Hoosier Kayak Bassin's TOP 25 - Presented by Rogue Fishing Co. What is it, how does it work, and what can you win? All these questions and more will be answered in this blog!

Let's start with the big idea …
The big idea behind HKB TOP 25 is, at its core, the same as our overall mission to promote the series, clubs, and anglers here within the state; to give anglers more time in the spotlight; and to grow the community with new and exciting ways to participate.
With that in mind, the HKB TOP 25 was developed to spotlight anglers from across the state, as they compete in events within the various tournament organizations Indiana has to offer. We hope this brings a new dynamic to the competition, with anglers competing for bragging rights and prizes throughout the year. We also hope the HKB TOP 25 encourages anglers to try different events with other organizations in the state while continuing to fish with and promote their home clubs/series.
Over the course of the last several months, we have worked to put together a ranking system that will fairly and accurately rank Hoosier anglers, one that is based on their collective performance throughout the year. When ranking the best in the state, we looked at those not just competing in one series or organization, but those participating in multiple series throughout the season - thus showcasing the most consistent anglers within the Hoosier State.
This has been no small task. Not only do we have to pull in all the tournament data from every kayak series event in the state, but we also had to come up with a way to fairly rank each event in the most unbiased way possible. This is super-difficult, considering each series has a different format. While it is not possible to make the system perfect, the goal was to get as close as possible, while also considering all variables.
After coming up with a foundation for the algorithm, and carefully thinking through all the possible contingencies, and taking feedback from other community leaders, we finally came up with what we believe is the best possible ranking system for the anglers in our state.
So here's how it works…
Every Monday at 8:00 p.m. (ET), we will release the HKB TOP 25 rankings based on the events that took place the previous Tuesday through Monday. The year's first rankings will be released on Monday, March 28th, after the conclusion of the first three GRBY events. We will continue to post a new update every Monday throughout the season. Additionally, at the conclusion of each month, we will post end-of-the-month standings and award prizes to anglers on the TOP 25 list. More on prizes and awards later.
Points… Okay so now that you know when the ranking will be announced, let's talk about how to get ranked.
Here are the basic parameters:
All open, regular season events from our partner series: Indiana Kayak Angler, GRBY - IN, Southern Indiana Kayak Anglers and Kayak Bass Fishing will be eligible events for the HKB TOP 25. The HKB Last Chance, State Championship, and Turkey Bowl will not be included in the TOP 25 rankings, nor will the championships from IKA, SIYAK, and GRBY - or any “fun events” within these organizations.
Tournaments will be weighted by two key factors: the number of competitors and the tournament format. We will be using three format categories - Traditional on-site events, Hybrid events, and online events.
Traditional On-site vs Online Explained:
Traditional On-site Events: Tournaments where anglers compete on the same body of water, at the same time, under the same conditions. These events will carry the highest weight within the parameters of the algorithm.
Hybrid Events: Events that take place on one body of water or group of waters* within a designated time frame where anglers compete on the same or separate days but under the same time restrictions.
All GRBY events will fall under this categorization. However it is possible that other events from other organizations may fall under this category if the event format meets the above criteria, such as the IKA 5 County shoutout that took place in 2020 and 2021.
These events will be weighed slightly lower than a traditional on-site event, but weighted heavier than an On-line event.
*Group of waters explained: This is defined as any event that takes place on a group or series of lakes within close proximity such as the GRBY Nyona/So Mud series.
On-line Events: On-line events, as opposed to traditional on-site tournaments, allow anglers to fish events on either multiple bodies of water, to fish over the course of several days within a set timeframe, or some combination of the two. Examples of on-line events are the KBF month-longs, and SIYAK month-longs. These events will hold the lowest weights within the algorithm.
To further simplify this, here is a list of eligible events in 2022 and their status.
All GRBY Events: Hybrid
KBF Challenge Series: Online
ALL IKA Events: On-site
SIYAK Events: MIX
- Month-long - Online
- Weekend Warrior - Online
- Nocturnal - Online
- Glendale - On-site
- Moving Waters - On-site
- Beaver Creek - On-site
- Loon - On-site
Please note that it is entirely possible to rank very high, possibly even grab top honors, without fishing any on-site events. Additionally, even though SIYAK runs some on-site events, due to the 25 angler cap at Loon and Glendale, these events will fall in the second lowest weight category for number of anglers.
That being said, let's explain how tournament participation affects results.
For an event to be considered eligible for the HKB TOP 25 rankings, it must have at least 10 registered anglers competing in the event. The weight of the event, based on the number of competitors, is measured by four thresholds:
51 anglers or more
36-50 anglers
21-35 anglers
10-20 anglers
Tournaments with 10-20 anglers will be weighed less than those with 21-35 anglers, and 21-35 angler fields will be rated more than 10-20 angler fields, but less than 36-50 and so on, with events over 51 anglers weighted at 100 percent. Though the difference is small, it is important to understand finishing in first place in an event with 10 anglers versus an event with 51 anglers will have an impact on total points earned.
