The 2023 HKB Turkey Bowl & Food Drive is just around the corner! We're breaking down this year's event and what you can expect.
What is The Turkey Bowl?
The HKB Turkey Bowl is about so much more than a fishing tournament. It's about community and giving back. Each Fall, Anglers from across the Hoosier State and beyond gather in one location to celebrate the kayak fishing community through a fun, team-format fishing derby.
This event, while still competitive, is more about spending time on the water & fellowshipping one last time before we put the kayaks away for the winter.
WHEN & WHERE
The 2024 Turkey Bowl will be held in Sullivan County, Indiana on the Sullivan Lake, Saturday, November 4th.
This 461-acre Lake was created for the purpose of flood control and conservation in 1969. Stocked with bluegill, bass, and crappie, the lake also has Channel Catfish, Saugeye, and Walleye.
Does it have the Bigs? Yes, it does! 20"+ Largemouth Bass are regularly caught in this lake. In the last GRBY event on Sullivan, 3 fish over 21 inches were submitted and it took over 85 inches to win.
Sullivan County Park has 400 acres of land for camping, as well as a 9-hole golf course. They offer everything from primitive camping, to space for the most luxurious equipped motor homes on the market today.
EVENT FORMAT
The Turkey Bowl is a Single Day 3-Man Team Event with a 3 Fish (Bass) Limit. Any angler on the team may submit one or more fish. It is not required that each angler submit a fish.
In addition to the team leaderboard, there will also be an Individual Leaderboard. This leaderboard with all be based on a 3 Fish limit. We will also have a Big Bass award and a couple of side pots for anglers to jump in.
This will be a shotgun start. There will not be a separate "lines in time".
EVENT SPECIFICS
*All times are Eastern Standard Time & Subject to change. Team check-in (Ramp Parking Lot): 7:30 - 8:00am *Teams must check in together. Waiver must be signed or turned in at time of check in and Tournament Identifiers will be provided. Pre-Tournament Captains Meeting (Mandatory): 8:00 am * Prayer and National Anthem to proceed captains meeting. Launch/Lines in: 08:30 am Lines Out: 3:30pm Photo Submission: 4:00pm Mandatory Check in: 4:00pm *Must check in as a team Dinner: 4:00 - 4:30 pm Awards Ceremony: 4:30 PM Tournament Headquarters: TBD Address: TBD Rules: KBF Rules Standard 12” minimum No Trolling 3 Fish Limit Per Team (no minimum per angler) Allowable Launches: Main Boat Ramp (Shotgun Start) *Competitors will not be permitted to launch from The campground boat ramp. Allowable Waters: Sullivan Lake Off Limits Areas: There are two off-limits areas for this event.
Competitors may not pass under the N County Road 100 E Bridge located at the north end of the lake. Fishing the mouth is allowable.
Competitors may not enter or cast into the area of the lake commonly referred to as “The Pond” located in the SW corner of the lake adjacent to the dam. See diagram below.
Weather Delays & Cancelations
This is the Midwest and anything is possible. With an event in the 1st week of November, you have to be prepared for anything. It could be 80 and sunny, 50 and pouring rain, or 25 and snowing. So plan accordingly and Fish On!
If the weather becomes too dangerous to fish (Extreme cold, High Winds, or Storms) we may delay or cancel the tournament. Note that if the tournament is canceled, we will still host a get-together (with dinner) and the Food Drive at the event HQ as planned.
PAYOUTS & PRIZES
There are multiple ways to win at the 2023 HKB Turkey Bowl and every angler will go home with something!
TOP 3 TEAMS
The Top 3 Teams on the (Sponsor) Team Leaderboard will take home a cash payout and sponsor prize packs. The 1st place team will also receive a Custom Ketch Trophy (Per Angler) and of course, the bragging rights! The Turkey Bowl is a 100% Payout minus transaction fees.
Payout Structure: 100% Payout - Minus Fees
1st Place Team - 60% payout + custom Ketch Trophies (Per Angler) + sponsor prize pack
2nd place Team - 25% payout + sponsor prize pack
3rd Place Team - 15% payout + sponsor prize pack
TOP INDIVIDUAL ANGLER AWARD | PRESENTED BY YAK RODS
In addition to the team event, we will be rewarding the Top Individual Angler. The angler with the largest 3-Fish Limit will be receiving a YakRods Y-BFS Casting Rod & Swag pack valued at over $250 along with a Custom Ketch Trophy.
