water for "Oarkana." This is just a general preview of the eligible water to get you excited about the waters you're about to explore! Refer to the map above for a more precise and interactive experience
showing all core bodies of water and any boundaries.
One of the coolest parts of this tournament that we, as an organization can't wait to see, is the battle between several totally diifferent water types and bass species. Smallmouth in clear Ozark streams vs spotted bass or largemouth in the lakes or the flood plain waters. One thing for sure, this decision will be a big part in what makes or breaks it for our winner!
Official Preview Show
All things Ozarkana are covered in the official preview show