Outside of the above parameters, there are some additional key factors - primarily the number of events. To keep this fair and competitive, we are going to take each angler's best 12 scores. Once an angler has competed in 13 events, their lowest score will be culled, leaving only their top 12 scores. With regular season events taking place from March through September, anglers will need to compete, on average, two to three events per month. Additionally, for the final standings and awards at the end of the year, anglers will need to have competed in a minimum of three Partner Series
To show just how easy this is to do, here is one example of how to fish in three partner series events …
In May, you could sign up for the KBF month-long, SIYAK month-long, and one other event from IKA or GRBY. You have hit your three-series minimum, and have finished three of your 12 events!
While we know not every angler will be able to hit the minimums, we believe the parameters we have set are the most conducive to having a competitive and accurate ranking system for the majority of anglers competing in the state. We recognize that some of the top anglers - based on inability to compete in the 12 events minimum - may not rank as high, or at all, in the final standings. These anglers will still receive recognition weekly/monthly within the HKB TOP 25 platform. We will continue to promote anglers after each event, while also highlighting champions from each series at the end of the season. The HKB TOP 25 is not a path to the HKB State Championship, nor is there any qualification to be earned elsewhere. This is simply a way to recognize anglers competing in the various series offered in the state and to encourage anglers to venture outside of their “Home Club” and try a new series - with the goal of further growing and strengthening the overall kayak bass fishing community here in Indiana.
One more item you should be aware of is the zero fish zero points rule. Anglers will not be awarded points for any tournament in which they do not submit at least one keeper size bass. Keeper is defined by the minimum size requirements for a submitted bass in the event fished.
Awards & Prizes - So what do I win?
Thanks to our amazing partners at Rogue Fishing Co. and Ketch, there will be several opportunities for anglers to win some cool prizes, as well as some awesome titles! And, at the end of the year, that will of course come with some awesome custom hardware. To give as many anglers as possible a chance to earn prizes and awards, we have broken things down into three categories: weekly, monthly, and final year-end rankings. Below, we will break down what's included in each.
Weekly
On top of the recognition, anglers in the HKB TOP 25 will have a chance to earn some gear from Rogue Fishing Co. Each week we will randomly draw one angler from the HKB TOP 25 List. That angler will receive a product, discount, gift card, or swagg from Rogue Fishing Co.! For the random drawings, an angler will only be able to win once within the season, giving all anglers an opportunity to win!
Monthly
The final rankings each month will be posted shortly after the first of the following month, once all events are finalized. Anglers in the monthly HKB TOP 25 will be entered to win a Rogue Fishing Co. prize pack at the end of the year - full details to be released at a later date. Additionally, these HKB TOP 25 anglers will be featured within HKB, Rogue, KBF Socials, and in a monthly HKB recap blog/newsletter. The top three anglers each month will also receive a Rogue Fishing Co. product as well.
Yearly
At the end of the 2022 regular season, we will publish the final HKB Top 25 Standings. Based on those standings, we'll present three major titles, each awarded with a Rogue prize pack and custom hardware made by our friends at Ketch Product, Inc.
Those awards are…
HKB TOP STICK - This will be awarded to the top ranked angler.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (ROY) - This will be awarded to the top finishing rookie competing in kayak tournaments for the first time.
THE YOUNG GUN AWARD - This will be awarded to the highest finishing angler under the age of 18. An angler who starts the season at the age of 17, but turns 18 within the regular season will still be eligible for the award.
While we could stop there, we wanted to make sure all anglers in the final HKB TOP 25 received something, so we are working with the teams at Ketch and Rogue to design a one-of-a kind coin to commemorate these anglers' performance throughout the season!
Finally….
There is one more award that will allow anglers to receive recognition based on their level of improvement throughout the season. We are calling this the Rogue Power Move. Each week, and month, we will recognize the angler who made the biggest jump within the HKB TOP 25 rankings, highlighting them again on socials and on the HKB website.
Alright, have we confused you enough yet?
To summarize and simplify …
Just go fish your butt off and we'll pull in all tournament standings from all events and run them through the algorithm to generate an unbiased, and fair, ranking of you and your fellow anglers - one that will give everyone the opportunity to be recognized and have the spotlight on them. Compete in as many series as you can, and try out all the amazing tournament platforms and options we have here in the state of Indiana.
We hope this will help give Hoosier anglers an opportunity to be seen - and if nothing else, generate some fun and conversation amongst our anglers.
Good luck to everyone this season. Fight for the win, but remember to enjoy the journey!

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Makes sense to me. Thanks for all you do Sam!