XTREME CLEAN LUNKER | BIG BASS AWARD
You can't have a Bass Derby without a Big Bass award. The Big Bass leaderboard is based on individual performance and does not require an additional entry fee. The angler with the Biggest Bass of the event will take home $100 Cash, along with some custom Ketch hardware and a great sponsor prize pack!
We will be announcing many more sponsors and prizes in the coming days and weeks leading up to the event.
OPTIONAL SIDE POTS
This year we will have two Individual Cash Side Pots. Each side pot will be a $10 entry fee (Cash Only) that must be paid at check-in. These will each have their own entry fee and 100% payout.
Biggest Crappie
Just like Big Bass but instead, you're measuring a slab! Sullivan Lake is known for Big Bass and in early November they should be chompin', so there's no doubt there will be a few caught. Enter the Biggest Crappie side pot for a chance to win some extra cash!
Junk Fish Draw | (Channel Catfish, Saugeye and Walleye)
Sullivan Lake has some hefty channel cats and a few Big Eyes as well! For the Junk Fish Draw, angler who lands a Channel Catfish, Saugeye or Walleye may submit a photo (Does not require measurement, but must have a tournament ID in the photo) and be entered into a random draw side pot.
AWARDS CEREMONY AND FOOD DRIVE
Awards Ceremony
Regardless of how the fishing action is on the water, I can promise you, we're going to have a great time at the Awards Ceremony and Dinner. That's right, Dinner is served! Your team ticket for the tournament includes your team's dinner at the awards ceremony. On top of some great eats, we will have door prizes for all the competitors.
This is a time of fellowship, the last time many of us will get to see each other until we meet up again on the water in the spring. So get those fishing tales ready and enjoy some laughs with the buds.
New to the Hoosier Kayak Scene? This is the perfect opportunity to mingle with anglers and who knows, maybe even make a new lifelong fishing buddy. Too Sappy for you? Well, it's a good time to talk some smack and let everyone know what series titles you're going for next year too!
Of course, in addition to the food and fellowship, we will crown the 2023 Turkey Bowl Champs, applaud the Top Individual Angler, award Big Bass, and hand out some side pot money too!
But, the most important part of this event, is the Food Drive...
The Food Drive
Food costs continue to soar while many families are still dealing with the economic impacts of the pandemic. Groceries are one of, if not the biggest, expenses for families today. Many families are relying on food banks and charitable donations of others to sustain their families. Statistically, it is likely most of you reading this have also relied on these donations at some point in your life.
Hoosier families have been especially hit hard this year with many dealing with the aftermath of historic storms all across the state. This, on top of just normal everyday struggle, has crippled families. The struggle to put food on the table and some things aren’t going to get any easier as we approach the holiday season.
Our mission at HKB has always been to grow the kayak community through promoting the anglers and the organizations here within the Hoosier state. While that is equally important to us, so is to giving back. Not only to the anglers and families within this Community but within the Hoosier State as a whole.
For five years now, we have utilized our biggest community event, the Turkey Bowl, as an opportunity to not just get together one last time on the water but also as an opportunity to come together, and support a great cause. The Turkey Bowl food drive has assisted in feeding dozens of families across the state during the holiday seasons, providing food baskets to nominated families and much-needed inventory to local food banks and churches.
This is all made possible thanks to the charitable donations from partners, sponsors, and of course, the anglers who come out to support this event and our mission to feed families here in the Hoosier state.
This year, we will be hosting the turkey bowl and food drive at Sullivan Lake. Not only because of it's great fishing and support from the local community, including the Sullivan Lake Park, but also because this is one of the most heavily hit communities in the state by storms And its surrounding areas such as Terre Haute (in neighboring Vigo county) as well as other many small towns and communities that often are overlooked and underserved
We appreciate your support of this event and our mission whether through sponsorship, donations, spreading the word, or just simply sharing this blog.
TURKEY BOWL HISTORY
Previous Winners
2018 | GEIST RESERVOIR | THE YOUNG GUNS
2019 | GEIST RESERVOIR | THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY
2021 | WEST BOGGS | THE NO PROS
2022 | LAKE MONROE | The REIGNING CHAMPS - TEAM JIGS & PIGS
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